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Pianist Helen Sung Recalls Her Winding Path to a Jazz Career, on Salon Sessions

Pianist and composer Helen Sung was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and received rigorous classical training before pivoting to jazz. She has made up for lost time since, working with mentors like bassist Ron Carter, and releasing several well-received albums of her own. 

Sung appears with vocalist Nicole Zuraitis at Mezzrow on Sunday, with the Mingus Big Band at the Jazz Standard on Monday, and at the Caramoor Jazz Festival on July 15. She recently joined host Sheila Anderson in a conversation on Salon Sessions.

Sheila E. Anderson—affectionately known as the "Queen of Hang"—is a respected broadcaster, author, producer, moderator, emcee, and cultural advocate whose decades of work have helped shape and sustain the jazz community. While much attention is deservedly focused on the artists themselves, Anderson has dedicated her career to creating platforms that celebrate their stories, preserve jazz history, and connect audiences with the music. A visionary who has consistently created opportunities beyond traditional media, she has become one of jazz's most influential communicators.<br/>