I’ve just belatedly been going through my recent purchases of Songlines magazine, the world music publication which gave Hyelim Kim a 4-star review this time last year. I spotted that their October 2014 edition featured a playlist recommended by Evelyn Glennie – of which the first track was by the Korean percussion group Dulsori: Drum Sinawi from their 2007 album Eternal Memory (available on Last.fm).
Dulsori’s music is powerful and elemental, based on drumming. In “Drum Sinawi” the music is lead by a Buddhist ritual drum called a beopgo joined by a daegeum (flute) and geomungo (zither). When I went to South Korea to explore traditional instruments there, I was amazed by the physical impact that hits every part of your body. It’s so physical and they are throwing themselves into music and performance.
On the guilt pile is a review of the book which includes Evelyn Glennie’s trip to Korea… Coming soon, whenever the more pressing items in the guilt pile have been addressed.