We know jazz from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Good jazz also comes from Asia, especially from Japan. Korean jazz, we haven't heard that yet. However, that is about to change, because the German ACT signed the Korean singer Youn Sun Nah. On her CD Voyage, produced by bassist Lars Danielsson, she comes across as very convincing. That's no surprise, given her track record. Youn (Seoul,
… 1969) comes from a musical family. After studying French she went to Paris to learn chansons. She turned her attention to jazz, but also made a pop album that became a bestseller in her native country. Niels Lan Doky, producer and pianist of that CD, introduced her to the Scandinavian musicians Ulf Wakenius (guitar), Matthias Eick (trumpet) and Danielsson. Together with percussionist Desandre-Navarre, Youn's crystal-clear voice provides an appropriate adventurous accompaniment in a repertoire that avoids the obvious standards, but focuses on own compositions and songs by Egberto Gismonti and Tom Waits. (HB)more
