Phil Yoon

Phil Yoon, born Yoon Sang-pil in 1967 in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, is a versatile musician known for his work in jazz, pop, and heavy metal. He began his music career as a drummer for the heavy metal band IDEA in 1987. After serving in the military, he joined the pop band Kim Chang-nam and Doshiro. Yoon later moved to the United States to study jazz at Berklee College of Music and Longy School of Music, where he earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance with distinction. He has collaborated with numerous artists, including Jed Levy, Mark Gross, and Toru Dodo, and has performed at various jazz festivals worldwide, such as the Jarasum International Jazz Festival and the North Sumatra Jazz Festival. Yoon is also an educator, currently serving as an adjunct professor at Pyeongtaek University, and has been involved in several TV shows and documentaries related to jazz.

As a leader of his own jazz quartet, Phil Yoon Group, and other ensembles like Straight Ahead, he has released albums such as 'E. J.' and 'Reminiscences of Mom.' His work extends beyond music to television, where he has hosted shows like 'Jazz and the City' and 'Phil Yoon's Jazz Story.' Yoon is also a director of the Korea Jazz Association and has been involved in organizing jazz festivals, further contributing to the jazz scene in South Korea and internationally.