Sonor Enji

• 1 Hungun 03:39
• 2 Ulbar 04:03
• 3 Ergelt 02:48
• 4 Unadag Dugui 02:19
• 5 Ger Hol 04:03
• 6 Eejiinhee Hairaar 03:30
• 7 Zuirmegleh 03:24
• 8 Much 03:00
• 9 Neke 02:00
• 10 Old Folks 08:40
• 11 Bayar Tai 02:39
• Total Runtime 40:05

Info for Sonor

[Enji’s] return is spellbinding, her dreamy voice searching over tender piano and weighty double bass. - The Guardian on 'Ulbar'

For a few fleeting moments during a sunset, the sky is cast a vivid shade of amber. A dramatic flare of colour, a moment belonging to both the day and the night. It is within this vibrant, ephemeral world, that Mongolian-born, Munich-based Enji has written her new album Sonor.

Sonor is a record full of life and optimism, from an artist finding the beauty of existing between two worlds, much as a sunset does. Between the cultures of Mongolia and Germany, tradition and innovation, nostalgia and excitement for the future. Sonor is a musical journey marked by personal growth, introspection and acknowledgment of the bittersweet feeling of change.

Enji's life has been a tapestry woven with threads from diverse cultures. Born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, she was immersed in the rich traditions of Mongolian folk music from a young age. Her early exposure to urtiin duu, or "long song", a traditional Mongolian singing style characterized by extended syllables and free-form melodies, instilled in her a deep appreciation for her cultural roots.

In 2014, Enji's musical journey took a transformative turn when she participated in a program at the Goethe-Institut in Ulaanbaatar. Here, under the guidance of German bassist Martin Zenker, she was introduced to the world of jazz. The improvisational nature and emotional depth of jazz resonated with her, leading her to pursue a master's degree in jazz singing at the University of Music and Theatre in Munich. This move marked the beginning of her life between cultures, as she navigated the landscapes of both her native Mongolia and her new home in Germany.

Sonor is a reflection of Enji's personal evolution and the complex emotions that accompany living between two worlds. The album's themes revolve around the unplaceable feeling of being between cultures, not as a source of conflict, but as a space for growth and self-discovery. Enji explores how distance from her traditional Mongolian roots has shaped her identity, and how returning home brings a heightened awareness of these changes.

With Sonor, Enji continues to evolve as an artist, expanding her sound into something more fluid and accessible. Whilst Enji’s musical foundations remain sturdy, with a band of world renowned jazz artists and all tracks on the record sung in Mongolian, save the obligatory standard ‘Old Folks’, Sonor leans into melody and storytelling with a newfound clarity, opening her music to a wider audience. It reflects not just a shift in style, but a deepening of her artistic voice, one that embraces accessibility without losing depth, allowing her songs to resonate on an even more universal level.

Despite being colourful and optimistic, the album is tinged with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia. This duality is perhaps best illustrated by track “Ulbar”, the Mongolian word for the colour the sky is cast during sunset. A phenomenon that is vibrant and beautiful, yet signifies the end of daylight and the transition into nighttime. Similarly, Enji's music captures the joy of new experiences and growth, while acknowledging that, as you go through life, previous experiences may no longer feel familiar.

On Sonor, Enji breathes new life into the traditional Mongolian song “Eejiinhee Hairaar” ("With My Mother’s Love"), a piece woven with nostalgia and quiet joy. She recalls how her father would hum the tune while fixing his bicycle back home in Mongolia, a simple, unremarkable moment that, in hindsight, radiates warmth and meaning. This image of music interlaced with everyday life, of melodies passed down through generations, encapsulates the spirit of Sonor. Enji isn’t just revisiting tradition, she’s distilling the feeling of home, of small joys that reveal their significance only when viewed from afar. Like a familiar song hummed by a parent, her music captures the essence of belonging, not tied to a single place, but to the emotions and memories that shape us.

Elsewhere on the record, tracks such as “Much” truly capture the melancholy of fleeting moments, still hopeful in tone, Enji’s vocals implore the listener to slow down and appreciate the passing seconds. On track “Ergelt”, Enji focuses the theme of the album through her own lens, a meditation on nostalgia and shifting familiarity, with translated lyrics capturing this duality: “A gaze full of happiness saddens me / When I try to speak my sorrow, no words come to me / Unfamiliar, yet somehow known”

Sonor is enriched by the contributions of Enji's collaborators. Elias Stemeseder is an Austrian pianist and composer known for his work in contemporary jazz and avant-garde music. Stemeseder has previously collaborated with musicians such as John Zorn and Christian Lillinger. Robert Landfermann is a German double bassist widely recognized in European jazz and improvised music circles. His playing is characterized by technical virtuosity and a deep sense of rhythm. Julian Sartorius is a Swiss drummer and percussionist with a highly textural and rhythmic approach to his instrument. His work spans jazz, electronic, and experimental music. Whilst long time collaborator Paul Brändle is a German jazz guitarist with a warm, fluid style that blends classic jazz influences with modern sensibilities.

Enji's previous work has garnered international attention and critical acclaim. Her 2023 album, Ulaan, was praised by The Guardian as "An elegant and powerful twist on traditional Mongolian music," highlighting her ability to innovate within her cultural framework.

Her unique blend of jazz and Mongolian folk has also been recognized by The Washington Post, which noted that her songs "sound so inventive, so free, yet so grounded." This balance has become a hallmark of Enji's music, earning her a place among the most intriguing voices in contemporary jazz.

With Sonor, Enji invites listeners to join her on a journey through the landscapes of her experiences, bridging cultures, embracing change and finding beauty in the transitions that define our lives. Her music serves as a reminder that, like the sunset, moments of change can be both beautiful and poignant.

As she continues to navigate her path between Mongolia and Germany, tradition and innovation, Enji's Sonor stands as a testament to the enriching experience of living between worlds and the art that emerges from embracing one's multifaceted identity.

Enkhjargal Erkhembayar, vocals
Elias Stemeseder, piano, Wurlitzer, Rhodes
Paul Brändle, guitar
Robert Landfermann, double bass
Julian Sartorius, drums
Matthieu Bordenave, soprano saxophone (track 1)
Khasar Ganbaatar, baritone saxophone (track 8)

Enkhjargal Erkhembayar
was born in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Although none of her family members were musicians, she learned the traditions of Mongolian folk song and dance from a young age and later also the art of the more than thousand-year-old traditional "Urtiin Duu" (Long Song), which she still regards as an important part of her cultural heritage considered.

After a successful bachelor's degree in music education at the State University of Mongolia (SUIS), she was accepted into the "Goethe-Musiklabor Ulan Bator" (GMUB) project in 2014, which is the very first project for jazz music in her homeland and originated from an excellence project of the Goethe Institute and was founded by Professor h.c. Martin Zenker is headed. Through the project, she got to know jazz music and the opportunity to meet and learn from well-known teachers from all over the world. She fell in love with this music from then on and found her own voice in jazz, such a soulful beauty of music that comes naturally from the heart.

In 2015, Enkhjargal made his debut in the first big band tour in Mongolia's history, together with the GMUB Big Band led by the renowned big band leader Michael Lutzeier.

In 2016 she recorded her first album 'ENJI - Mongolian Song' in Munich, together with drum legend Billy Hart, Professor Johannes Enders on saxophone, Paul Kirby on piano and Martin Zenker on bass. She worked intensively on the music of the Mongolian composer Gonchigsumlaa Sembe. The album was released on ENJA Records in 2017.

In 2016 she was invited with her band to the renowned Koktebel Jazz Festival, where she delighted the audience.

Enkhjargal has been studying at the Munich University of Music and Theater since 2018. She completed her master's degree in jazz singing in February 2020 with top marks.

During her studies, she was involved in numerous engagements, including to South Korea, where she was a guest on behalf of the Goethe Institute, or to South Africa, where she performed with Kevin Gibson and Professor Andrew Lilley, among others. With her own band she played on numerous stages in Europe and abroad.

She currently leads her own band as a singer, composer and arranger, with which she also received the Jazz Promotion Prize 2020 from the Konzertgesellschaft München e.V. In addition, together with the two Mongolian singers, she leads her vocal ensemble Enji's Sisters, which also recorded its debut album in Ulaanbaatar in February 2020.

In the summer semester of 2020, Enkhjargal began her second master’s degree at the HMT Munich in jazz pedagogy, because teaching music is a matter close to her heart. During this time she also supervises the exchange program between the HMT Munich and the State Conservatory of Mongolia as a tutor, which is funded by the DAAD as part of the ISAP partnership.

This album contains no booklet.