“A truly wonderful pianist. Jinjoo brings a uniquely fresh, honest and personal approach to both her playing and her compositions. She really swings and tells a story!”
– Neal Miner (Bassist)
“I LOVE her playing and compositions!!! I hear Thelonious, Bud, John Lewis from her. Jinjoo does not show off. She tells a lot of big story with fewer notes, than most young artists of her age!”
– Jimmy Wormworth (Drummer)
Jazz Pianist/Composer/Arranger Jinjoo Yoo is a dynamic performer with a unique voice. Hailing from Seoul, South Korea, Jinjoo currently resides in New York and collaborates with different projects and leads her own group as well. As a leader or a sideman, she has toured/performed internationally, including performances in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, Spain, Poland, Hungary, and South Korea. In 2017, she was selected as one of the finalists for the Baku Jazz Competition.
Enjoying singing and playing instruments from her youth, Jazz captured her attention soon after starting University in South Korea. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with Mary Lou Williams, Teddy Wilson, Bud Powell, Sonny Clark, Art Tatum, Jimmy Rowles, Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, and so on. Since then, she has immersed herself in the music by listening to jazz greats’ album. Although she was studying Sociology and Economics in her undergraduate years, she found herself more interested in Jazz rather than her major. After her graduation, she decided to focus on jazz more deeply in New York. In 2017, Jinjoo earned Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from Queens College.
Jinjoo thinks that her music should be able to describe this world, either beautiful or ugly, and the way she feels while observing it. Her original tunes bring stories and emotions of curiosity, joyfulness, tragedy, gratitude, and melancholy. She recently released her Debut Album <I’m Curious>(Gut String Records, 2018) as a leader, where she presented her point of view on music. This album features two of incredible jazz artists: Neal Miner, one of the most sought-after bassists in New York Jazz Scene, and the legendary drummer Jimmy Wormworth that has a long history and playing credentials with a host of historic jazz figures.
Reviewing Jinjoo’s Music, Michael Steinman said in his blog <Jazz Lives>,
“…She can be tender, ruminative, but she can also create vivid joyous dances: songs that call out for lyrics. Her playing is spare but I never felt it to be sparse, the sonic equivalent of a large room with one canvas chair against the wall. No, her single notes seem just right – percussive commentary when needed, lyrical otherwise, and her harmonies are lovely, neither formulaic nor jarring….”
Jinjoo has performed at prestigious venues in New York such as Mezzrow Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Birdland Jazz Club/Theater, Cellar Dog(Fat Cat), Ornithology Jazz Club, Jazz on Main, National Sawdust, Rockwood Music Hall, St. Peter’s Church, Shapeshifter Lab, LeFrak Concert Hall, Flushing Town Hall, Russian Samovar, The Museum of Art and Origins, and Nublu.
In Europe(UK/Poland/HungaryGreece/Italy/Spain), Jinjoo has performed at Pizza Express Live(London/Birmingham/Maidstone), Splash Point Jazz Club(Brighton), Chesterfield Jazz Club(Chesterfield), Scarborough Jazz Club(Scarborough), Wigan Jazz Club(Wigan), Zeffirellis(Ambleside), 12 on 14 Jazz Club(Warsaw, Poland), Piec Art Club(Krakow, Poland), IF Jazz Club(Budapest, Hungary). Afrikana Jazz Club(Athens), Spiti Art Bar(Athens), Club NEVER MIND(Naples), Nova Jazz Cava(Barcelona), and Milano’s Jazz(Barcelona) to name but a few.
Musicians Jinjoo shared a stage with include Jimmy Wormworth, Bill Crow, Neal Miner, Stefano Doglioni, Zaid Nasser, Chris Byars, John Mosca, Jon De Lucia, Murray Wall, Taro Okamoto, Keith Balla, Daniel Duke, Adam Gay, Ai Murakami, Paul Gill, Dwayne Clemons, Paul Sikivie, Chris Haney, Joy Brown, Fukushi Tainaka, Charlie Himel, Phil Stewart, Horacio Fumero(Spain), Guillem Arnedo(Spain), Amanda Sedgwick(Sweden), Henry Lowther(UK) and many more. Jinjoo can be often seen performing as a leader or sideman around the New York City. Her group regularly performs with various settings including Duo, Trio, Quartet, and Quintet.
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JINJOO YOO
musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jinjooyoo
Contact: jinjooswing415@gmail.com
Jinjoo Yoo 
Having recently heard her playing on Kihong Jang’s recent album I concur with Neil Miner’s ringing endorsement. Her “jazz language” is so interwoven into her playing as to seem completely natural. It’s as if she’s been plucked from the 1950’s and installed in the current New York scene, still managing to say fresh and contemporary. Not that comparisons mean much but I hear a lot of Billy Taylor in her crisp, unhurried approach and playing. Look forward to catching her next time she comes to Brighton.
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