Emerging jazz countries
The jazz world has become both bigger and smaller. Bigger, because music from all over the world reaches us more easily than ever. Yet it also feels smaller, as more and more musicians seek each other out to collaborate.
This year’s festival features South Korean singer Song Yi Yeon, who developed under the wing of Dianne Reeves, while two of her countrymates pursued their jazz studies in the Netherlands: drummer and fresh Paul Acket Award winner Sun-Mi Hong, and pianist Chaerin Im, who have both been building international careers from here for years. Mongolia is represented on the jazz scene by pianist Shuteen Erdenebaatar, who, like Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana before her, has been signed by the renowned Motéma label.
Other jazz musicians from non-traditional jazz countries include Mexican drummer Antonio Sanchez, Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan and Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda. Each of these musicians brings, consciously or unconsciously, elements of their own traditions, thereby further expanding the jazz language. In this respect, Japanese singer Fujii Kaze is very special: his music mixes pop and jazz in such an idiosyncratic and accessible way that he fills stadiums with it in his own country.
