Yoonmi Choi
We used both Korean and English because she sometimes had trouble expressing herself in English. I tried to translate and transcribe those parts as accurately as possible. Some of the phrasing is left as she spoke and may seem choppy, but it reflects the best way she could express herself in English while preserving the intended nuances, so I left it as is.
Christina Hur: How did you first get into jazz?
Yoonmi Choi: Well, I actually played classical music when I was young. I graduated university in classical music.
Christina Hur: Mhm.
Yoonmi Choi: Then my mom said, you need to earn money for yourself, so do whatever you want. But there aren’t many jobs for classical musicians, so I turned to jazz because I wanted to play more. Not teach, but perform as a musician.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I get that.
Yoonmi Choi: What’s your dream? Pianist?
Christina Hur: Actually, no. I like it as a hobby. I play whenever I can… it's my go-to when I’m stressed. I enjoy sight-reading, so I often search for transcriptions or anything I can find. And I’ll sight-read them, and it actually takes my mind off things. That’s what I like. But I’m not planning on becoming a concert pianist.
[more chit-chat]
Christina Hur: Have you ever been to Chicago? They have a great jazz scene there…
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, I’ve been. It was in 2020, I think.
Christina Hur: Oh, really? That’s cool. [pause]
So you also went from classical to jazz. I think that’s interesting—if you ask a lot of jazz artists how they started, most had classical training first.
Yoonmi Choi: Mhm, some of them, yes, like me. Others just loved jazz from the start, but for me, I was into classical first. I wanted to be more of a concert pianist, and then I was looking for ways to play more. There are lots of jazz musicians playing every night, but not so many classical musicians.
Christina Hur: Yeah. You’re originally from Korea, right? And I read—I know you said you haven’t updated your website in a while, but I read that you moved to New York…
Yoonmi Choi: No, at first I moved to the Netherlands, in Europe.
Christina Hur: Oh, wow. So you’ve been all around the world? Three continents…
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, I was in the Netherlands for four years for another bachelor’s degree.
Christina Hur: So, since you’ve been everywhere, how different are the jazz scenes?
Yoonmi Choi: Ah, that’s kind of… only musicians can really notice the differences, like between Europe and New York City. But you know, NYC is more like, old jazz. The Europeans are different… they think old is old, so you need to find new jazz. So there are many contemporary jazz musicians there. Very different kind of music.
Christina Hur: I see. I went to Korea in June because of a family emergency and ended up learning from a teacher there for three weeks. I also see a lot of Korean jazz content on Instagram, and overall it feels like there’s so much focus on learning theory and all the technical stuff… really building a solid foundation before experimenting… not exactly like how it’s presented here in North Jersey or New York. I’m not exactly sure how to explain it, but it feels really different. But I definitely got the sense that in Korea, there’s more focus on learning music theory before you even start to improvise. And the lessons feel more teacher-led and less focused on self-discovery.
Yoonmi Choi: So what’s jazz like in New Jersey?
Christina Hur: I’ve heard lots of the same tips—you need to know all the jazz standards, listen to the great recordings, and learn to transcribe and play the solos so that you know what good improvisation sounds like. And I really agree with them. Learning jazz by listening, transcribing, playing what you hear. So from early on, it’s much more about listening and improvising, compared to the really notation-heavy lessons in Korea. And once you start listening, you start figuring out what you like.
Yoonmi Choi: Right. I’m pretty sure that’s the American style. In Korea, it’s more like the teacher, teacher, teacher. It’s more like—what is A, B, C, D? You learn that A is A, B is B, write it down, memorize it.
Christina Hur: Yeah, this is so true. When I was in Korea, I really felt that difference. Honestly, I didn’t like it as much. I know the technique and theory are important, but first, I think you really need to listen to a lot of jazz. But that’s just my opinion.
Another thing I wanted to discuss… all my friends, and pretty much everyone at my school, just doesn’t like jazz. I’ve asked so many people, they always go, “Jazz? Ew, no.”
Yoonmi Choi: Korea too! People don’t really know what jazz is. If I ask them, “What is jazz?” they think I’m talking about Yukhi Kuramoto, and some of them imagine cocktail jazz. Or they think jazz is very difficult and very annoying or just very loud.
Christina Hur: I only have one friend who maybe listens to jazz, and only when studying. I found out it was only as background music, right? And… yeah.
Christina Hur: In my school jazz ensemble, we only had five people left. Two years ago, there were fifteen. Everyone wanted to leave—they hated it.
Christina Hur: Not just the music, but also the way it was taught. It was mostly big band music, obviously, but all we did was play sheet music. Nobody actually knew how to play, so everyone left.
Christina Hur: I’ve been thinking… how can jazz be more accessible? A lot of people hear “improvisation” and think it’s too complicated, so they just avoid jazz. Honestly, I used to think that too. Even classical musicians I know—even at Juilliard—think improvisation sounds impossible, and they haven’t even tried.
Christina Hur: That’s something that really pushes people away from learning jazz in the first place. There are like 500 students in my school, and the fact that almost none of them like it… it’s sad.
Yoonmi Choi: Hmm.
Christina Hur: I can’t really talk to anyone about it either.
Christina Hur: But for you—when it comes to your playing—are you just a performer, or do you also compose?
Yoonmi Choi: I do both.
Christina Hur: Oh, really? Do you take any… like, does your culture influence your playing? Or where do you generally take your influences from?
Yoonmi Choi: Okay, two different questions. Let’s start with the first one. We need to think back… back to when jazz was…
Yoonmi Choi: Back then, jazz was dance music. People listened to it to dance and enjoy themselves. That’s what it was for.
Christina Hur: Mhm, yeah.
Yoonmi Choi: Then musicians started adding technique and complexity. Music became very intricate. As jazz got harder, people who just wanted to enjoy it started listening less.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I think that was like… bebop in the 1940s.
Yoonmi Choi: Yes, exactly.
Christina Hur: I heard they did that on purpose, to explore their own style instead of just following what was popular or danceable.
Yoonmi Choi: Musically different.
Yoonmi Choi: Jazz started with dancing first.
Christina Hur: Is that like your style when you play?
Yoonmi Choi: Either both. If I want to play for an event, I do that.
Christina Hur: Oh, you do both?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, you need to do both.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I can kind of see that. Because I know some people, at least the most famous jazz musicians, they all have a style of playing that you can recognize if you listen to a recording.
Yoonmi Choi: Right.
Christina Hur: I originally really liked classical music when I was younger. One of the first people I heard was Bill Evans, and his playing is very classically influenced. You can sense it in how he plays; he has a very dainty and intentional way of performing. You can just recognize him if you hear him. I think that’s fascinating.
Yoonmi Choi: Mhm, I see.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I wonder if that’s part of what makes them popular. Even though they’re obviously talented, I think that’s also a part of it.
Yoonmi Choi: Right, right.
Christina Hur: So, who’s your favorite jazz pianist?
Yoonmi Choi: Bill Evans, I loved it.
Yoonmi Choi: And Keith Jarrett?
Christina Hur: Yeah, Keith Jarrett. I know his Köln Concert.
Yoonmi Choi: Oh yeah, that’s very fun. He’s amazing. But he had a stroke, so he can’t play anymore.
Christina Hur: Oh, really?
Yoonmi Choi: Two years ago, yeah. It’s sad, but yeah, and I love Brad Mehldau? Have you heard about him?
Christina Hur: Oh, Brad Mehldau? Yeah, yeah.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, he’s good too.
Christina Hur: I heard that Keith Jarrett, he’s very passionate. When I listen to him, I notice he’s always making a lot of sounds while he plays. Because he’s very passionate about what he does. His most famous album is the Köln Concert, right? But he says he doesn’t like it that much. He thinks it’s repetitive and wasn’t his best work, so he tells people not to listen to it.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah.
Christina Hur: Well, what do you think about that? Are you kind of like that when you hear stuff you’ve played?
Yoonmi Choi: I like… I don’t really check what I played if I record it.
Christina Hur: Hm?
Yoonmi Choi: I don’t usually re-record or listen again because I feel some shame all the time.
Christina Hur: So you just play it and move on?
Yoonmi Choi: Mm-hmm. I don’t know what I’m playing, actually.
Christina Hur: Oh.
Yoonmi Choi: Like, with jazz, if you like it and you play, it’s different every time. If you haven’t played it before, it’s hard to explain.
Christina Hur: Mmm, yeah. No, you explained it well. I get what you mean.
Christina Hur: Do you think the music you listen to when you’re younger influences whether you’re interested in certain kinds of music?
Yoonmi Choi: Classical music, actually. They always have the same thing all the time, so maybe I wanted to play something different. When you improvise a solo, it’s different every time.
Christina Hur: That’s exciting, right?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, not boring.
Christina Hur: Do you still like classical music or are you done with it?
Yoonmi Choi: Oh yeah, I do. Especially my original music, like my album from 4 or 5 years ago. That’s more classical.
Christina Hur: Hmm, that’s interesting. What’s it called?
Yoonmi Choi: 7 Days.
Christina Hur: Okay, I’ll go listen to it. That’s interesting.
Yoonmi Choi: I don’t play classical anymore, though.
Christina Hur: People often say that the kind of music you listened to in childhood brings you to jazz later.
Yoonmi Choi: That’s true. My friends say the same thing.
Christina Hur: Yeah, it happens often, though some people discover jazz later.
Christina Hur: I’ve also gotten interested in jazz with Eastern influences. Do you know Yusef Lateef? He plays flute, oboe, and other instruments. He has an album called Eastern Sounds. It’s very unique and exotic.
Yoonmi Choi: Okay, I’ll listen to it.
Christina Hur: I thought it was great. I really like Eastern influences in jazz, especially Japanese or Korean-influenced folk music. When I hear that in jazz, it sounds very pleasing.
Christina Hur: Also, do you know anything about the Japanese jazz scene?
Yoonmi Choi: Some of my teachers married Japanese women. They played jazz in Japan, met the women there, and got married. It’s very common.
Christina Hur: Oh, really?
Yoonmi Choi: Like, yeah, Dave Workman, Gene Jackson… so many people.
Christina Hur: Do you know Toshiko Akiyoshi?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, I’ve heard of her.
Christina Hur: She also married twice to white saxophonists. She’s one pianist I really like… her style is like Bud Powell.
Yoonmi Choi: Hmm. The presence she has is very big.
Christina Hur: Yeah, there are so many good jazz pianists in Japan.
Yoonmi Choi: So many clubs.
Christina Hur: Compared to other places in Asia…
Yoonmi Choi: Compared to Korea, it’s very different. The level is much higher. David said that a long time ago. Korea, 10 or 15 years ago, was different.
Christina Hur: Hmm, yeah. Some of the jazz albums I first heard were Japanese. That really drew me into the bigger jazz scene.
Christina Hur: Do you know the album Bamboo by Minoru Muraoka?
Yoonmi Choi: Bamboo? I don’t know exactly. All the Japanese musicians.
Christina Hur: Oh, okay. That was another album that shaped my early listening. Most of it had Eastern influences.
Yoonmi Choi: Nice. What about now? Do you listen to the same things or different?
Christina Hur: I’ve gone deeper into other styles. My favorite album is Concert by the Sea by Erroll Garner. I’ve listened to that album so many times. But I’ve also explored other stuff.
Yoonmi Choi: Oh, Erroll Garner.
Christina Hur: Yeah. The point is, it’s not just one style; my tastes expanded.
Yoonmi Choi: But yeah, you just love music.
Christina Hur: I see. In the jazz community, I notice a lot of criticism toward Japanese jazz.
Yoonmi Choi: Mmm…
Christina Hur: Do you know Hiromi?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, Hiromi. She’s a crazy pianist.
Christina Hur: Exactly. Her technique is amazing, but she’s often criticized for “showing off” rather than producing meaningful music.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, I think so. It’s a cultural thing.
Christina Hur: It sounds very different from American jazz. Some people say Japanese jazz improvisation is repetitive, not from the heart.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, similar things. I love Hiromi; her technique is very special. Korea loved her too. She played a lot with other musicians, and now she’s famous. Her playing is very dynamic, like a fighter.
Christina Hur: Yeah, you need to be in the right mood to listen to her.
Yoonmi Choi: She needs to keep that style; it made her famous.
Christina Hur: Mmm, so that’s her concept.
Yoonmi Choi: Right. I heard many of her albums. Some are very high-quality. She tried to change her style later, but not everyone liked it.
Christina Hur: Yeah, her older albums are very well-regarded.
Christina Hur: Her crazy technique and way of attacking the piano is probably what made her famous. People criticize her, but it doesn’t really matter as long as you enjoy listening or playing.
Yoonmi Choi: Of course. You just love music.
Christina Hur: But some people are elitist, judging which type of musician is “good” or “bad.”
Yoonmi Choi: Oh, they say she’s good or bad, that’s true.
Christina Hur: Yeah, it’s shallow thinking.
Yoonmi Choi: Everyone has different tastes. My mom didn’t like my music, still finds it boring. I tried being more popular, more fun, and she said it was better—but not jazz; she likes classical. For me, classical is boring, but everyone has different tastes.
Christina Hur: Yeah, so when I think about people criticizing music, I just think… if you like it, then just listen to it.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, if you like it, it’s okay. Everything’s good.
Christina Hur: Especially because a lot of people don’t listen to jazz anyway, so anything jazz is good to get into.
Christina Hur: Do you know, since we’re talking about classical music… people sometimes call jazz “America’s classical music,” or compare it to classical music in general.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah? Hmm.
Christina Hur: Do you think jazz is America’s version of classical music? What do you think about people calling it that?
Yoonmi Choi: Oh, we actually say it’s Black music. We never say it’s just American; we say Black music. Then it was later developed by white people. And we never say it’s European music… only American music.
Christina Hur: Mhm. I think there’s a difference between calling it “America’s classical music” and “Black classical music.” If we present jazz as “American music,” emphasizing the country rather than its origins, we’re not really acknowledging it came from Black people. That’s like saying it’s from our country, but ignoring how it originated.
Yoonmi Choi: Ah, got it. I got it.
Christina Hur: There’s still a lot of debate about its origins. If you read different books or literature on jazz history, you’ll see conflicting accounts.
Yoonmi Choi: Mhm. Yeah, right, right. So, we don’t know.
Christina Hur: Which is interesting, because classical music history is more structured. There’s a clear timeline—Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic…
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, yeah.
Yoonmi Choi: Classical music came from religious music, part of the beginning.
Christina Hur: Yeah, a long time ago.
Christina Hur: Jazz is much newer… just over a hundred years old.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, it has a very short history.
Christina Hur: Another question I had was… do you think your race or gender has ever affected your career journey?
Yoonmi Choi: Actually, no. No, I don’t think so. The only thing that influences me is that I like the music. For example, I loved Bill Evans first, so I listened a lot and tried to understand how he played—voicings, improvisations. That’s more influential to me than gender or anything else.
[I think she misinterpreted the question]
Christina Hur: Hmm.
Yoonmi Choi: Because there aren’t many famous Korean musicians, jazz-wise.
Christina Hur: Hmm… oh, I get what you mean. I was asking about being a female Asian jazz musician… has that affected how people…
Yoonmi Choi: Oh, you mean as a player in New York City?
Christina Hur: Like in the Netherlands, for example?
Yoonmi Choi: Netherlands, yes. There aren’t many Asian people… mostly Chinese, but not Korean.
Christina Hur: Oh, really?
Yoonmi Choi: But it didn’t really affect me, because I was a student there. Everyone treats students as equals, so it was fine. If I hadn’t been a student first, and just came as a musician, then yes, maybe it would have been different.
Christina Hur: Like playing gigs?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, but as a student, we all are at the same level, so it was okay. I played a lot in the Netherlands, so it was fine.
Christina Hur: Mhm.
Yoonmi Choi: New York City? Doesn’t matter. Lots of female musicians and diverse cultures. It’s hard to even categorize people there.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I was thinking it might be very different in the Netherlands versus New York City.
Yoonmi Choi: Does it affect me? Not really. But maybe in other US cities, like Chicago, it could be different.
Christina Hur: Okay, yeah. I’ve seen some musicians say discrimination impacted them. Do you know what I mean?
Yoonmi Choi: Mm-hmm. As a musician, only your skills matter, like if you play well or not. I was okay, so I never experienced discrimination in that sense. But as a person, yes—like in everyday life, sometimes people ignore me or don’t respond—but not as a musician.
Christina Hur: Oh, interesting, okay.
Christina Hur: So, when you’re playing, do you try to make yourself sound unique—like having your own style or identity? How do you balance your own style with how people think jazz “should” sound?
Yoonmi Choi: I focus on what I like, and also consider what people like. My goal is to play what I dream of.
Christina Hur: But when you’re practicing on your own?
Yoonmi Choi: Every time is different. Sometimes I see a concert I like, and then I follow it through YouTube or livestreams, and try to learn from it. Everything is different each time.
Christina Hur: Mhm. I find that in jazz, some styles are harder for me to listen to, like free jazz.
Yoonmi Choi: I don’t like it, actually.
Christina Hur: Yeah, but it’s interesting, because different cultures approach jazz differently.
Yoonmi Choi: Five minutes or one song is okay, but two or three songs in a row... As a jazz musician, I tried free jazz, but sometimes I just left. You can play whatever you want, but I’m not sure if that’s music… it’s just… hanging in the room. It reminds me of performance arts, maybe dance? They just do whatever they want, it’s like… they’re like a king, you know?
Christina Hur: Okay.
Christina Hur: When you play with a group, do you have a group you always play with? Like, certain musicians you always play with?
Yoonmi Choi: Oh, when I was young, no. But now, yes. Before, I enjoyed playing with different musicians every time. Same song, but I played with different people and every time it was different. Everyone has a different style. A jazz band is more of a combination, right? Not just for one person.
Christina Hur: Mhm.
Yoonmi Choi: When I was young, in my 20s and 30s, I tried a lot of things. But now, that period has passed. I like to play with people I like. Even if someone doesn’t play that well, if they are a good person, I can play with them. When I was younger, I was more passionate… I would play anywhere, even with people I didn’t know. Now, no.
Christina Hur: Interesting.
Christina Hur: So now, mostly the same people?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, mostly the same people. In 2020, for example, I played in Korea with around 20–25 people, not just 4 or 6.
Christina Hur: Mm-hmm. Yeah, that’s still a pretty wide range. When you’re playing with a group, how do you communicate? How do you organize yourselves?
Yoonmi Choi: Communicating music, or like… how you sit, things like that?
Christina Hur: Or actually, what do you think makes group improvisation successful?
Yoonmi Choi: The individual level. In jazz, each individual’s ability is extremely important. Even if I play well, if I’m playing with someone who isn’t skilled, the overall level can drop. But if I play with someone really good, it lifts the whole group. Yeah, if someone is really good, it’s very enjoyable.
Christina Hur: Mhm. So you think you should work on your individual skills?
Yoonmi Choi: Yes. Sometimes it depends on my band members.
Christina Hur: But isn’t it different every time? Or are you just used to people being different?
Yoonmi Choi: Mostly, yes.
Christina Hur: I see… I personally don’t play like that, so I wouldn’t know what it’s like to keep playing with different people. I think I’d be really nervous every time. You don’t know what to expect, right?
Yoonmi Choi: In a jam session? Yeah, it’s like a conversation. I went to jam sessions every night when I was a student—for 4 years, every night.
Christina Hur: That must have been really useful for getting used to playing with different people.
Yoonmi Choi: Right, you just play all the time, every day. Not now, but when I was young, yes.
Christina Hur: That’s awesome, but it also sounds very hard.
Yoonmi Choi: Especially in New York City, jam sessions start at midnight. Can you imagine? They finish at 4 or 5 AM. I tried that when I was young, but now…
Christina Hur: Jazz culture is so different from… if you listen to classical musicians talking about how they practice…
Yoonmi Choi: Oh, they’re morning people.
Christina Hur: Yeah, yeah, it’s so, so different.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, we’re night people.
Christina Hur: So, it’s really interesting to me. But what do you think about jazz being so… like, if you talk to a random person, most likely they won’t really know about jazz or like it. Do you think that’s just how things are, or is there a way to make it more accessible, more common?
Yoonmi Choi: It’s hard.
Christina Hur: Or do you think it’s just a lost cause?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, it’s very, very hard to explain. Some people ask, “What’s jazz?” It’s very hard to define in just one word or one sentence. But I could say… every time it’s different. Freedom? Yes, definitely freedom. Improvisation.
Christina Hur: Okay.
Yoonmi Choi: But jazz already has a lot of genres: free jazz, bebop, swing, some Latin styles, Brazilian… So I can’t say, “Jazz is this music,” because there’s so much variety.
Christina Hur: Mhm. That’s why when people say to complete newcomers, “You need to listen to these really famous artists from the 1930s,” I don’t think it’s necessary to say that you have to know all the famous people.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, don’t say that. Okay, maybe for me, yes. But not for everyone. Some people say this person is best, but others say someone else is better. Everyone has different tastes.
Christina Hur: Yeah, exactly.
Christina Hur: But then, when you’re first introduced to jazz…
Yoonmi Choi: As a student? Or just a normal person?
Christina Hur: A normal person who doesn’t know anything yet. I don’t think it has to be someone famous. They might not the best musician, but you can still eventually develop a love for jazz this way.
Yoonmi Choi: Actually, I forgot his name… He’s not famous, only in Korea, and in Japan too, but not in New York City. I listened to him first when I was young, before I started playing jazz. I cried! It was very beautiful.
Christina Hur: Really?
Yoonmi Choi: Then, 10 years later, I listened again and thought, “Oh no, he played very badly!” I didn’t realize that at first.
Christina Hur: Yeah, that’s what I mean. The first time you hear something, even if it’s technically imperfect, it can really move you. That’s how you get into it first.
Yoonmi Choi: Right, right, right.
Christina Hur: But if you show, like, a random person, Miles Davis, maybe Blue in Green…
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah.
Christina Hur: They may not get it. They may not like it, even though it’s considered top-quality. That’s why a lot of people stay away from jazz in general.
Yoonmi Choi: Right, I think so, yeah.
Christina Hur: So that’s a question I’ve been thinking about: is it just because of how it’s presented?
Yoonmi Choi: But I’m pretty sure people don’t like instrumental music alone. They only love it when… when it has a vocalist. What people didn’t like, actually… who was that… the famous vocalist…
Christina Hur: Woman?
Yoonmi Choi: Ella Fitzgerald. Yeah, I don’t think people liked that. I mean, some did, yes, but, you know, I don’t think so, because she… she has good improvisation, but people don’t like the improvisation, too.
Christina Hur: Oh, really? I thought it was pretty mainstream, honestly. I thought it was popular.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, she is, but not for everyone. Okay, maybe for me, yes, maybe. But not for everyone. Some will say this person is best for me, but other people will say another person is better. No, I don’t think so. Everyone has different taste.
Christina Hur: Yeah. She was also one of the first people that I learned about.
Yoonmi Choi: Oh yeah, jazz fans love “No Regrets,” something like that.
Christina Hur: Yeah. For vocalists, people recommended…
Yoonmi Choi: Ella Fitzgerald? Yeah, she’s the one.
Christina Hur: For me, honestly, jazz with vocals is not my favorite. But I often heard things like, “Oh, you should listen to this vocalist with Louis Armstrong, and then this…” And honestly, it’s not really my style. So I think that’s also part of why, at first, I was like, “Oh, I don’t think I really like jazz.”
Yoonmi Choi: Ah, got it, yeah. Esperanza…have you ever heard about Esperanza, the bass player?
Christina Hur: Mmm, is it an album?
Yoonmi Choi: Nah, that’s her name.
Christina Hur: No, I don’t know her.
Yoonmi Choi: Esperanza, the bass player, but she’s also a vocalist. She’s a very famous one, too.
Christina Hur: Mmm…
Yoonmi Choi: I’m pretty sure people like it, too. Or, like, have you ever heard of Diana Krall?
Christina Hur: No.
Yoonmi Choi: Diana Krall. Okay, right, you never listen to vocal music. She’s famous, too. I’m pretty sure that if you give that kind of music to people, they like it. It’s very easy, isn’t it? As a beginner.
Christina Hur: Mmm… yeah, that’s why when someone first gave it to me… Because, you know, they’re the most famous vocalists... I mean, I think it sounds pretty, but… yeah, it’s not for me.
Yoonmi Choi: That’s good, that’s good, you know? I’m pretty sure there are still fans of jazz—people like you. That’s how I know that instrumental jazz is still alive. Otherwise… yeah.
Christina Hur: Mhm. Yeah. But anyway, thank you so much for talking with me. I had a lot of questions.
Christina Hur: Because from face-to-face, it was my first time talking to someone about jazz about the perspective of a female Asian jazz musician. So I just wanted to see some of your perspectives on these things that I was wondering about. So thank you for talking with me, Yoonmi.
Yoonmi Choi: Thank you, too. I hope this was helpful.
Christina Hur: Yeah. As for your own music, is there anything you’d like to emphasize?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah, I’m pretty sure you can find it somewhere, like Apple Music.
Christina Hur: Are they organized into albums?
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah.
Christina Hur: What are they called?
Yoonmi Choi: 7 Days. It’s on YouTube, too. You can find it there.
Christina Hur: Is that the only one you have out?
Yoonmi Choi: No, I actually have a lot, but I don’t think you can find it in YouTube.
Christina Hur: Oh, really?
Yoonmi Choi: I actually released a lot in Korea, but I don’t know if you can find it online.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I just wanted to know if there’s anything you’ve produced that you’re really proud of, or something you want to spotlight…
Yoonmi Choi: I’m gonna send you something through the chat room.
Christina Hur: Thank you.
Yoonmi Choi: That’s the only one I played as my album. But nowadays, I don’t play anymore, because… people don’t like it.
Christina Hur: Hmm?
Yoonmi Choi: Yes, I like it, I still love it, too. I’m very proud of myself, a little bit, but, uh… these days, I actually play a different kind of music. Let me show you.
Christina Hur: Is it online?
Yoonmi Choi: I play a lot, actually. Just a very different kind of music…
Christina Hur: Yeah, but it sounds like you play, like…
Yoonmi Choi: This is my company. [sent through chat room] But usually, I play with a vocalist these days, because people like them. That’s the only way we can survive.
Christina Hur: Oh, no!
Yoonmi Choi: I usually want to play only as a trio, you know, Yoonmi Choi Trio, all the time, but… people don’t like it. That’s the thing. So only…
Christina Hur: Hmm… wait, is that what you like the most?
Yoonmi Choi: In the trio, it’s very easy to express myself.
Christina Hur: Oh, I see what you mean.
Yoonmi Choi: Without any saxophonist, because saxophonists… if I have a saxophonist, I need to give him the melody. So, the piano trio is the best one, but I don’t do that so much these days. Only sometimes when I really want to.
Christina Hur: Aww.
Yoonmi Choi: But you need to think… there’s not too much of an audience, no money, and that’s…
Christina Hur: Oh, okay.
Yoonmi Choi: That’s the sad thing, but… it’s okay.
Christina Hur: Yeah, I mean, it sounds like you have a lot of experience in many different styles and environments.
Yoonmi Choi: Right. When I was young, everything was okay. It was okay, since I didn’t need the money. I didn’t need anything, I just needed my music, but now… after 40, I have a baby, and now I need the money. So I was like okay, I’m gonna do both types.
Christina Hur: Yeah, that makes sense. But thank you for meeting with me, when you’re so busy.
Yoonmi Choi: Yeah! Thank you, too.
Yoonmi Choi: Have a great day. What time is there? 10 o’clock?
Christina Hur: Oh, it’s 10 PM.
Yoonmi Choi: Okay, good night.
Christina Hur: Alright, have a nice day!
Yoonmi Choi: Thank you.
Christina Hur: Bye!
Yoonmi Choi: Bye, bye!
