04/10/2024
JAZZIZ Album Review
Mina Cho’s Grace Beat Quartet, ‘Beat Mirage’ (International Gugak Jazz Institute)
By Michael Roberts
Pianist-composer Mina Cho, a native of Seoul based in Boston, is among the most cerebral of jazz artists, and the ideas behind Beat Mirage suggest deep forethought. Yet, while the new work’s blending of Korean rhythms with robust, emotive jazz invites analysis, it can also be enjoyed simply as a vivid listening experience.
Of late, Cho has been painting on a broad canvas; 2023’s Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons, spotlighted her Gugak Jazz Society, a nine-piece ensemble. On Beat Mirage, she pares down to a quartet featuring bassist Max Ridley and Society percussionists Yeongjin Kim, who utilizes the sort of kit familiar to jazz aficionados, and Insoo Kim on traditional Korean drums such as the hourglass-shaped janggu and the barrel-like sori-buk.
The quartet format opens more space for the players even as it emphasizes the individual sonic elements. Take “Nacht Song,” the lead-off track, which juxtaposes vocal chants with Cho’s rich, flowing runs amid a tempo that ebbs and flows. The drumming duo responds to these changes intuitively, moving from delicate support to vigorous thwacking.
“A Bit of Grace” is highlighted by a tender Cho showcase that exudes a quiet strength. So, too, does the title track’s precise, classically inspired introduction. But before long, Cho is chording at top speed over a torrent of drumming that gains power from the variety of instruments employed. “G-Street Dance” has even more rambunctious moments, while “Prints of Imperfection” and “Parallel Destiny (UnMyung II)” exhibit a rare combination of complexity and allure.
As for the concluding “If There’s a Stage for Me in Heaven,” it’s the closest to a straightahead jazz performance here thanks to the focus on Ridley, whose playing is wonderfully limber. But the song retains the mark of Cho, whose distinctiveness as an artist and conceptualist continues to grow.
- 무척 바라던 일이 이루어졌다! 애정하는 재지즈 매거진에서, Beat Mirage(환상비트) 앨범의 심도있는 리뷰와 더불어, 국재소 앨범을 소개해 준것.
- “완전과 온전사이” “운명 II”의 매력적이게 복잡함
- 계속 진화하는 개성있는 아티스트이자 관념주의자로서 창작자의 특성이 담긴 “천상무대”
Link to the review:
https://www.jazziz.com/mina-chos-grace-beat-quartet-beat-mirage-international-gugak-jazz-institute-review/
