Yoonmi Choi: 7 Days
NextLevel

Jazz artists regularly draw for inspiration from their experiences traveling the globe, and South Korean-born pianist Yoonmi Choi is no exception. An Italy tour seven years ago included a stop at the Sistine Chapel, where she was awed by Michelangelo's artwork and the tenacity involved in completing such a project. Like his chapel paintings, the piece she eventually created, 7 Days, grounds itself in the Biblical account of the Earth's creation. It's possible, of course, to draw parallels between her music and the narrative, especially when each track title pairs each day with an associated development, but in being instrumental the recording also can be experienced on purely musical terms for those so inclined.

The project is no way suffers when broached on such terms when the playing is so inspired. As much as the music's impact can be attributed to Choi's piano and her compositions, her trio partners, drummer Samvel Sarkisyan and bassist Myles Sloniker, are as vital to the outcome. Choi calls Sarkisyan a “brilliant drummer” and praises Sloniker's “phenomenal ear,” and the results support her assessments. The material reflects the pianist's command of classical and jazz idioms, which stems in part from her time studying classical and jazz piano at Sookmyung Women's University and the Dong-ah Institute of Media and Arts College. Following that, she moved to the Netherlands to study at the Prince Claus Conservatoire (and perform at over 300 venues in Europe) before relocating in 2015 to New York to acquire a Master of Jazz Performance degree at Queens College.

There's no shortage of drama in play, from the majestic declamations with which “1st Day: Let There Be Light” begins to the lyrical solo piano ruminations of “7th Day: It Was Good” thirty-five minutes later. If “1st Day: Let There Be Light” opens more in the spirit of a classical piano concerto than jazz number, the latter dimension gradually emerges in the rambunction of Sarkisyan's explosive solo contributions, while Choi herself registers her presence with keyboard-spanning runs and block chords. Though the second track, “2nd Day: When He Sees the Sky,” is in 7/8, it swings nonetheless when the three navigate the tricky time signature like it's second nature. As her partners power the groove rabidly, Choi puts her jazz chops on full display with fervent expressions. Cooling the breathless pace, “4th Day: Day and Night” grounds its elegant musings in a waltz tempo; “5th Day: Let Them Swim, Let Them Fly,” on the other hand, uses a muscular funk groove as a springboard for soulful Latin-tinged extemporizations. There's nothing tentative about the performances, with the trio opting for high-wire abandon over delicate introversion. Rapport is at an exceptionally high level, something all the more noticeable when the tempos are generally fast and the energy level intense.

With much of the material delivered so breathlessly, the trio's effervescent playing dazzles, and one is not a little awed by the virtuosity on display. The listener comes away from the recording believing Choi's abilities as a pianist and composer are unlimited, with 7 Days but one sterling example of her talents. Sarkisyan and Sloniker impress too, so much so one imagines other jazz artists might well come calling to solicit their services for their own recordings.

June 2021