Jazz Concerts Are Plentiful in May

American flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione returns for a concert on May 2 at the Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, in downtown Seoul. / Courtesy of Geni World

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Enjoy the spring season with an array of jazz concerts next month.

The Seoul Jazz Festival 2010 will be held from May 11 to 14 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park.

The organizer, Private Curve announced that the Dutch singer Wouter Hamel, Norwegian pop duo D'Sound, and British band, Matt Bianco will be some of the acts headlining Seoul's premiere jazz event.

Hamel, who has a loyal following among Korean fans, will be performing for the festival's ``Lyrical and Romantic Night'' on May 11 at the Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Korean act Sweet Sorrow will be appearing as a special guest.

Hamel, who won the Dutch Jazz Vocalist Competition in 2005, has released two albums, ``Hamel'' and ``Nobody's Tune'' to critical acclaim. He impressed Korean fans with his debut performance at last year's Seoul Jazz Festival.

The festival's ``Stylish Jazz Night'' will bring together Matt Bianco and D'Sound on May 14 at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern hall.

Matt Bianco, a duo composed of Mark Reilly and Mark Fisher, are renowned for their exciting blend of Latin, soul, pop and jazz music. They made their debut in 1984 with ``Who's Side Are You On.'' Matt Bianco has released a total of 11 albums including, ``Indigo,'' ``Echoes,'' ``Matt's Mood'' and recently ``Hifi Bossanova.''

D'Sound, composed of Simone and Jonny Sjo, have always been known for their sophisticated sound, mixing pop, acid jazz, funk, R&B and soul music. Since their debut in 1997, the band has released six albums, ``Spice of Life,'' ``Beauty Is a Blessing,'' ``Talkin' Talk,'' ``Doublehearted,'' ``My Today'' and ``Starts and Ends.''

The Seoul Jazz Festival has been held annually since 2007. International performers such as the Pat Metheny Trio, Chris Botti, Incognito, Omar Sosa, Tower of Power and Madeleine Peyroux have all participated in previous festivals.

Tickets for the Seoul Jazz Festival 2010 range from 55,000 won to 88,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555.

Meanwhile, American musician Chuck Mangione, who plays the flugelhorn, is returning to Seoul for concerts on May 2 at the Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, downtown Seoul.

Mangione started his music career with his brother in The Jazz Brothers. He attended the Eastman School of Music, and later worked there as the director of the school's jazz ensemble.

After getting noticed by record companies, Mangione released albums, ``Land of Make Believe,'' ``Chase the Clouds Away'' and ``Bellavia.'' ``Bellavia,'' which means beautiful way, won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 1977. In 1979, he won Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the soundtrack of the film, ``The Children of Sanchez.''

His career hit a new high in the late 1970s with the release of ``Feels So Good,'' which is still today his signature song. The track is one of the most popular instrumental songs in Korea.

The 69-year-old Grammy Award-winning musician has released more than 30 albums and has performed around the world. Mangione performed in Seoul for the first time in 2000 at the Seoul Arts Center, and has been back several times.

``I was surprised that many Koreans know my songs. It makes me feel like they're old friends,'' Mangione said in 2007, as quoted by the organizer Geni World.

Mangione will hold two concerts in one day; at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets to the concert range from 60,000 won to 120,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555.

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