About
Biography
Kevin Sun is a saxophonist and composer living in New York City. His music has been called “...intense, harmonically virtuosic and compositionally complex" by DownBeat Magazine, and he has released four albums to date—most recently <3 BIRD in August 2021, which landed on the Boston Globe's "60 best albums of the year."
Sun has also recorded four albums with the ensembles Mute, Earprint, and Great On Paper, and he appears on recordings led by Jacob Garchik, Dana Saul, and Xiongguan Zhang.
In addition to performing in the U.S., Sun has performed extensively in China and has served as the Artistic Director of the Blue Note China Jazz Orchestra. In 2021, Sun was named a Finalist for the Jerome Hill Foundation Artist Fellowship.
Discography
coleader
—Mute (2019, Fresh Sound New Talent)
—Easy Listening (Earprint, 2019, Endectomorph)
—Earprint (2016, Endectomorph)
—Great On Paper (2016, Endectomorph)
sideperson
—Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered (2022, Rising Sun Music)
—Family Plan, Family Plan (2021, Endectomorph)
—Lagniappe Session: All Chico Hamilton Set, Uncivilized (2021, Aquarium Drunkard)
—Full Metal Spice Packet, The Spice Cabinet (2019)
—GENTL'R, John Niccoli (2019)
—Ceiling (2019, Endectomorph), Dana Saul
—挣扎/Struggles (2017), Xiongguan Zhang
—Don't Look Back (2016), Richard Garcia
—挣扎/Struggles (2017), Xiongguan Zhang
—Don't Look Back (2016), Richard Garcia
Projects
Quartet: Dana Saul, piano; Walter Stinson, bass; Matt Honor, drums
Quintet: Adam O'Farrill, trumpet; Dana Saul, piano; Simón Willson, bass; Dayeon Seok, drums
Mute: Christian Li, piano; Jeonglim Yang, bass; Dayeon Seok, drums
Earprint: Tree Palmedo, trumpet; Simón Willson, bass; Dor Herskovits, drums
Great On Paper: Isaac Wilson, piano; Simón Willson, bass; Robin Baytas, drums
Quintet: Adam O'Farrill, trumpet; Dana Saul, piano; Simón Willson, bass; Dayeon Seok, drums
Mute: Christian Li, piano; Jeonglim Yang, bass; Dayeon Seok, drums
Earprint: Tree Palmedo, trumpet; Simón Willson, bass; Dor Herskovits, drums
Great On Paper: Isaac Wilson, piano; Simón Willson, bass; Robin Baytas, drums
Selected Press
"...a player who sees the big picture and his evolving place within it" - The New York City Jazz Record [read more]
"...intense, harmonically virtuosic and compositionally complex" - DownBeat Magazine, ★★★★ 1/2 [read more]
"...Sun has a warmth, richness and rhythmic vitality to his playing that at times brings Lester Young or Sonny Rollins to mind" - All About Jazz, ★★★★☆ [read more]
"...a musician who is creating serious buzz in the jazz community" - Winnipeg Free Press [read more]
“...combines a smooth mastery of his horn with an adventurous taste in composition” - The Vinyl District, A [read more]
“Trio proves him a high flyer whose presence is voluminous and a gifted saxophonist” - Jazz Trail, A- [read more]
“Kevin Sun’s debut album Trio is a rich and endeavoring project” - Audiophile Audition, ★★★★☆ [read more]
"Making jazz safe for eggheads" - Midwest Record [read more]