Jonathan Paik
Lineage & Innovation
Jonathan Paik melds ancestral roots and Black American piano masters into groundbreaking improvised music, creating soundscapes that uplift and unite.
About
Jonathan Paik is an LA-born, NYC-based pianist, composer, and improviser who studied at the New England Conservatory. He has performed with David Binney, Joe Morris, Alfredo Colon, Jahnvi Madan, Michael Formanek, Charles Downs, and others, and leads projects such as FUGITIVE. His work honors both his Korean and familial lineage, and the Black American tradition alongside free improvisation.
Music Style
He blends free improvisation with grounded melody, drawing influence from jazz greats like Cecil Taylor and Ellington, intersecting with hip-hop, electronic textures, and Korean traditional sounds.
Background
- Hometown
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Education
- New England Conservatory
- Instruments
- piano
- Active
- 2020s-present
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