Hey Rim Jeon & Friends

Multi-award-winning pianist, composer, and educator Hey Rim Jeon makes her debut at Jazz on Main on March 14, 2026, joined by Grammy Award–winning bassist Luques Curtis and acclaimed drummer Yoron Israel. The program will feature new music from Jeon’s upcoming album alongside selected works, emphasizing sophisticated improvisation, deep groove, and a high level of ensemble interaction within a jazz framework. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience world-class jazz artistry up close—tickets available now.

Described as a “brilliant pianist” by legendary saxophonist Benny Golson, Hey Rim Jeon has been enjoying the recent accolades and acknowledgements of her accomplishments as a musician and educator, following the release of her new jazz recording Groovitude, which soared to No. 14 on the Jazz Week National Radio Chart and remained in the top 20 for several consecutive weeks. The recording features a guest spot by her dear friend and colleague Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, as well as bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel. The recording holds a special place in her heart, as it’s dedicated to her late father. 

In addition, her recent sold-out CD release concert at Scullers, the No. 1 Jazz Club in Boston, and the world-famous Birdland jazz club, established Hey Rim as a force to be reckoned with in the jazz community. She received rave reviews from fans and music critics, as well as members of the Korean Cultural Center and Korean Cultural Society. A high point of her trip to New York was viewing her image for the first time on a billboard at Times Square that flashed brightly during her gig at Birdland. 

On the educational side, Hey Rim was granted an early promotion to Professor at the Berklee College of Music, where she has been teaching in the Piano Department since 2010. In 2021, she received Berklee’s prestigious Exemplary Mentorship Award and is the first Korean faculty member at the institution. Hey Rim recently received the honor of being included in Marquis’s Who’s Who in America 2022 (75th Edition). 

As leader of her own band, Hey Rim Jeon and Friends, she has performed both nationally and internationally. Bill Milkowski of JazzTimes described her album Mona Lisa Puzzle as an “intense, intelligent statement”. It was awarded the “Best Jazz Album” in the 2009 “New England Urban Music Awards,” and reached CD Baby’s "Top 10 Modern Creative Jazz Albums" list. 

Hey Rim has appeared as a featured guest on NBC’s Weekend Today in New York and was the subject of a documentary on Korea’s National TV network titled In the Name of Korea. She has also been interviewed on a variety of podcasts and has performed her work on several online TV and radio shows. 

For the upcoming performance, she will be joined by world-class drummer and Chair of the Percussion Department at Berklee, Yoron Israel; Grammy Award-winning bassist Luques Curtis; and rising-star drummer Julian Pavone as a special guest.

”Hey Rim...a brilliant pianist...Hey Rim Jeon who is at the forefront with a brightly glowing beacon. I, therefore, heartily and without reservation, endorse Hey Rim Jeon. -Benny Golson, Late Legendary Saxophonist 

“Hey Rim is an exceptional talent with remarkable technical command and harmonic imagination. Her music creates true space for ensemble voices while seamlessly blending classical training with jazz improvisation.”
—Terri Lyne Carrington, NEA Jazz Master & Multi-grammy winner

“Mona Lisa Puzzle (jazzjeon, 2009)...intense, intelligent statement...” -Bill Milkowski, Writer, JazzTimes

”...her fabulous original compositions and inventive interpretation are always sure to entertain...” -WICN 90.5 FM Radio

For more information: https://www.heyrimjeon.com/