Summer night of strings, piano and songs

By Han Sang-hee

Staff reporter

Three masters of guitar, piano and songwriting have joined together for a special performance titled ``Play With Us.’’

Guitarist Lee Byeong-woo, pianist Kim Kwang-min and singer-songwriter Yoon Sang will take the stage together next month and present a unique performance with melodic and refreshing tunes.

Before the nation was hit by boy bands, girl groups and fast paced beats, there was a period when male singer-songwriters led offline music charts: You Hee–yeol, Shin Seung-hun, Yoon Jong-shin, Lee Seung-hwan and Yoon Sang, just to name a few.

Instead of using artificially generated sounds and beats like Korea sees today, they all managed to bring natural and unique tunes with trademark styles, Yoon Sang being one of them.

Yoon, who rose to stardom with his distinctive melodies that combined pop, jazz and a hint of electronica, was one of the most sought after songwriters and although he didn’t appear in the media that often, he managed to win the ears and hearts of music lovers, and gain recognition both here and overseas. After studying abroad for quite some time, he realized that he now wanted to lose his ``mysterious’’ image and share his music with fans.

``I wanted to communicate with and reach out to my fans, and I wanted to share that experience with Kim and Lee. I always admired the sounds and harmony Kim made with the piano when I was a teenager. When I listened to Lee’s music back then, I didn’t know that type of music could exist!’’ he said laughing at the showcase for the show at CJ E&M Center in Sangam-dong, Monday.

``I always wanted to follow their musical path some time in my career,’’ the 42-year-old added.

Being fans of one another’s music for a long time, the trio looked nervous but excited as they performed some tunes for the press, and their shy yet mischievous smiles only added more anticipation.

``I proposed the idea of a concert with Lee and Kim as soon as I came back from my studies at Berklee College of Music. Because we can easily fill up two to three hours alone as soloists, it was indeed difficult to come up with a final lineup and we are actually still working on it,’’ Yoon said, adding that it was especially difficult because whenever they played a song, they would stop talking about the track list and just join in and play.

``Our rehearsals would go on and on,’’ he said laughing.

For music lovers who are looking for a more relaxing summer evening with piano and strings, ``Play With Us’’ will be a perfect getaway. Being songwriters themselves, the trio mentioned that having a story was always important, and that is what will make their show different from others.

``It won’t be only about jazz or ballads, but (numbers) with a contemporary twist. We may not have any strong rock tracks, but we are hoping it will satisfy people who enjoy listening to music,’’ Yoon said.

With Kim, Yoon and Lee working in the music industry for so long, it’s natural that each of them earned respect from numerous artists in various fields and this will definitely work as an advantage for concert goers. Popular ballad singer Sung Si-kyung and fellow singer-songwriter Hareem have decided to appear as special guests, adding a bit more dazzle to the event.

Kim, 50, was one of the first Korean pianists to study at Berklee and, with five albums under his belt, he has become one of Korea’s favorite jazz pianists. Famous for his delicate tunes that have been compared with the likes of famed pianists Isao Sasaki, George Winston and Yuhki Kuramoto, he continues to wow fans with his tracks, concerts and albums.

Guitarist Lee, 45, started music in 1986, and thanks to his talents as a musician and composer, has created numerous songs for some of Korea’s most famous films, including ``King and the Clown’’ (2005), ``The Host’’ (2006) and ``Mother’’ (2009). A prolific songwriter and also a generous artist who appears in benefits along with his own concerts and music festivals, Lee has made his way to become one of the noted guitarists in the country with his passion and love toward music.

``When I think of the pop music enjoyed by the younger generation nowadays, I feel it quite difficult to sympathize with them. The generation gap has widened a bit more for me, and so I feel very lucky to be able to do music at a time like this,’’ Yoon said, looking back and forth at Lee and Kim.

``I am especially very happy and honored that the two artists who have comforted me with their music have agreed to join me in such a special event and I am sure we will be able to satisfy visitors as much as possible,’’ he added.

Amid the electro-beats, revealing outfits and computerized voices, the trio’s ``Play With Us’’ is expected to bring a breath of fresh air and bit of nostalgia, something desperately needed in such a one-sided and heavily idol-infatuated music scene.

The concert will be held on Aug. 5 and 6 at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets cost from 44,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, visit www.interpark.com or call (02) 3485-8700.