Teriyaki Boyz’ MC Wise to Entertain Seoul FridayBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter MC Wise, a member of popular Japanese hip-hop group Teriyaki Boyz, will hit the stage for Tokyo Underground Vol. 2 at the Mansion, Hongdae, Friday. The gig also features some of the hottest club acts in Tokyo: The Dexpistols, Keyth Death and Sol8. In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, Wise promised an amazing evening of music at the Tokyo Underground party. ``Keyth Death will definitely be making people dance, and with me on the side with a mic, hyping the crowd up, it should be a blast. The Dexpistols will be the headliners and this duo will show Seoul why they are the most respected electro sound crew in the scene right now. SOL8 will also be laying it down. Expect me to be on the mic or partying with the crowd,'' he said. Wise, who was born to a Japanese father and American mother, says both cultures and languages have influenced his style of hip-hop as shown in his two solo albums ― ``Children of the Sun'' and ``Love Quest.'' ``I combine the two cultures and mix the two languages when I rap, giving it a unique flow Dec 1, 2009
Nah Youn-sun Maturing With JazzBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Music may be a dream for some, but for jazz artist Nah Youn-sun, it was mere coincidence. ``To be honest, I can't complain if music just leaves me, since it came to me by chance in the first place,'' the 40-year-old singer said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday, at her hotel in southern Seoul. Nah is in the middle of her Korea tour, but even after performing in three different cities, including Jeonju and Busan, for the past week, she didn't look a bit tired, smiling and laughing throughout the interview. She is visiting local cities with multi-instrumentalist Mathias Eick form Norway, a rising musician in the European jazz scene. Although Nah blushed and declined that she deserved the title of ``Korean international jazz artist,'' the singer has had her share of fame and respect throughout her career, both in France and Korea. ``I was in Poland and the poster said `Korea's Norah Jones.' I think people needed something to explain who this small, Asian woman who sang jazz was. For me, it's an honor to be compared wNov 25, 2009
Album ReviewsNirvana `Live at Reading' (Universal Music Korea) After 17 years, Nirvana's legendary performance at the Reading Festival, United Kingdom on Aug. 30, 1992 is finally available on CD and DVD. The mind-blowing concert has been voted number one by fans on Kerrang! magazine's list of 100 Gigs that Shook the World and NME's poll of Nirvana's Greatest Moments. The limited edition release shows Nirvana at its finest. The set list included almost all the songs from ``Nevermind,'' a handful from ``Bleach'' and early versions of ``All Apologies,'' ``Dumb'' and ``Tourette's.'' The Reading concert perfectly captured Kurt Cobain's intense vocals, Krist Novoselic's electrifying bass and Dave Grohl's powerful drumming. Nirvana also played covers of Fang's ``The Money Will Roll Right In'' and The Wipers' ``D-7.'' This is a definite must-have for all Nirvana fans. ― Cathy Rose A. Garcia `Glee: The Music, Volume 1' Original Soundtrack (SonyBMG) One of the hottest new TV shows in the U.S., ``Glee'' is about a mismatched group of high school students who join the glee club. Nov 24, 2009
Youn, Chung Go on Winter JourneyBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Bass Youn Kwangchul invites fans on a ``Winter Journey'' (Winterreisse) with Schubert next month. Maestro Chung Myung-whun will set aside his baton to play the piano opposite Youn, who, despite the odds, has enhanced his reputation as a ``small giant'' and is one of Austria's NEWS magazine's ``top 50 living vocalists.'' ``I had to compete against burly Europeans who had greater stage presence and voice projection. I had no choice but to prove myself through music, in order to overcome my physical disadvantages,'' Youn told reporters during a recent luncheon in Insa-dong, Seoul. It wasn't easy for an Asian to debut on the international stage, and, standing 1.7 meters, he is rather petite, especially for stentorian operatic roles reserved for the bass. ``I had to try my best to deliver a faithful interpretation of the operatic piece, pay heed to diction and create a pure, beautiful tone,'' he said. The 44-year-old's talent was discovered by such maestros as Placido Domingo and Daniel Barenboim, and since debuting in Bayreuth, Germany iNov 24, 2009
German Cellist Wins Isang Yun CompetitionBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The 2009 Isang Yun Competition wrapped up over the weekend, with a young German cellist winning first prize in the cello section of the annual music event in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. Hosted by the Tongyeong International Music Festival (TIMF) Foundation, the competition was launched in 2003 to commemorate Yun (1917-95), a celebrated figure in the international avant-garde scene of the mid-20th century. This year 85 young cellists from 26 countries applied, of which 27 from 13 countries were chosen to compete in the late Korean-German composer's hometown. Christine Rauh, a 25-year-old student from Hannover, Germany, beat five finalists by playing the Dvorak concerto with the Kim Bong-led Ensemble TIMF, Saturday. In addition to the $30,000 cash prize, she also took home the Isang Yun Special Prize for her outstanding performance of a piece by Yun. The second place ($20,000) went to Bae Jee-hye, a 21-year-old Seoul National University student; the third prize ($10,000) was given to Matthew Zalkind, 23, from Juilliard, New York; Nov 23, 2009
Earth, Wind & Fire to Play in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Grammy award-winning R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire will be in Seoul for the first time in December. The legendary group, best known for their distinctive blend of funk, R&B, soul, jazz and pop music, is expected to delight Korean fans at their concert at COEX Hall C, Dec. 17. Their hit songs include ``September,'' ``Let's Groove,'' ``Shining Star,'' ``Boogie Wonderland'' and ``After the Love Has Gone.'' Earth, Wind & Fire was originally formed in 1969 in Chicago by Maurice White. Throughout its 40 year career, the group has won ten Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. Their albums have sold over 90 million around the world. Credited with popularizing the funk sound, the group has already been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone magazine once described the American group as ``innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing.'' Earth, Wind & Fire has released 23 albums since 1971. The band went on hiatus in the mid-1980s as founding member MauricNov 22, 2009
Concerts Celebrate Haydn’s BicentennialBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter This year marks the 200th anniversary of the death of ``Symphony Father'' Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). Various paternal attributes have been given to the Austrian court composer, whose career coincided with the development of classical styles and forms ― the symphony, string quartet and others. Some of the most esteemed specialists of the late maestro ― the Haydn Philharmonie and Haydn Trio ― will pay homage through concerts. Also joining the players is esteemed cellist Mischa Maisky. Maisky Meets Haydn Haydn's 108 symphonies, written between 1759 and 1795, range from works written for the relatively modest local court orchestra comprised of a couple of oboes, horns and strings, to the greater-scale ones that we are more familiar with today. The Haydn Philharmonie was founded for the very purpose of performing Haydn's works in the place he lived and worked for 30 years, the Esterhaz Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria. The ensemble also unites Austro-Hungarian musicians. Since 1989 it has hosted the International Haydn Festival, one of the most eNov 17, 2009
Green Day, Guns N’ Roses in Seoul SoonBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Two high-profile American rock bands will be making their first trip to Seoul in the coming months. Guns N' Roses will be hitting the stage next month, while Grammy award-winning rock trio Green Day will be performing in January. Green Day, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool, will be holding their first concert here Jan. 18 at the Olympic Gym #1, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. Originally from Berkeley, California, Green Day burst into the mainstream in 1994 with their major label debut ``Dookie." Filled with catchy punk rock songs, ``Dookie'' went on to sell over 15 million copies around the world. Their songs ``Longview,'' ``Basket Case'' and "When I Come Around'' also topped the charts. Nov 17, 2009
Album ReviewsFoo Fighters `Greatest Hits' (SonyBMG) It's been 15 years since former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl formed the Foo Fighters. The band's pop rock sound helped Grohl move away from the shadow of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, and helped turn Foo Fighters into a commercial and critical success. This Greatest Hits album offers 16 songs, including ``All My Life,'' ``Learning to Fly,'' ``Breakout'' and ``This is a Call.'' While the compilation makes a great introduction to their music for new listeners, long-time Foo Fighters fans will feel shortchanged with only two new songs ``The Wheels'' and ``Word Forward'' plus an acoustic version of ``Everlong.'' Grohl injects some humor in the liner notes by including a ``how to multi-track at home'' guide. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia `The Twilight Saga: New Moon' Original Soundtrack (Warner Korea) The much-anticipated film ``New Moon'' hits theaters in Korea on Dec. 3, but the soundtrack will help fans endure the wait. The album features brooding songs by both established and rising alternative and rock acts. Death Cab for Cutie setsNov 17, 2009
Album ReviewsHarry Connick Jr. `Your Songs' (SonyBMG) For his latest album, jazz singer and actor Harry Connick Jr. obliged the requests of his fans, filling it with covers of classic love songs by Billy Joel, the Beatles, Burt Bacharach, the Carpenters and Elton John. Connick arranged, orchestrated and conducted all the music on the album, which was co-produced by Clive Davis. With his smooth, warm voice, Connick charms listeners with numbers such as ``Just the Way You Are,'' ``Can't Help Falling in Love With You," ``Some Enchanted Evening," ``(They Long to be) Close to You," and "Mona Lisa." He gives the songs the big band jazz treatment, but it offers nothing new and feels uninspired. The song selection may also seem a bit on the cheesy side, but for romantics, ``Your Songs" will be perfect. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia Iron & Wine `Around the Well' (Beatball) Iron & Wine has always had a dedicated following, but his mainstream popularity came after the song ``Flightless Bird, American Mouth" was featured in the blockbuster film ``Twilight." Both longtime and new fans will finNov 10, 2009