By Han Sang-hee
Staff reporter
Jazz may have started in the United States and still be considered something truly American, but this hasn't stopped jazz pianist Kaon Kim's vision in interpreting Korean songs with a jazzy twist.
The 33-year-old is holding his first concert ``Tour de Kaon Kim'' this month, beckoning music fans to soak up his stylish tunes.
``Since it's my first concert, I'm nervous and happy at the same time. I poured my life as an artist into my album last year, but now it's time for me to actually play the music,'' he told The Korea Times during a phone interview.
K-pop fans may not know Kim that well, but for jazz fans, he was a favorite even before his album's release. He released his first album ``Un/Like the Other Day'' in 2009, and it was instantly noticed by music lovers and critics for its distinctive sounds and style. Instead of holding solo concerts, he chose to meet fans by appearing at small jazz clubs, which helped him make a name for himself and also explore music with fellow jazz musicians.
Studying at Seoul National University, the Berklee College of Music and New York University, he has appeared in numerous shows and various jazz clubs, including the 32-year-old club Janus in southern Seoul. He still performs but now also teaches aspiring students at Baekseok University.
``It's more fun to perform, but as a musician, teaching is inevitable. I have been teaching on and off for the past 10 years, and so I think it's something I will pursue for the rest of my life,'' Kim said.
The lineup for the concert includes numbers from his album and also a Korean folk song ``A Baby Lives in an Island.''
``I wanted to play standard Korean music. It's also a favorite of mine because it has such a beautiful melody,'' Kim said.
For his first concert, fellow musicians will accompany Kim, including jazz harmonica artist Jeon Je-duk and jazz vocalist Malo. For visitors who are not accustomed to jazz, Kim will also offer a commentary.
Aside from playing music, Kim also enjoys traveling and taking photos, which was why he incorporated the two into his concert.
While he plays the piano, photos taken by Kim himself will be displayed on a screen as the backdrop, forming a traveling-like atmosphere, a perfect way to appreciate the overall performance.
``I wanted (the concert) to be like a journey. A journey I will be taking with the audience,'' he said.
The pianist recently made headlines after appearing on the matchmaking television show ``Gold Miss is Coming'' (SBS) and although he didn't succeed in winning the heart of a fellow female celebrity, his appearance turned out to be big plus.
``I was already known among jazz fans, but after the show, more people started to notice me and visit my Cyworld,'' he said, laughing.
Instead of focusing on one style of genre, Kim prefers crossing over different styles, including Latin jazz, jazz-funk and contemporary music.
``The great thing about jazz is that it brings different genres together. I love all of them, and I would like to create my own music based on their original characteristics,'' he explained.
This allowed Kim to think out of the box, and fuse Korean music with jazz was an important part of his must-do list.
``Jazz is American music. I would like to make Korean music into jazz, it's quite obvious. Reinterpreting Korean music, including trot and K-pop, and further creating something that fits the Korean sentiment is what I would like to do,'' he said.
Kaon Kim will perform at the Olympus Hall in Samseong-dong, May 29. All tickets cost 50,000 won. For more information, visit www.interpark.com.