World music to entice local ears
By Han Sang-hee
When jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun went to visit a friend’s house in Paris, she was surprised to find that the friend was listening to Indian music, cooking Thai food and drinking African tea. The exhilarating experience has made her wonder why this is not common in Korea.
The Gwangju World Music Festival is kicking off this month aiming to familiarize local audiences with ``world music.’’
``There are many festivals held in Korea now, but we didn’t want to be just an addition to those. As festivals are like organisms, they can grow continuously with the right nourishment, but then they can also become instant failures. I believe the Gwangju World Music Festival will grow to become a healthy and exciting event,’’ In Jae-jin, artistic director of the event said during a press conference at the Seoul Press Center.
Slated from Aug. 27 to 29, the event will hopefully vitalize the diversity of music and also help promote Korea as a musical hub in Asia.
``What we are trying to do in Gwangju is to create a gateway for world music to come to Asia and Asian music to move forward on the international scene. The main priority of the performances will be collaborations between local bands and foreign artists. Such exchanges will help local bands broaden their views and create a stepping stone in the future,’’ he added.
True to his word, 42 groups from 21 countries will visit the city and perform their distinctive tunes.
Works can be difficult to listen to initially, as it brings distinctively different music and genres together, but the festival aims to surprise both visitors’ ears and eyes.
Sukiafrica is a five-band collaboration, from Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Togo, Korea and Japan, and is expected to offer something entirely original, while famed samulnori, or traditional Korean percussion, experts Kim Duk-soo and his band will join Austrian jazz group Red Sun and whip up something unique.
Geomungo (a traditional six-string instrument) artist Heo Yoon-jeong is better known overseas thanks to her colorful repertoire and sounds, and she will team up with Chinese and Japanese artists and perform as the EASTrio, while Korean and Australian project group DAOREUM will present some jazzy tunes with a twist.
Individual performances are also expected to wow fans, with a lineup including locals like famed traditional singer Jang Sa-ik, jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun, band Common Ground and reggae band Soul Steady Rockers and foreign acts like Brazilian jazz diva Ithamara Koorax and Indian singer Debashish Bhattacharya.
The early stage of any festival is crucial in its growth, but the directors and fellow staff members seem to have a clear picture of what they were going for.
``The plan is to put the Gwangju World Music Festival on the international map. I think it will take three to five years, but the biggest priority will be informing musicians of the festival. If we succeed in this task, the event will become a gateway in exchanging world and Asian music,’’ In said.
The festival will be held from Aug. 27 to 29 at various venues in the city, including the Pungam Sports Park, Bitgoeul Civic Culture Center and Geumnam-ro Park. All events excluding those held at the Bitgoeul Civic Culture Center are free. For more information, visit www.gjwmf.com.