Sun-Mi Hong is a South Korean drummer who’s made the Netherlands her home for the past several years. A highly regarded artist in the Dutch jazz scene, she’s been hailed as “strikingly original,” by DownBeat, and she’s won the SENA Dutch Jazz Competition in 2018 and the Edison Award for her debut album, A Self-Strewn Portrait.

The journey to becoming one of the most compelling drummers of the latest generation began in Incheon, South Korea. As a little girl, she loved to listen to the band at her church and began to study piano. At 12, Sun-Mi found that she had an even greater attraction to drums, but it took five years to convince her parents to allow her to take lessons. Her first teacher was an amateur heavy metal drummer, so her musical influences were diverse from the beginning. Her parents still considered drumming a hobby for her but told her if she got into music school, they wouldn’t stand in the way of her dream. She earned a spot in a music conservatory in Seoul, and while there discovered jazz.

Realizing she would have to relocate to continue to explore her passion, she decided on Amsterdam was the right choice. New York was too expensive, and some her colleagues were going to the Netherlands. She didn’t speak of word of Dutch, but bravely moved ahead. Once there, she started her and group and hustled to get gigs and recognition. Her hard work paid off. The reception (and above mentioned awards) for her first album was strong, and she’s continued to receive plaudits from critics.

Her latest release, Fourth Page: Meaning of a Nest, has been lauded by critics for its “compositions that feel meticulously crafted yet alive with improvised possibility” (Qobuz) and the album’s inventive and spacious atmosphere, characterized by impeccable clarity and nuanced soundscapes.” (UKVibe) Sun-Mi Hong is an artist that’s certain to surprise and delight jazz fans for years to come.

THE JAZZ CAFE

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