2024 In Review: Day 10 – Jazz, Crossover and World

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2024 In Review

1. Introduction + Best Album Art
2. Song of the Year
3. Album of the Year
4. R&B and Soul
5. Rock and Alternative
6. Rap and Hip-hop
7. Dance and Electronic
8. Pop and Ballad
9. Folk and Country
10. Jazz, Crossover and World
11. Best Collaborative Work (Jan. 24)
12. Rookie Artist of the Year (Jan. 25)
13. Artist of the Year (Jan. 26)
14. Other Recognition (Jan. 27)
15. Concluding Remarks (Jan. 28)

Our Jazz and Blues section and Crossover and World section are combined this year due to our own time and listening constraints, but these scenes continued in robust health through 2024. On top of the headliner jazz and Korean traditional fare, we saw excellent contributions inspired from all over the globe.

The “Next 10” and honorable mention lists are sorted by artist name. Bolded honorable mentions received particularly serious consideration for the Next 10.

Best Jazz, Crossover and World Album 2024

Min Se-jeong Spectrum – Sumbi

As the poetic and sometimes archaic song titles relay, Sumbi was characterized by a uniquely Korean set of ideas and tones, even when the haegeum and the traditional pentatonic were put away in favor of the Western jazz sound and harmonies. Conceptualized around the hardy haenyeo divers of the southern country, these compositions began with the determined shouts of “Revelation” and treated their subjects with a warm gaze as in “Ocean’s Bloom” and “A Warm Sea-Welcome”. The strings began to assert themselves in the latter half of the album and tracks like “Sumbi-sori” and “The Roar of the Waves” brought spirited passion into the fore. It was an effortless merging of worlds, taking us on a journey between very different places.

The Runner-up

Seum – Cycle

Seum is another team that blends experience and inspiration from different traditions. In Cycle, Lee Min-hyung’s pansori vocalizations and an ensemble of gayageum and traditional percussions joined forces with a brassy jazz set, and the attitudinal smoothness of the trumpet and sax lines presented an interesting contrast. Towards the more experimental latter half, tracks like “Origin” held exquisite suspense by dramatically slowing the tempo and shifting its target to ambience.

The Next 10

Hilgeum – Wasteland

Koheean Hawaii Trio – Pink Island

Lee Han-earl, Sun Bean Kim – Fiat Lux

Lee Narae – 지금 어디 (Nowhere)

Mia & Yeore – Eutopia

Nuevo Ensemble – 트래블러 (Traveler)

Park Si Yeon Trio – Seo

Sunji Lee – Eternal

Youn Sun Nah – Elles

Yun Seokcheol Trio – 나의 여름은 아직 안 끝났어 (My Summer’s Not Over Yet)

Best Jazz, Crossover and World Song 2024

Min Se-jeong Spectrum – 계시 (Revelation)
Composed and arranged by Min Se-jeong

Seong Yeon-young’s haegeum and Min Se-jeong’s piano are the co-stars of “Revelation”, each driving dazzling solos before combining into a whirlwind final movement. The intrigue of the Korean traditional-tinged chanting vocals lead into the frenetic energy of the solos, and finally into exhilaration when the components merge and the composition accelerates to conclusion. It was an appropriate opener to the tumultuous road of Sumbi that followed it, and its rousing energy was never matched.

The Runner-up

Seonjae Lee – Embrace
Composed by Seonjae Lee and Haeun Song

The beautiful core melody of “Embrace” is a big reason why it shows up at this spot. Yet that’s only half the story alongside the instrumental bulk of the track, a slow-burning buildup of Haeun Song’s gentle yet swelling piano and Seonjae Lee’s roiling drum performance that was every bit as moving. The saxophone that stills the waves and the voice that returns to close us out completed a minimal yet essential ensemble.

The Next 10

2nd Moon – 북촌 (Bukchon) (Feat. Kim Ji-yoon)

Ahn Ye-sol – Wavelets

Hyojin Park – Connection: 관계에 대하여 (About Connections)

Mia & Yeore – Eutopia

Noh Ol Ryang – 신의 정원 (The Garden of God)

Omar and the Eastern Power – Wahaemaenae (All I Care About)

Seum – Circle (Feat. Ensemble Sigansori)0

Song Sohee – 주야곡 (Dear My Lover)

Youra, Mandong – 무수히 (Countlessly)

Yujin Kim – dudndudndudn

Albums

A-Fuzz – Pado
Ahn Ye-sol – Align
Hae In Cho – Sight Beyond Sight
Harmonize – Be Myself
Heekyung Na, Roberto Menescal, Marcos Suzano – Bossa
Jin-won Kwon – Kwon Jin Won with Rob Van Bavel
Kim Jihyo – Frame
Kim Kyung Min Trio – Wilderness
Kim Nari – 독백 (Monologue)
Kim Seong Hwa Trio – The Day Before
Koo Yujin – 아침의 방 (Morning Room)
Ladybird – Eridanus
Lang Lee, More – 왜 내가 너의 친구라고 말하지 않는 것인가 (Why Won’t You Call Me Your Friend)
Lee Han-earl – My Conversation
Lee Heemoon – 강남무지개 (Gangnam Rainbow) Part. 1, Part. 2
Libelante – La Liberta
Lucid Fall – Being-with
Maeng Seo Ryeong – Potential
Min Se-hee – Coast
Modal – Modalism
Noh Ol Ryang – 신의 정원 (The Garden of God)
Park Ki-young – The Classic
Park Si Yeon Trio – Yeon
Piano Shoegazer – Ghostly Love Stories
Piri Band JC Crew – Bonanza
Pudditorium – Prologue: Hope
Seo Eun Jin – 순환 (Recycle)
Seulah Noh – One Step Away
Seungeun Do – Fear, Piece of Light
Song Sohee – 공중무용 (Ganggangsullae)
Song Sun-ho – 사계 (Four Seasons)
Studio360 Group – 예언 (The Prophet)
Suwon Yim, Paride Pignotti – Way Back Home
Yan Kim Trio – Night Chaser
Yujin Kim – dudndudndudn
Yuna Jun – Waiting for the Sun

Songs

A-Fuzz & Route14band – Indian Summer
A-Fuzz & Route14band – Summer Night Groove
A-Fuzz – New Era
Ahn Ye-sol – Align
Animal Divers – Oriental Haze
Bekhyunjin C – 빛23 (Light23)
Big Baby Driver – 밤의 노래 (Nachetgesang)
Chu Bo-kyung & Ulssigoo – 황묘농접 (Hwangmyonongcheob)
Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – Alice in Deep
Doomool – 정화의 터 (Jeonghwa’s Ground)
Echae Kang – Koi’s Kingdom
Electric Planet Five – Air
Gayageum Ensemble Palette – 연안쇄파 (Wave Breaking on the Coast)
Hae In Cho – What?
Harmonize – Breather
Heekyung Na, Roberto Menescal – Ninguem
Hilgeum – Bugs
Hilgeum – 황무지 (Race)
Jeon Byung-hoon, Hakuei Kim – 한 (Sorrows)
John Park – Bluff
Ju Bora – 르꼬따쥬 (Le Cottage)
Ju Bora – 북끝서점 (End of the Book)
Jung Kyung Il Quartet – The Sketch in Winter
Kim Jae-duk – On Sak
Kim Kyung Min Trio – Wilderness
Kim Seong Hwa Trio – The Day Before
Koheean Hawaii Trio – No More Electronic Devices
Koheean Hawaii Trio – On the Silver Lining
Koheean Hawaii Trio – Tropical Shower
Ladybird – Eridanus
Ladybird – 아무도 모를 거야 (No One Knows)
Lang Lee – 나는 삶을 살았습니다 (I Have Lived a Life)
Lee Chang Min – Expressions
Lee Chang Min – Unforgettable
Lee Han-earl – Walk with You
Lee Han-earl, Sun Bean Kim – Food Chain
Lee Hanho – 산들바람 (Gentle Breeze)
Lee Heemoon – 해경 (Hae-kyung)
Lee Heemoon X Videotapemusic – 돈돌라리 (It’s Coming Back!)
Lee Narae – 기억의 미로 (Maze of Memories)
Lee Narae – 떨떠리고 나는 간다 (I’m Just Going)
Lee Narae – 물에 들라 (Dive into the Sea)
Lee Narae – 아이에게 (To a Baby)
Leenalchi – 봐봐요 봐봐요 (Look at Me Look at Me)
Lucid Fall – Mater Dolorosa
Maeng Seo Ryeong – Potential
Min Eun Kyung – 나비 (Nabi)
Min Se-jeong Spectrum – 바당꽃 (Ocean’s Bloom)
Min Se-jeong Spectrum – 숨비 (Sumbi-sori)
Min Se-jeong Spectrum – 절울 (The Roar of the Waves)
Modal – A Strange Scary Moon
Modal – Inside Out
Moon – Madam Lie
Mueum – 몽금포타령 (Monggeumpo Taryeong)
Muxant – Brunch
Muxant – Violet
Nuevo Ensemble – 녹두꽃 (새야새야) (Mung Flower)
Nuevo Ensemble – 달빛정령의 춤 (Moonlight Dance)
Nuevo Ensemble – 사랑의 밤 (Love Night)
Park Ki-young – 툭 내리던 오후 (Feat. Yoonseung Cho)
Park Si Yeon Trio – 264
Park Si Yeon Trio – London
Park Si Yeon Trio – 새야 (Blue Bird)
Park Si Yeon Trio – 슬프지만 곧 괜찮아질거에요. 사랑을 해요 지금. (It’s Sad but It’ll Be Okay Soon. Let’s Love Now.)
Park Si Yeon Trio – 억새 (Silver Grass)
Park Si Yeon Trio – 청춘연가 (Ode to Youth)
Park Suhyun – Clumsy
Park Suhyun – Sway
Piri Band JC Crew – 무령지 Go (JC Marching)
Pudditorium – And
Pudditorium – The Moment
Seonjae Lee – Manasseh
Seuingeun Do – 섬 (Isle)
Seulah Noh – Mind Rewind
Seum – 서녘 (West) (Feat. Ensemble Sigansori)
Seungeun Do – Fear, Piece of Light
Shin Hantae & the Reggae Soul – 그대 없이 내가 어떻게 살겠나요 (How Can I)
Shin Hantae & the Reggae Soul – 여유를 가지고 (Take It Easy)
Son Moeun Project – Reflet
Song Sohee – 공중무용 (Ganggangsullae)
Song Sohee – 진한 바다를 거슬러 (Against the Dark Ocean)
Song Sun-ho – 봄: 기억 (Spring: Memory)
Sunji Lee – Another Dream
Sunji Lee – Eternal
Sunji Lee – Into the Green
Suwon Yim, Paride Pignotti – Puddle
Suwon Yim, Paride Pignotti – Way Back Home
Yan Kim Trio – Night Chaser
Yoojin Jeong – My Color Is
Youn Sun Nah – Cocoon
Youn Sun Nah – Feeling Good
Youpiri Band – 항해의 시작 (The Beginning of a Voyage)
Youra, Mandong – 모시질감 (Moshi Feels)
Yuk Seokcheol Trio – Sonny Never Gets Blue (Feat. Park Ki-hun, Samsu Lee, Q the Trumpet)
Yuk Seokcheol Trio – 너와 나는 같은 걸 보고 있었어 (You and I Had Seen the Same Thing)
Yuk Seokcheol Trio – 쇼츠하이 (Shorts High)
Yuna Jun – Gladiator
Yuna Jun – Whale Steps