Ensemble ~su

Since 2012, the ensemble ~su has been developing a radical yet poetic form of contemporary jazz – rooted in Korean tradition and open to free improvisation. The starting points are Gugak (traditional Korean music), Mu-Ak (shamanic music), and Samulnori (percussion traditions), which are not quoted here but transformed.

With Peter Ehwald (saxophone, composition), So Sol-I (voice, K’kwaenggwari), Kim Bo-Sung (Janggu, Jing, voice), and Shin Hyo Jin (multiple traditional percussion instruments, voice), an intense sonic space emerges from saxophone, voice, and a wide range of Korean instruments – immediate, precise, and organic at the same time.

Their unique shared hoheup – the synchronous breathing of the musicians – transforms all differences into a shared musical flow. From this arises music that moves between fragility and eruptive force: visionary, humorous, sometimes punk-like, always unexpectedly alive. A concert between ritual, improvisation, and the present.

PETER EHWALD
Berlin-based saxophonist who combines jazz tradition with contemporary sound language, working in both energetic and lyrical improvisations. He studied in Weimar, Cologne, London, and New York (DAAD scholarship) and is internationally active with musicians such as Tom Rainey, Dan Weiss, and Nils Wogram. He is currently nominated for the German Jazz Prize in the woodwind category.

SO SOL-I – VOICE, K’KWAENGGWARI
The South Korean singer, actress, and composer combines traditional Korean musical forms with contemporary composition and performance. She studied in Seoul, Dresden, and Bern and has received multiple awards, including the Berlin Scholarship from the Academy of Arts.

KIM BO-SUNG
Born in Seoul and based in Berlin, the musician combines traditional Korean percussion, ritual music, and contemporary performance. She is active in numerous ensembles and continuously explores the relationship between tradition and personal musical expression.

SHIN HYO JIN
The musician and performer is classically and traditionally trained and works internationally in Samulnori and intercultural projects. She explores the connection between traditional Korean percussion, performance, and electronic sound forms.