Review: Jihye Lee Big Band Delivers a Memorable Performance at The JAI in La Jolla

Jihye Lee’s 13-piece big band opened its second of two sets at The JAI in La Jolla with an original she called “Why Is That.” She explained the title in a 2024 Jazz Times interview. “I started out writing a simple blues tune, but it didn’t go well. … Why Is That? Why can’t I do that?” Since she’s asked, I’ll take a stab at answering. Lee was raised in Korea and graduated from a Korean University with a major in voice performance. After graduation, she sang locally as an Indie-K-pop singer. She had little or no experience with the blues or jazz before moving to the U.S. to attend the Berklee School of music in Boston where she began training as a jazz arranger/composer because registrations were closed for the classical, sound track and pop equivalents she’d planned to choose from.

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-diego/article/Review-LA-JOLLA-MUSIC-SOCIETY-BRINGS-Jihye-Lees-BIG-BAND-TO-The-JAI-at-The-Conrad-20260613)._