16th Annual Jazz Critics Poll Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios, Songs From My Father (Whaling City Sound) New Releases – Philip Booth (JazzTimes, Jazziz, Relix) New Releases – Andrew Gilbert (San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Classical Voice, Bay Area News Group) New Releases – Mark Holston (Jazziz, Latino) New Releases – Yoshi Kato (San Francisco … Read More
by John Fordham, The Guardian “South Korean Jihye Lee was first an indie pop singer, then a jazz composer prodigy whose work has been compared to the legendary Gil Evans and Maria Schneider. Daring Mind, a contrast-packed big-band set produced by Darcy James Argue with Lee, shows just why in its dizzying sweep from bebop to … Read More
By Editor, Jazzwise “Over nine spellbinding compositions, the South-Korea native approaches large-ensemble jazz in a personal and adventurous storytelling manner. Lee invites listeners into her creative world, finding sounds and musical equivalents for her thoughts and emotions. A glimpse of her method is captured on a video of the studio sessions for the track, ‘Suji’.” Watch … Read More
by Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Scene Read both reviews in full here.
By Seth Colter Walls, The New York Times A single year in Mozart’s career, a Florence Price focus and a fresh take on big-band music are among recent releases. Read more here.
By Suzanne Lorge, DownBeat In 2018, South Korean composer/leader Jihye Lee won the BMI Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize for her big band chart “Unshakeable Mind,” which led to a commission for a second piece, “Revived Mind.” These two compositions, complex tapestries woven out of simple threads, illustrate the high concept behind Daring Mind, the … Read More
By Ted Gioia There are many unusual paths to leadership of a jazz big band. Duke Ellington started out as a painter, and showed genuine gifts as a visual artist. Woody Herman began as a child tap dancer in vaudeville. Read more here.
By Morgan Enos, Grammy.com There’s a reason Shorter’s famous “I dare you” quote comes up. Those three words galvanized Jihye Lee. As evidenced by track titles like “Relentless Mind,” “Unshakeable Mind,” and “Struggle Gives You Strength,” the composer’s new album, 2021’s Daring Mind(opens in a new tab), is all about personal transformation from within. Read more … Read More
By Morgan Enos, JazzTimes In the space of 10 years, the South Korean immigrant has gone from jazz novice to masterful big-band leader and composer. Read more here.
By Jack Bowers, All About Jazz Korean-born composer Jihye Lee is a musician who knows her own mind, whether it be relentless, unshakable, revived, dissatisfied or Daring, as on her second recording for Motema Records. Read more here.
