# CD review: Maria Kim – Fotografia 2019: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/06/24/cd-review-maria-kim-fotografia-2019-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2019-06-24T14:29:57+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**An original, lyrical soloist and a demanding group leader, Maria Kim is a dynamic
singer, pianist and composer. Maria Kim grew up in South Korea, and took up the 
piano at the age of 3; 12 years later she was singing and playing the piano professionally
throughout South Korea as the youngest jazz vocalist and pianist.**

When she was 18yrs old, Maria Kim won 1st Place in Vocals and a scholarship from
the Berklee College of Music World Scholarship Tour held in South Korea. She moved
to Boston in 2006, and there she performed weekly gigs with the Berklee professors
as well as attending school there.

After Berklee, Maria Kim enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music where
she studied under Ken Schaphorst, Ran Blake and Dominique Eade. She performed with
Irene Aebi, Dave Holland, Ran Blake, and Steve Swallow, and started to develop her
own unique style combined with free jazz.
 Free jazz pianist and legend, Ran Blake,
noted “Maria Kim is very special and one of the greatest singers I’ve played with.”

Based on her career throughout South Korea and the United States, she set her musical
direction to, “Not a single note wasted”. Her music is a battle of two different
egos within herself; Calm, dispassionate contemplation of her piano playing and 
the fearless vocalist exploring promptly to reach the perfect note, harmony and 
rhythm.

In 2013, Maria Kim became the first person to win two sections of Jazz People Magazine’s“
Rising Star” award for piano and vocal. She released her album which she directed,
composed, wrote lyrics, played piano and sang. She was also selected as the “2016
New Face of Korean Jazz” by EBS Gonggam.

In 2017, accompanied by Yoonseung Cho, the first Korean Monk Institute graduate,
Maria Kim released her new album “I’m Old Fashioned”. Jazz critics had this to say
about the new album:

“Whenever, wherever, with whoever you listen to this album, it gives that thrilling
heart warming moment. This is something we call the jazz magic” – Jiho Choi
 “Why
is the dense reinterpretation so important in Jazz field? [I’m Old Fashioned] contains
one possibility.” – Kyoungjun Lee

In 2018 She release the first jazz vocal duet album in Korea with the male vocalist
Sung Huh through Sony Music Korea. This album was selected as one of the Jazz People
magazine’s 2018 top 10 jazz album.

01. Samba de Uma Nota Só
 02. Call Me 03. Fotografia 04. Desafinado 05. Ela é Carioca
06. Pra Machucar Meu Coração 07. So Danço Samba 08. Chega de Saudade 09. Garota 
de Ipanema 10. Doralice 11. Corcovado 12. Baubles, Bangles and Beads 13. Triste 
14. O Pato

![](https://i0.wp.com/images.vfl.ru/ii/1561276636/60e15e11/26976184.jpg?w=640)

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