Helen Sung

Jordan VanHemert: Deep in the Soil

by Jack Bowers
September 1, 2024

Energy and enthusiasm fairly leap from the speakers--or headphones--on Sharel Cassity's daring “Call to Order," the opening number on Korean-born saxophonist Jordan VanHemert's fifth album as leader, Deep in the Soil. Alas, that same ardor doesn't reappear until track seven (of eight), trombonist Michael Dease's boppish “ST in the House." In between, VanHemert and his companions (group sizes vary from sextet to duo) offer some agreeable music but nothing that approaches the ebullience or cogency of the themes already named. ...

Jordan VanHemert: Deep in the Soil

by C. Andrew Hovan
March 20, 2024

Born in Korea and raised in Michigan, Jordan VanHemert counts himself among those youngsters that got involved in his school music program by starting out on the alto saxophone. Also like many of his fellow saxophonists, VanHemert eventually moved away from the smaller horn to devote his full energies to the tenor sax, an instrument emblematic of the jazz heritage. “In my formative years, I was almost exclusively an alto saxophonist," VanHemert explained from his current home base in Oklahoma. ...

Helen Sung Quartet + 1 at SFJAZZ Center

by Harry S. Pariser
April 7, 2022

Helen Sung Quartet+1 Joe Henderson lab at SFJAZZ Center San Francisco, CA March 18, 2022 Raised by immigrants from Taiwan in Houston, Texas, Helen Sung does not fit the traditional stereotype of a jazz musician. Sung was set to be a classical pianist, earning her bachelor's and master's degrees in classical piano at the University of Texas at Austin in 1993 and 1995, respectively. But she was lured to the community of jazz musicians, leaving ...

Helen Sung Quartet with guest Jenny Scheinman at SFJAZZ

by Roy Strassman
March 30, 2022

Helen Sung Quartet with guest artist Jenny Scheinman Joe Henderson Lab at SFJazz San Francisco, CA March 18, 2022 Last night the Helen Sung Quartet plus violinist Jenny Scheinman graced the stage of the Joe Henderson Lab at San Francisco's premier jazz venue, SFJazz. Ms. Sung, a Guggenheim fellow, has a winsome, energetic, stylish, and captivating presence and is a strong advocate for women jazz composers and performers. She kicked ...

New Releases and Music For The New Year

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 20, 2021

This broadcast presents new releases from pianists Champian Fulton, Helen Sung, Antonio Adolfo, vocalists Roseanna Vitro, Sheila Jordan, Sasha Dobson and the Kate McGarry & Keith Ganz Ensemble plus a new collaboration from John Finbury with Camille Bertault, with birthday shoutouts to Maria Muldaur, Lorraine Feather, Mel Torme, Ariel Pocock, Tom Wopat and more. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by purchasing their music during this time of pandemic so they can continue to distract, comfort ...

Diego Rivera: Indigenous

by Kyle Simpler
February 16, 2021

The old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words" might be a cliché, but it also contains an element of truth. Some of the most powerful messages come across without relying on words. And when it comes to music, lyrics are not always needed to convey a message. Such is the case with Diego Rivera's Indigenous. Named after the famous Mexican artist, Diego Rivera has established himself as a major figure in jazz music. Since 2000, he ...

Scott Robinson: Tenormore

by Angelo Leonardi
May 7, 2020

Da tre decenni Scott Robinson è figura onnipresente nelle orchestre e nei gruppi d'orientamento mainstream: ha registrato venti album da leader e partecipato a più di 270 dischi. Venticinque anni al sax baritono con Maria Schneider e poi con Bob Mintzer, John Fedchock, Bob Brookmeyer, Frank Kimbrough, Ron Carter, Joe Lovano, Paquito D'Rivera, Bob Wilber (ma anche con Roscoe Mitchell e con David Bowie). In questo disco privilegia esclusivamente il sax tenore per riaffermare quell'identità perduta nelle molte ...

Letizia Gambi & The Jazz Elite With Lenny White, Helen Sung And More At The Cutting Room On April 11th!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
March 5, 2020

April 11th. One Night Only! The Cutting Room April 11th, 9:30pm 44 East 32nd St. New York, NY 10016 Band Members Lenny White: Drums Helen Sung: Piano Ollie Bowmann: Double Bass Jisoo Ok: Cello Tom Guarna: Guitar Letizia Gambi's music is a combination of her Neapolitan-Italian roots with the heritage of Black American Jazz. Her Mediterranean passion sings through Jazz's language in a contemporary, ...
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Helen Sung And Dana Gioia: A Fine Joint Effort

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
January 26, 2019

Helen Sung: Sung With Words (Stricker Street Records) In this poetry and jazz collection Helen Sung further validates her position as one of the most accomplished pianists In the New York jazz community, which has an abundance of fine pianists. The quintet supporting Sung thrives on her arrangements and accompaniments as she improvises on themes suggested by seven poems of poet Dana Gioia, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and—not so coincidentally—the brother of jazz writer and ...
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Vocalist Dara Tucker Debuts "The Sun Season" At Smoke Jazz & Supper Club On August 20th Featuring Peter Bernstein, Helen Sung And Donald Edwards

Source: Greg Bryant
July 15, 2014

Jazz vocalist and songwriter Dara Tucker will celebrate the release of her new CD, The Sun Season, at New York's Smoke Jazz Club (2751 Broadway) on Wednesday, August 20th. The sets will feature pianist Helen Sung, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Donald Edwards, who also appear on the CD. The third of Dara’s studio releases, The Sun Season is a celebration of life, energy and the human experience though the eyes of a unique singer and composer. The performances will ...
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Money Raised For Litchfield Jazz Camp Scholarships At An Afternoon Of Jazz & Friends

Source: Lindsey Turner
June 8, 2012

Litchfield Performing Arts, the not-for-profit producer of The Litchfield Jazz Festival and its teaching arm, Litchfield Jazz Camp, held a successful fundraiser on April 29 at the home of its board president Bob Lenz and his wife Carol. The afternoon was designed to show off the talents of outstanding campers and to introduce a debuting artist at Litchfield Jazz Festival this August at the Goshen Fairgrounds. Under the direction of saxophonist/composer and Operations Director of Litchfield Jazz Camp, Albert Rivera ...
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Helen Sung - (Re)Conception (Steeplechase, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland
June 4, 2011

Pianist and composer Helen Sung is one of the new vanguard of young musicians re-making the mainstream jazz firmament in her own way by re- interpreting standards and adding her own original repertoire to the mix.

On this album, she performs in a trio setting, accompanied by the extraordinary rhythm section of Peter Washington on bass and Lewis Nash on drums, who have anchored many a great piano trio in the past, particularly with Tommy Flanagan.

This album covers a ...
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Helen Sung & Ron Carter Together on February 6th at the Rubin Museum NYC

Source: Two for the Show Media
January 29, 2009

Helen Sung & Ron Carter will be performing in concert together at The Rubin Museum in NYC on Febraury 6th, 2009 at 7:00PM as part of the 2009 Winter/Spring Harlem in the Himalayas Series. Helen Sung – piano Ron Carter – bass “Helen Sung is a musician of serious promise." --John Fidler, AllAboutJazz.com

“Ron Carter is an acknowledged master” --Wall Street Journal Helen Sung/Ron Carter Duo Rubin Museum of Art -150 West 17th Street ...
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Helen Sung Takes the Stage at Encounter 09

Source: All About Jazz
January 23, 2009

Helen Sung, award winning jazz pianist, will perform at International Arts Movement’s Encounter 09, “Art in Action,” February 27, 2009 at Tribeca Performing Arts Center (Borough of Manhattan Community College), at 7:30 p.m.

She will share the bill with former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins and painter Makoto Fujimura, former member of the National Council on the Arts and winner of the NEA Chairman’s Medal (2009).

Helen Sung has been called “one of the brightest emerging stars in jazz today.” ...
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STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Helen Sung, Marcus Strickland and the Metta Quintet

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
October 26, 2008

This week, we've got a grab-bag of videos related to the Metta Quintet, who will be in St. Louis next week to do an educational residency for Jazz St. Louis, culminating in performances at Jazz at the Bistro on Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1. As the the official resident ensemble of JazzReach Performing Arts & Education Association in NYC, the Metta Quintet spends a good deal of time in educational ...
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Helen Sung Group CD Release Party @ Chris' Jazz Cafe on Novermber 15

Source: All About Jazz
November 13, 2007

Sung's new CD Sungbird (After Albeniz) with saxophonist Marcus Strickland, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Nasheet Waits, and percussionist Samuel Torres, is the long-awaited follow-up to Sung two Fresh Sound/New Talent label recordings, Helenistique and Push.

Sung sterling pianism blends Chopinesque lyricism and Bill Evans improvisational logic with a linear and logical sense of swing on the CD 12 tracks, half of which were composed by the leader. The six selections from Albeniz composition - relude, ango, alaguena, erenata, apricho Catalan, ...
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