Jazz for aficionados

The theme of what is good or not keeps coming up in different guises; as expected and as it should. Just as with the music itself, what distinguishes a good reviewer from a bad one is not wether he reviews music that we happen to like, but wether he is able to express in words how the music touches him/her; and, to do it in a credible and eloquent way. It's never fair to discredit a reviewer without first making and understanding that distinction; imo.

O-10, loved the a Youn Son Nah clip. What a voice! Luscious and very sexy in some very unusual ways; and technically excellent. She straddles a fine line just short of affectation with a nice combination of credibility (when singing in English) and some obviously Asian influences in her vocal inflections and overall sensibility. When I first listened to the clip one of the things that came to mind was "her intonation and accuracy are so good that she probably did many different takes and used some editing to get a good complete version". Nope, she can really do it!:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t2Kki-mx7uw

Anyone familiar with the folk music of that part of the world will hear that influence in this performance. I think it's amazing, if perhaps an acquired taste for some:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dVehcCuwZeA

"Alternate groove" indeed; and a good one. Thanks for sharing.

The theme of what is good or not keeps coming up in different guises; as expected and as it should. Just as with the music itself, what distinguishes a good reviewer from a bad one is not wether he reviews music that we happen to like, but wether he is able to express in words how the music touches him/her; and, to do it in a credible and eloquent way. It's never fair to discredit a reviewer without first making and understanding that distinction; imo.

O-10, loved the a Youn Son Nah clip. What a voice! Luscious and very sexy in some very unusual ways; and technically excellent. She straddles a fine line just short of affectation with a nice combination of credibility (when singing in English) and some obviously Asian influences in her vocal inflections and overall sensibility. When I first listened to the clip one of the things that came to mind was "her intonation and accuracy are so good that she probably did many different takes and used some editing to get a good complete version". Nope, she can really do it!:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t2Kki-mx7uw

Anyone familiar with the folk music of that part of the world will hear that influence in this performance. I think it's amazing, if perhaps an acquired taste for some:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dVehcCuwZeA

"Alternate groove" indeed; and a good one. Thanks for sharing.

****what distinguishes a good reviewer from a bad one is not wether he reviews music that we happen to like, but wether he is able to express in words how the music touches him/her; and, to do it in a credible and eloquent way*****

This is true, but from a personal point of view, it's more important that the reviewer's taste and musical sensibilities coincide with those of the reader and are demonstrated to be consistent over time.

Cheers

Youn Sun Nah.

Amazing ability with her voice. I found Koreans to be very passionate and soulful people. They love to sing. In 1976 during my first tour there, a then current hit song, sung by a Korean woman, is the most beautiful song I have heard to this day. Have no idea who she was, or what the song was about. I listened to it several times, almost daily, for 15 months.

If Jazz ever comes out of Asia, it will be Korean!

Cheers

****it's more important that the reviewer's taste and musical sensibilities coincide with those of the reader and are demonstrated to be consistent over time.****

Exactly right.

Re Korea: When in Asia recently, Korea was one of the stops. It was absolutely amazing how modernized Korea was. There was a sense that the country was running on all cylinders and going full speed ahead; a force to be reckoned with and very impressive.

Re jazz and Asia: soloist on part of the tour was the very impressive Makoto Ozone. Fantastic jazz pianist also at home in the Classical arena:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G22GY6JhZQI&list=PLj0AGSl1lDjNTsQlpKBfkh7v7FPw2SDLc

This is part of a repeat of one of the Asia tour programs back in NYC (hint: there is a frog in the orchestra :-) :

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BxowOVIdnR0&list=PLj0AGSl1lDjNTsQlpKBfkh7v7FPw2SDLc