Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Yoosun Nam: Light Of the City

Yoosun Nam: Light Of the City

By Hrayr Attarian
December 4, 2014
View read count

Seoul native and New York based saxophonist Yoosun Nam's debut Light Of the City, true to its name, is a luminous album that showcases Nam's strong sense of lyricism and her exquisite agility on the her instrument. An incandescent feel imbues all eight Nam penned originals and although none of the tunes are particularly memorable there is a thematic cohesiveness to the record and a warm, organic ambience.

On "Up and Down," Nam weaves a charming, spontaneous and very melodic tale that stems loosely from the main motif and meanders through the rhythm section's spirited, percolating rumble. Guitarist

Keisuke Matsuno

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Keisuke Matsuno's thick, resonant strums echo Nam's ideas but embellish them further in a succinct yet eloquent solo.

The darkly hued and intensely poetic "Bitter" maintains the same ardent intimacy and adds a touch of mysticism. Pianist

Kyumin Shim

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Kyumin Shim's chords cascade with a rich, mordant tone, like fine aged whisky, setting the stage for Nam's turn in the spotlight. Nam lets loose with reserved and wistful passion a flood of intriguing, interlinked ideas that although not particularly innovative are delightfully inventive.

Nam demonstrates her superb improvisational skills throughout but particularly as she shares the frontline with seasoned tenorist

Chris Cheek

saxophone
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Cheek. On the simmering, up-tempo "Myron's Blues" the dual saxophones state the head with fiery wit and fervent articulation. Nam matches Cheek's crisp soliloquy and clever phraseology with a cool sophistication and elegant expressiveness.

The disc closes with the funky and humorous "These Are Hard Times For Dreamers." The democratic piece is akin to a relaxed, ad lib conversation among friends over coffee. Nam's acerbic soprano exchanges fast paced lines with Shim's soulful keys and Matsuno's conversational quitar. Bassist Carlos De Rosa's strings reverberate with a graceful swagger while drummer

Jesse Simpson

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jesse Simpson contributes thunderous bursts to the dialogue.

Both as a composer and a performer Nam already has a unique style and a voice of her own. This captivating and enjoyable work already foretells of her brilliant future career

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Up And Down; Light Of The City; Alice; Bohemian Dance With Chagall; Deeply Sad; Myron's Blues; Bitter; These Are Hard Times For Dreamers.

Personnel

Yoosun Nam

saxophone, alto

Yoosun Nam: alto saxophone and soprano saxophone; Chris Cheek: tenor saxophone (2,3,6); Keisuke Matsuno: guitar; Kyumin Shim: piano; Carlos De Rosa: bass; Jesse Simpson: drums.

Album information

Title: Light Of the City | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

A Celebration of Lindsay Cooper (195...
< Previous

Take Off - A Musical Odyssey
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.