Santana stays true to spirituality, that guitar soundBy Ines Min The name ``Carlos Santana’’ evinces a strong emotion from most, simultaneously a nostalgic memory and instinctive reaction toward the guitar legend. Well, the 10-time Grammy Award winner is back with a new album, filled with retrospective re-makes of rock classics ranging from Deep Purple’s ``Smoke on the Water’’ and Jimi Hendrix’s ``Little Wing.’’ ``Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time’’ ― a lengthy, if surprisingly not clichéd title once the album is digested _ also boasts that celebrity factor prominent in Santana’s latest work, with collaborations bringing Yo Yo Ma and India.Arie together for a remake of George Harrison’s ``While My Guitar Gently Weeps,’’ and the influential Gavin Rossdale lending vocals to T.Rex’s ``Bang a Gong.’’Oct 19, 2010
Weekender Ripening autumn nights at Jarasum Intl Jazz FestBy Han Sang-hee What is fall without the swirling breeze, beautiful moonlit evenings and, of course, a hint of jazz? The 7th annual Jarasum International Jazz Festival will be held from Oct. 15 to 17 on the scenic island located in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and is expected to create a stir among music fans with its huge scale and impressive lineup. Taking small, meaningful steps When The Korea Times met jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun a year ago for an interview, the 41-year-old could not stop talking about the Jarasum Jazz Festival. The jazz world being relatively small and well connected, Nah was surprised while she was on tour in Germany when she found a performance engineer wearing a t-shirt that bore the name “Jarasum International Jazz Festival.” “I was so surprised but that’s what a good festival does. Rumors spread quickly and I have heard so many artists who have just fallen in love with the local festival,” she said. She advised people to brace themselves for the festival this year as well, as the gala is bigger and better than the previous six yearOct 14, 2010
Album reviewsEric Clapton `Clapton’ (Warner Music Korea) Eric Clapton’s first released work in five years is a not an attempt to pull left-field strings, but pay his respects to his blues roots with a pleasantly meandering 14-track album that explores the landscapes of pure music with the accompaniment of smooth virtuosos from Wynton Marsalis to Sheryl Crowe. Comprised of classic covers and mixed new material, Clapton pulls together an accomplished hodgepodge crew to recreate an era of tapping tambourines, twanging guitar riffs and deep country blues, away from boasting rock glamour in this direct, uncomplicated (except in arrangements) excursion. Opening with Texas legend Melvin Jackson’s ``Travelin’ Alone,’’ the release digs its right heel into the hard-packed dirt of contemporary music to take its stance as a return to times past with a determined drum. Collaborator and co-producer Doyle Bramhall II makes his presence fully known with clean and simple vocals in Snooky Pryor’s ``Judgment Day,’’ dotted with the telltale harmonica style made famous by the late artist, while ``My VerOct 12, 2010
Vocalist Lee to warm up OctoberShe may not have the physique or looks of a model, but vocalist Lee Young-hyun has what it takes to be a true diva. The 29-year-old singer and member of all-girl band Big Mama is holding her first solo concert this month. Performing without the other three members may seem strange and a bit lonely for Lee, but the concert is expected to be full of melodic and emotional songs, perfect to warm up the chilly fall season. When vocal group Big Mama came out with their first album “Like The Bible” in 2003, everyone was blown away by the talented divas who were far from the skinny doll-faced typical starlets but were fierce in stage presence and, of course, their vocal chords. Among the four members, Lee Young-hyun stood out, not just because of her exceptional voice, but also her songwriting. Her solo number “Resignation” became a sensation among both male and female fans and has been a favorite song for those who want to show off their vocals at gatherings or at “noraebangs,” the Korean-style karaoke, ever since its release in 2003. The concert, titled “Listen,” will be a Oct 11, 2010
Album ReviewsJohn Legend and the Roots “Wake Up!” Sony Music Why we recommend it: “Wake Up” lives up to its title and is indeed a wakeup call concerning a war that seems unlikely to be resolved in the near future. Recommended track: "Hard Times" Multiple-Grammy Award winner John Legend has collaborated with the Roots on an album of reinterpretations by artists as diverse as Bill Withers, Ernie Hines and Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, and the result is nothing short of a no-holds-barred body of work with Legend giving gritty vocal performances amid some very bare-bones solid instrumentation. At times in danger of bearing the hallmarks of self-indulgence, “Wake Up” lives up to its title and is indeed a wakeup call concerning a war that seems unlikely to be resolved in the near future. Thanks to some restraint in performance and production, it is a highly recommended body of work. Baby Huey and the Babysitters’ “Hard Times” opens the album, giving the song a strong funk treatment in full Curtis Mayfield-style ― offering a taste of what is to come. Sometimes the tone seems a Oct 5, 2010
Dance away at GlobalGatheringBy Agnes Yu Live music is always enervating regardless of the genre, and is even better outdoors on a cool autumn night with thousands of other appreciative fans. This weekend, at the tail end of a sweltering summer and after what has been an already impressive lineup of music festivals, welcome the fall season by heading to GlobalGathering in northwestern Seoul. The all-day event on Saturday at the Nanji campgrounds along the Han River is guaranteed to be spectacular, fueled by the popular Fatboy Slim, Armin Van Buuren and Justice. Born in 2001 in the U.K., GlobalGathering is an annual electronic dance festival that features major leading artists with devoted followers from around the world and promoted by the reputable Angel Music Group, which manages dance artists and organizes a variety of events. French duo Justice was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 50th Grammy Awards for the hit “D.A.N.C.E.” and also won Best Electronic/Dance Album. Armin Van Buuren is a Dutch DJ who recently released his fourth album, “Mirage,” to positive reviews and was ranked firsOct 5, 2010
Wainwright to share tunes, art and soulBy Han Sang-hee Rufus Wainwright may be one of the most talented singer-songwriters in the world, but when it comes to food, he’s an ordinary culinary craver who enjoys exotic food, such as Korean cuisine. “I’m a big Korean food fan, so I’m very excited. I’ve never been to Korea but I’ve always dreamt of going there,” the singer told The Korea Times in an email interview. The 37-year-old is holding a special performance here in Seoul for the first time, lining up some of his best works and also a unique theatrical performance arranged by visual artist Douglas Gordon. When talking about Wainwright, it’s hard not to notice the critical acclaim he receives from fellow artists. His works from films including “I Am Sam,” “Shrek” and “Brokeback Mountain” had fans wonder about the songwriter and when he finally emerged from the shadows, Sir Elton John eventually called him the “greatest songwriter on the planet,” while the New York Times hailed him as an artist with “genuine originality.” Perhaps his talents come from his genes: he’s the son of folk singers Kate McGarrigleOct 4, 2010
John Lennon’s death still remains mysteryJohn Lennon would be 70, if he were still alive. He was gunned down in 1980 by Mark Chapman, an alleged fanatic fan of the singer, in New York, who shot Lennon in the back four times. The fact that Lennon was a harsh critic of the Vietnam War, which resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him from the United States, however made some people raise the question whether he was actually eliminated by the U.S. government. “John fell down in front of me. And the question I repeated over and over again at that time was ‘who killed him?’” Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono, 77, remembers her late husband in an interview with JoongAng Ilbo. “The only thing in my mind was: ‘Who is behind John’s death?’” Ono said in the report on Saturday. But she refused to be drawn to speculate whether she believes it was a political murder. “Then and now, I don’t know the answer. After a long and painful period, I don’t think about the question anymore.” Lennon through his songs imagined that there would be a world of communities. “John was ahead of his time. He often Oct 2, 2010
Yuhki Kuramoto returns with poetic piano tunesBy Han Sang-hee Just like his music, pianist Yuhki Kuramoto’s voice flows like a gentle stream. He seldom raises his voice — except to tell a witty joke— and it goes up and down like one of his piano works: soft, yet swift and delightful to listen to. When The Korea Times met with him for an interview Monday at a rehearsal venue in Seocho-dong, he was reading his music notes in preparation for his upcoming concert, neatly dressed in a striped shirt and a soft brown leather jacket. The 59-year-old pianist was fresh from a special event, the Arirang Festival 2010 which was held Tuesday evening at Seoul Square, where he joined local and foreign artists and played various versions of the Korean folk song “Arirang.” “I first listened to ‘Arirang’ when I was a teenager in the 1960s, and I always wondered what the lyrics meant,” he said. Like many folk songs that survive generations, Arirang’s melody sticks to the ear. While some artists explain that the simple melody is what makes it a winner, Kuramoto takes a more thoughtful perspective. “Just when theSep 29, 2010
Album ReviewsWhy we recommend it: The idea behind Linkin Park’s latest is honorable. Though lacking in concision, the concept album is nonetheless a genuinely interesting ride. Best tracks: “Waiting for the End,” “The Catalyst,” “Robot Boy” Linkin Park ‘A Thousand Suns’ (Warner Music Korea) Linkin Park returns after three years for their fourth studio album, not that they’d call it that. This 15-track release (co-produced by Rick Rubin, who shared duties with vocalist Mike Shinoda) stands steadfast in its proclamation as a concept album, although that innovative notion becomes muddled in this execution of a story of the world. Inspired by the Hindi phrase made popular by nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (“If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one”), the release loosely meanders its way through a pre- and post-apocalyptic landscape of destitute lyrics, political criticism and sound bites. In an attempt to create music worthy of the term “honest art” the band forgoes public expectation iSep 28, 2010