Kenny G to perform with Korean orchestraBy Rachel Lee Jazz virtuoso Kenny G and his saxophone are set to enrapture Korean fans once again Wednesday. The 55-year-old will perform at Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul in his first show here in four years. This time, he will perform with Korean accompaniment, provided by the Millennium Symphony Orchestra. Kenny G’s Asia tour celebrates his 2010 album “Heart and Soul.” Besides Korea, he will travel to China, Japan and Malaysia. The latest disc is his 13th studio release, produced by renowned studio master Walter Afanasieff and the artist himself and includes songs “Heart and Soul,” “Deja vu” and “Fall Again,” which features American R&B singer Robin Thicke. Kenny G is one of the most successful musicians in the world, having sold over 80 million albums since his debut in 1982. The Seattle-born musician started playing the saxophone in 1966 when he was 10. He released a self-titled debut album in 1982, followed by “G Force” in 1983 and “Gravity” in 1985. His early albums were moderately successful, but he shot to stardom in 1992 with the release of “BreathMay 22, 2012
Music galore at Green Plugged FestivalBy Kwaak Je-yup With the Seoul Jazz Festival having kicked off Saturday a truly crowded summer of music, this weekend will see two more outdoor music extravaganzas. Some 80 bands are scheduled to perform this weekend at the Green Plugged Seoul at Nanji Hangang Park in the capital’s western extremities, while DJs extraordinaire will be spinning from Saturday to the wee hours of Monday at the World DJ Festival in Yangpeong, Gyeonggi Province, up the Han River. The former’s line-up is geared towards Korean rock stars, including the legendary BooWhal, Jaurim, No Brain, Park Wan-gyu and Crying Nut, among others. Up-and-coming bands like Ulala Session, Broccoli you too? and Galaxy Express are also featured. Hip hop fans will have Dynamic Duo and others to their liking. The latter, under the theme of “Oriental Electronic Paradise,” packs well- and lesser-known DJs from here and abroad, with ATB from Germany and Dutch group Dash Berlin headlining. Joining them are the likes of EDM (electronic dance music) powerhouses Freemasons, Scott Pullen and Josh Wink as well as dozens of hiMay 20, 2012
From child prodigy to virtuoso, no shortcutsJulius-Jeongwon Kim wants clean slate with ‘fifth’ Rachmaninov piano concerto By Kwaak Je-yup By Kwaak Je-yup In this age of teenage pop idols, 20-something Silicon Valley millionaires and sports stars who retire before 30, early success and wealth tend to receive all the attention and respect. But in the world of classical music, critical acclaim and recognition remain elusive even for those musicians with exceptional talent. Even after the precocious few make splash debuts in the gilded halls of Europe and America, the limelight shifts fast to their successors, and career musicians often toil for decades without much public interest. All this is a familiar tale to Julius-Jeongwon Kim, a former child prodigy who turns 37 this year and is still considered “a young pianist” by this curious world’s standards. And having flirted with “unserious” crossover music in the past, he has faced even more pundits’ ridicule and accusations of selling out. Now under new management and ink still fresh on the record deal with Deutsche Grammophon (DG), Kim seems determined to make aMay 16, 2012
Jazz to open summer festival season this weekendEarth, Wind & Fire, George Benson to headline; Park Ji-min, ‘K-pop Star’ finalists to join for duets By Kwaak Je-yup The 2012 Seoul Jazz Festival this weekend kicks off the crowded summer festival season with American big-name artists filling the lineup. Among those slated to perform are legendary soul and funk band Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF), jazz guitar greats George Benson and Al Di Meola, as well as one of Korea’s favorite R&B singers Eric Benet. In its sixth run, this year’s festival has grown considerably in size compared to the past efforts, with more than a dozen local acts also scheduled for solo or joint concerts on three different stages. Venturing outside the conventional auditoriums for the first time, the event’s venues at the Olympic Park in Bangi-dong, southeastern Seoul, will give the festival an atmosphere worthy of its name. The Seoul Jazz Festival is the only large-scale musical event that caters to genres outside rock, pop, or electronic dance music. Since its inception in 2007 by the promoter Private Curve, it has been widely credited as the onlyMay 15, 2012
Eric Benet longs to savor moment with audienceBy Kwaak Je-yup Among the most awaited performers at this year’s Seoul Jazz Festival is Eric Benet, the 47-year-old American R&B singer known for hits like “Last Time,” “Sometimes I Cry,” and most of all “Spend My Life with You” featuring Tamia that became a No. 1 hit on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. Though commercial success of his next releases did not match the duet’s record in 1999, Benet has been active in recording, performing and even acting ever since. His self-penned love songs have been hits with Korean ballad singers like Sung Shi-kyung and Kim Bum-soo to name a few, who covered them in their concerts or TV performances and introduced the tracks to the wider audience. His popularity here has brought him to Seoul twice before, in 2009 and last year. Q : You're coming to Korea as a part of a jazz music festival. A: Last few times I have been to Korean had been pretty incredible. Very enthusiastic crowd. They seem to very appreciate R&B music. So it is going to be lots of fun. Q: What is your relationship with jazz? What kind of influences have you May 15, 2012
Mostly Phil embarks on Beethoven journey By Kwaak Je-yup The Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), a privately-run ensemble that specializes in classical and pop pieces, started a three-part Beethoven series on Thursday. Under the direction of Park Sang-hyun, founder and musical director, and Jung Chi-yong, the MPO performed the German composer’s Coriolan Overture, Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, op. 15 (with Lee Hyo-joo) and Symphony No. 1 in C major, op. 21 on its first night at the Gangdong Arts Center in eastern Seoul. The next two concerts will take place on the 31st of this month and on June 8 at the same venue. Concentrating on earlier works, the MPO will take on the Leonore Overtures Nos. 2 and 3, op. 72a and b, Piano Concertos No. 2 in B flat major, op. 19 and No. 3 in C minor, op. 37 and Symphonies No. 2 in D major, op. 36 and No. 3 in E flat major, op. 55 on the next two nights. Pianists Yoo Young-wook and Cho Jae-hyuk will tackle the second and third concertos, respectively. The MPO was founded in 2003 by Park to provide mass audiences the opportunity to experience classical and popular music wMay 13, 2012
Brazilian music returns to Seoul By Rachel Lee Feel the soul of Brazil through a special music event that will be held from May 15 to 17 at the Sejong Chamber Hall of Sejong Center, Seoul. Top Brazilian musicians Gabriel Grossi, Kim Le-da, Shin Yea-won and Valtinho Anastacio will grace the stage. The three-day event, which is part of the 2012 Brazilian Cultural Programme titled “Seoul of Brazil,” will be comprised of two parts every evening during the period. The program is to mark the 50th anniversary of Korean immigration to Brazil. Top Brazilian harmonica soloist Grossi and Korean-Brazilian pianist Kim will present the South American country’s classical music in the first part of the concert. Kim played a solo in the music concert held by the embassy in 2009. Grossi, bossa nova singer Shin Yeah-won and multi-percussionist Valtinho Anastacio will showcase popular Brazilian music known as Música Popular Brasileira (MPB). The musicians will play as a trio in the finale of the show. The audience can enjoy the rhythm of MPB with great performances by the artists, especially Anastacio who wilMay 11, 2012
Traveling light, a cappella groups take songs to provinces By Kwaak Je-yup A cappella singers have a distinct advantage over fellow musicians when they tour. Performing without instruments, and therefore light on luggage, they can break into tune on any street corner or city plaza. They can also travel more easily to remote corners of the world. Audiences in regional cities, therefore, will not have to travel to Seoul to see two world-famous ensembles — Naturally 7 and b vocal — when they visit Korea in the next few months. While not the most popular of all genres, a cappella has a considerable following worldwide. It has spawned well-recognized bands like The Real Group, Rockapella and The King’s Singers among others. Some of these groups have sung to packed Korean venues in recent years, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success. Each group has been active for more than 20 years and will both perform here as established names in the world of a cappella. Naturally 7, an American group of seven singers, make their Korean debut at the Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province south of Seoul on May 11 and 12.May 8, 2012
Home-grown opera to highlight fest By Do Je-hae The upcoming Korea Opera Festival will present home-grown works, alongside some of the world's best-loved masterpieces. In its third year, the month-long event will start on May 6 with a gala performance of popular duets and arias at the opera theater of the Seoul Arts Center. Participating companies include the state-funded Korea National Opera and four private opera companies _ New Seoul Opera Company, Grand Opera Company, Nuova Opera Company and Seoul Opera Company. They will present well-known works like "Les Contes d'Hoffmann," "La Traviata," "Tosca" and "Le Nozze Di Figaro." It remains to be seen how well these low-budgeted troupes will deal with the multi-task of presenting a proper opera performance, where the staging, singing and acting are delivered with equal proficiency. A key aim of the organizers is to increase the popularity of home-grown works, some of which will be presented by the Korea National Opera (KNO) to conclude the festival. The KNO will present 12 pieces it has created in the last 50 years to close the festival on June 7 and 8. Apr 30, 2012By Do Je-hae
Gaga‘s tour playful but not shocking By Kwaak Je-yup Thanks to the government’s controversial adult rating, Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way Ball” was expected to be substantially provocative. But nothing from the Friday evening seemed to justify the fuss. The 45,000-strong audience on the opening night of her world tour at the Seoul Olympic Stadium was treated to a highly entertaining show, with impressive singing and dancing as well as ample imagination applied to her costumes and set designs. The presentation was surprisingly demure, however, for a singer most famous for her ability to shock. It is unclear, therefore, whether she kept her promise to her Twitter followers that she would deliver “the tour of your life.” “I was told your government decided my shows should be 18 and over,” she said to a roaring crowd during her first on-stage break bteween numbers, “so I’ll make sure it will be.” But never mind the scenes of scantily-clad male dancers caressing each other and the singer grinding against a female dancer on a motorcycle. They did not feel sensual; the former, especially, seemed rather mechanicalApr 29, 2012