Youn Sun Nah & Bojan Z

Youn Sun Nah grew up as the daughter of a conductor and a classical singer. At the age of 23, she made her debut as a singer in a concert with the Korean Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by numerous appearances in Korean musicals, for which she received several awards. Among other things, she appeared in the Korean version of the successful musical “zeile 1”, which originally came from Germany.

But although Youn Sun Nah's roots lie in musicals, the boundaries of this artistic world quickly became too narrow for her. So she decided to go to Paris in 1995 to study jazz and French chanson at the CIM, one of the oldest jazz schools in Europe. Youn Sun Nah quickly demonstrated her great talent in the Parisian clubs, soon playing with the best musicians in the city and eventually making a name for herself with club and festival appearances throughout France. Youn Sun Nah has had impressive performances at numerous jazz competitions such as those at La Défense, St. Maur and Montmartre. At the same time, she performed regularly in Korea and thus achieved the feat of launching her career in two countries at the same time.

Between 2001 and 2008, Youn Sun Nah recorded five albums and toured through France, Europe and throughout Asia. Her tireless activity earned her the award for “Best Artist” in the “Crossover” category at the 2004 Korean Music Awards. In the same year, her album “So I am…” was enthusiastically celebrated by the French public and the press. In 2005 Youn Sun Nah won the Grand Prix at the “Jazz à Juan Concours”. With the 2007 album "Memory Lane", co-produced by the well-known Danish pianist Niels Lan Doky and the Korean bassist Kim Jeong Ryul, she consolidated her position as one of the leading jazz interpreters in the Asian music scene. She also received recognition in the American media and was invited to the “Jazz at Lincoln Center” concert series in New York directed by Wynton Marsalis.

In 2009, Youn Sun Nah's ACT debut “Voyage” (ACT 9019-2) was released. This is also the beginning of the collaboration with the Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius, with whom Youn Sun Nah played hundreds of concerts in the following years, most of them as a duo. The Swedish master bassist Lars Danielsson and the stylistically and sonically very unique percussionist Xavier Desandre-Navarre have also been close musical companions of Youn Sun Nah since “Voyage”.

With “Voyage” Youn Sun Nah finally made the leap from insider tip to the big stage. The Süddeutsche Zeitung called it “the discovery of the season” and continued: “It's been a long time since you've come across something more dazzling, more interesting and more virtuosic in jazz singing.” In Korea, the album received the “Korean Music Award 2009” as a jazz and crossover album year and was awarded “CHOC of the Month” by Jazzman / Jazz Magazine in France.

On October 7th, 2009, the French Ministry of Culture honored Youn Sun Nah with the “Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”, an award for special services to art and culture in France, which had preceded artists such as David Bowie, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Leonardo DiCaprio and Dustin Hoffman received. On April 17, 2010, Youn Sun Nah enchanted visitors at the prestigious Munich BMW Welt Jazz Award and easily won the audience award.

At the end of September 2010, Youn Sun Nah's second album for ACT was released, “Same Girl” (ACT 9024-2). As virtuoso as it seems effortless, she switches between chanson, Korean music, singer-songwriters, jazz standards and a new interpretation of Metallica's “Enter Sandman” and always manages to sound completely authentic and unmistakable. With producer and bassist Lars Danielsson, guitarist Ulf Wakenius and drummer Xavier Desandre-Navarre, Youn Sun Nah is supported by her well-rehearsed band.

With “Same Girl” Youn Sun Nah achieved the biggest success of her career to date - both in Korea and in Europe. The album quickly reached number one on the jazz charts in France, stayed in the top 20 for over 80 weeks without interruption and made it to the top ranks of the pop charts. In 2011, “Same Girl” was the most successful jazz album of the year in France.

Youn Sun Nah is showered with awards - including the "CHOC Award" from Jazzman / Jazz Magazine, the "Discovery of the Year" in the magazine "So Jazz", the "Prix Mimi Perrin du Jazz Vocal" as Singer of the Year and the fourth time with the “Korean Music Award” for “Jazz and Crossover Album of the Year”.

In November 2010, Youn Sun Nah performed before the heads of state of over 20 countries - including American President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel - at the G20 Summit in Seoul, South Korea. On April 30, 2011, Youn Sun Nah was the star guest at the 25th anniversary of the cult musical.

Program and cast

Youn Sun Nah: vocals
Bojan Z: piano, keyboards, fender rhodes