Rating: ****
Jungsu Choi is a South Korean composer and bandleader that aims to make traditional jazz music with a contemporary edge.
I love jazz music and am especially interested in what Choi has arranged here. From what I know, he takes the big band sound and adds modern nuances to it, to make the genre sound fresh in a way only he can do.
The latest album released this past January is called "Tchuss Jazz Era" and promises to give an awesome introduction to what Choi is all about.
I'm pretty excited to check this out so I'm going to go do that right now.
Watch the music video for "Anthropology" on Youtube below:
In my humble opinion "Stolen Yellow" is a modern jazz masterpiece. It has all the drama of all my favorite jazz numbers of all time. Choi masterfully weaves between construct and chaos here. Really amazing track to get this record started with. "Anthropology" is a slow burn but once it gets going it never really lets up. The ebbs and flows are all perfectly placed and this album is really up and running. "Nach Wien 224" shows where Choi gets a little modern with the composition. It's a slower number and the change-of-pace is welcome after such a relentless attack from the first two tracks. This song is a gorgeous piece of music. "What if Ellington Didn't Take the A Train?" is a perfect mix of modern noise and traditional jazz music. The sax solo at the break is one of many highlights. Another perfect track. "Spain" is the last track on what turned out to be a much too short album. One of those songs that manages to make you feel like you are riding to victory, it's truly a perfect way to end a victorious album.
This might be my favorite modern jazz album. In an attempt to live up to the giants of the genre, Choi manages to surpass many of them.
Absolute perfection.