Sunny Kim
Sunny Kim sings and writes music. Projects that she has been involved with lately include Roswell Rudd Quartet (Roswell Rudd, Brad Jones, Lafayette Harris), Prana Trio (Brian Adler, and guests Frank Carlberg, Carmen Staaf, Matt Aronoff, Stomu Takeishi...), Monocle (Rich Bennette, Matt Fuller, Dan Shuman, Max Goldman), Sam Sadigursky's Word Project, Trevor Dunn's MadLove (Trevor Dunn, Hilmar Jensson, Ches Smith, Eric Deutsch), John Nam Trio (John Nam, Ari Hoenig, Matt Brewer), her own project Myth of Mitch (Sasha Brown, Jason Nazary) and many other - mostly jazz - musicians around the world.
�Sunny has rich and beautiful texture, perfect pitch and excellent musicianship,� says Irene Aebi, a jazz singer and long time musical partner of Steve Lacy. �She�s an intelligent singer and a true artist.� Sunny�s powerful voice and experimental spirit evokes many music fans around the world, among who, Martin Busink (Musique Machine Magazine) raved on her performance on recording After Dark, �Sunny Kim�s haunting voice don�t stay within any tradition� Kim�s processed vocals soar over us like aurora borealis.�
With her cutting edge vision for music and truly unique vocal style, melding elements of jazz, classical, electronic and Korean folk music, Sunny has gained recognition world-wide. After moving to NY in 2005, Sunny performed as a part of �Tribute to Steve Lacy Concert� at Merkin Hall in NYC, which featured jazz legends such as Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, and Roswell Rudd, and at �Robert Creeley Memorial� with Irene Aebi. She has performed in groups led by Roswell Rudd, Min Xiao Fen, Pheeroan AkLaff and Gino Sitson in jazz venues such as the Stone, Jazz Gallery, Joe�s Pub, the Knitting Factory, and Zinc Bar. Sunny has toured America, Korea and Japan appearing on numerous radio and television stations including Arirang TV, EBS, and WGBH as well as Korean newspapers such as Korea Daily and Korea Times. Sunny has performed with greats such as Ran Blake, Dave Fiuzyncski, Michael Cain, Carlos Alomar, Frank Carlberg, Jason Hwang, and Stomu Takeishi, and also has recorded and performed with various projects of her own.
Born in South Korea, Sunny spent her childhood studying classical piano from the age of 7. She also studied composition and musical theater, while living in South Korea, Malaysia, then Thailand. Sunny relocated to the US in 1998, and completed her Bachelors Degree in Jazz Voice performance with a 4-year full scholarship at the University of Denver where she was nominated Outstanding Student in Commercial Music Studies Award, Outstanding Student in Jazz Studies Award, and Music Honor Society Award. Sunny moved to NYC in 2005 from Boston, after completing her Masters Degree in Jazz Voice Performance with scholarship from the New England Conservatory with academic and performance distinction. At NEC she studied with Bob Moses, Charlie Banacos, Jerry Bergonzi, Hankus Netsky, John McNeil and Dominique Eade and performed with her group Prana Trio, which was chosen by the faculty members as the Honors Ensemble in 2004. Sunny�s sound fuses jazz, classical, electronic and Korean folk elements, creating a unique style all her own.
�Sunny�s influences range from Bjork to Billy Holiday with lyricism and emotional presence that are all her own.� � Dominique Eade
�Controlled vibrato and expressive abilities� talented frontwoman� � Westword
�Delivering haunting melody lines� Kim�s winding, electronically manipulated vocal recalls early Ursula Dudziak.� � Larry Nai, Cadence Magazine