About

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Yoona Kim and ALMA VATYA come together to create an innovative fusion of Korean traditional music and American Delta blues, blending these distinct genres in a contemporary, multicultural performance. The two artists, who met in Boston, explore the deep roots of both traditions, trading vocals and instrumental licks to demonstrate how Korean folk music and the blues share common elements of sustain, soul, rhythm, and space. As WBUR, Boston’s National Public Radio, puts it: “Instead of creating a forced fusion, the two singers/musicians dive deep into American and Korean traditions, showing the natural connection between these musical forms.”

Yoona Kim and ALMA have crafted a unique repertoire that bridges the rich heritages of North and South Korean folk music and  Delta blues. With a focus on folklore, storytelling, and improvisation, their performance transcends cultural boundaries, blending these musical traditions into an evocative, fresh experience.

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Yoona Kim is a Boston based ajaeng (bowed zither instrument from Korea) player, composer, and improviser. Her performances are deeply rooted in the richness of Korean court and folk music, juxtaposed with delicate noise, the soulful depths of traditional blues, and the dynamism of contemporary music.

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ALMA VATYA is an Arizonan trans-planted guitarist, singer, and banjo player who performs

American vernacular music inspired and informed by a lifelong exploration of pre-war country blues, ballads, and spirituals.Her polyrhythmic guitar and banjo stylings and nuanced vocals have been honed through hundreds of performances to national and international audiences.

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ALMA VATYA

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ALMA VATYA has been playing and singing the blues since the age of four. Her playing draws from the intricate guitar stylings of Blind Blake and Reverend Gary Davis, and the soulful bottleneck slide of Mississippi Fred McDowell and Charley Patton. She has studied with blues elders including Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Belfour, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Kenny Brown, and Corey Harris.

She spent much of 2020 and 2021 at the home of renowned southwest folklorist and musician Big Jim Griffith. During this time, she learned old-time banjo and facilitated the unearthing and digitization of over 60 reel-to-reel tapes of field recordings made by Griffith in the 70’s and 80’s. Additionally, Roman worked with the Field Recorders Collective to release the music of Bill Hensley, a West Virginia banjo player and ballad singer recorded by Griffith in the 70’s.

Prior to COVID-19, Roman performed regularly at prominent Tucson venues, including a six-year stint at Hotel Congress as well as supporting blues legends like The Blind Boys of Alabama, Bobby Rush, and David Bromberg at the Rialto Theatre. Additionally, She has performed locally and nationally at blues festivals in Bisbee, AZ, Silver City, NM, Port Townsend, WA, and Clarksdale, MS. In the Summer of 2019, he toured France and Belgium. In April of 2022, she played at MerleFest in Wilkesboro NC.

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https://www.romanbartensherman.com/

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Yoona Kim 

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Kim Yoona is an ajaeng player, composer, improviser, and music educator originally from Seoul, South Korea, who is currently active in Boston, USA. She intuitively and expressively conveys a wide sound spectrum using ajaeng, drawing from her diverse background in various genres, her unique performances blending traditional Korean elements with contemporary sensibilities.​

She studied Korean Music and Musicology at Seoul National University in South Korea. To expand her musical horizons beyond Korean music, she received her Master’s and Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Musical Arts at the New England Conservatory in Boston.

She is a founder of MODERNGAGOK, a contemporary Korean music ensemble. She collaborates with ALMA VATYA in a duo that combines Korean music with Delta blues. An active free improviser, she has collaborated with Anthony Coleman, Chris Cochrane, Fay Victor and Satoshi Takeishi. Currently, she is pursuing her second Master’s degree at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

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https://www.yoonakim.org/