November Charts

Europe Jazz Media is a group comprising a greater number of Jazz Magazines, Jazz Websites and critics all across Europe. Monthly each of its members nominates an album deserving extra attention. From these choices the monthly chart is made up. As a founding member of the group I make my choice every month now for more than a decade. I allow myself to present my choices and the complete chart also here. My choice for November 2024 is

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SUN-MI HONG BIDA ORCHESTRA – Invisible Ropes (Bimhuis Records)

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Sun-Mi Hong’s Bida Orchestra is a six-piece raw energy unit unleashing exceptional dynamics that convenes ferocious attacks and wild outbursts with classy horn lines as mighty as elegant in utmost thrilling , mutually feeding dialectics. Old contradictions are abolished, overcome and playfully transformed to a higher fully prospering level. With its deeply reaching resilient agility the group creates an increasingly strong unifying thread. It is ferocious, full of unbridled and intelligent joy of playing, reaching into realms of  touching beauty. The music designed and lead by exceptional female drummer Sun-Mi Hong fully triggers and unfolds the potentials of her high class international line-up with Mette Rasmussen (as), Alistair Payne (tr), John Dikeman (ts, bas-sax), Jozef Dumoulin (keys) and John Edwards (b). Sun-Mi Hong, a risen star from Amsterdam, is one of the internationally busiest and successful young musicians of the 30s generation. She can a.o. be seen with Bida Orchestra at this year’s Jazzfest Berlin on Thursday, October 31st. 

Here’s a YOUTUBE link to the live concert at Amsterdam Bimhuis the album is drawn from. You can find the album on BANDCAMP.