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Hyeonseon Baek
Hyeonseon Baek is A New York-based Jazz vocalist/songwriter from South Korea who focuses on striving to create music that transcends cultural and generational boundaries, blending traditional Jazz with a modern approach for our diverse and vibrant audience. At the age of 8, he discovered his love for music when he sang in the school choir group. Hyeonseon was obsessed with soul and rhythm and blues musicians like Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Donny Hathaway, Ledisi, Aretha Franklin, and countless pop musicians. After some years, he listened to some jazz recordings by Mel Torme and Mark Carmen McRae one day and was immediately fascinated by jazz. Most of the sounds from those recordings were so new to him and made him curious about jazz music. He wanted to find out what they were doing and why it was too good for him.
In 2019, he completed his bachelor of music degree in the Netherlands with Holland-national excellence scholarships. He was the first vocal student who managed to shorten the four-year education track to three years and graduated one year earlier than expected. In his last year of undergraduate, he got a chance to go to New York City with travel funds from the university. He was inspired and shocked by its intense art scene and how diverse cultures can be mixed and growing together in New York City.
Afterward, he moved to the United States and received his master of music degree from the prestigious New England Conservatory with a merit scholarship and the Beneficent Society Scholarship. He studied with Dominique Eade, and through his time at N.E.C., he had a chance to work with great jazz titans such as Dave Holland, Cecil McLorin Salvant, Michael Mayo, Jason Moran, and more.
Hyeonseon is a recipient of the "Honorable Mention, Ran Blake Foundation Music Award," 2020, and a recipient of "the Honor Scholarship, Seoul National University Alumni Association of New England" 2021. In addition, he was a "Semi-Finalist in the Riga International Jazz Voice Competition "2019 and "7 Virtual Jazz Contest" 2024
Awards
Hyeonseon is a recipient of the "Honorable Mention, Ran Blake Foundation Music Award," 2020, and a recipient of "the Honor Scholarship, Seoul National University Alumni Association of New England" 2021. In addition, he was a "Semi-Finalist in the Riga international Jazz voice competition"2019 and "7 Virtual Jazz Contest" 2024
Tags
NYC-based, Korean Born Jazz Vocalist/Songwriter Hyeonseon Baek Releasing His Bold Debut Album 'Longing'
![NYC-based, Korean Born Jazz Vocalist/Songwriter Hyeonseon Baek Releasing His Bold Debut Album 'Longing'](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/large/1dd6c4c281bad8849aac72b0f3520d09.jpg)
Source:
Mouthpiece Music
KOREAN JAZZ VOCALIST HYEONSEON BAEK TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM LONGING Featuring Kevin Hays, Linda May Han Oh, Lucas Pino, Joechen Rueckert Released on April 26, 2024 on You & Me Music Possessing a pure, flexible, expressive tenor voice, Korean singer Hyeonseon Baek is poised to launch his professional career with his stunning debut CD, Longing, on the You & Me label. Baek moved to New York City in January 2020, following graduation from Maastricht University in The Netherlands. He was ...
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Musical Memoirs by Dee Dee McNeil
“Korean jazz vocalist reaches for new, risk-taking adventures, reflected not only in his voice but in the wonderful, fresh arrangements that his musical group offers. His tenor voice impresses me, and notably, Hyeonseon has a style all his own. Clearly, this 32-years-young talent is a jazz singer! Baek is obviously a bad-ass and performs flawlessly and with no fear. I look forward to many more incredible albums sung by Hyeonseon Baek. I will remember his unique tone and singular style.”
Primary Instrument
Vocals
Location
New York City
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Wayne Shorter
saxophoneBetty Carter
vocalsDominique Eade
vocalsKurt Elling
vocalsHerbie Hancock
pianoKevin Mahogany
vocalsCarmen McRae
vocalsMark Murphy
vocalsMel Torme
vocalsPhotos
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson
Longing
From: LongingBy Hyeonseon Baek
West 4th St
From: LongingBy Hyeonseon Baek