Sun-Mi Hong, Jen Shyu, Mark Guiliana and William Parker discuss art as an outlet to process grief, and how touring is the best way to meet interesting people.
Sun-Mi Hong is a jazz drummer and composer. She was born and raised in Incheon, South Korea, but moved to Amsterdam in 2012 to study music. She’s since made her mark on the European jazz scene and in 2017 formed the Sun-Mi Hong Quintet, performing original contemporary compositions as well as improvised jazz music. Her latest album “Third Page: Resonance” was released in November 2022.
William Parker is a double bassist who is a giant of the American avant-garde jazz scene. His boundary-pushing antics over the last 40 years have led him to being labelled "the most consistently brilliant free-jazz bassist of all time", as well as playing next to some of the greats, including pianist Cecil Taylor and David S Ware.
Mark Guiliana is a drummer and composer known for his technical mastery and genre-shifting abilities. Whether it’s acoustic jazz, boundary-stretching electronic music or next-level rock, he’s become one of the most influential drummers of his generation. He’s worked with David Bowie, and former Music Life guests Meshell Ndegeocello and St Vincent.
Singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jen Shyu is widely regarded for her virtuosic singing and riveting stage presence. Her extensive career has seen her study traditional music and dance all over the world, and she speaks 10 languages and plays 10 instruments.