Traditional Korean music meets contemporary jazz with Hyowa Project alongside Seoul-based Haegeum player Jieun Kim. Hyowa Project: Hailing from Leeds’ contemporary jazz scene, Hyowa Project blends traditional Korean music with classic rock fusion and modern UK jazz. Founded by visionary guitarist and composer Hyo Jung, our quartet consists of Hyokyung Jung (guitar), Joe van der Meulen … [Read More]
Category: Jazz
Selected publications
- Hyelim Kim: Tradition and Creativity in Korean Taegŭm Flute Performance, Routledge 2021
- Anthology: Made in Korea: Studies in Popular Music ed Hyunjoon Shin, Seung-Ah Lee, Routledge 2016
- Simon Barker: Korea and the Western Drumset: Scattering Rhythms, Ashgate 2015
Gray by Silver: The Symphony of Light and Shadow
For the first performance of their Autumn New Talents project, KCCUK presents Gray by Silver, a group who aims to introduce a new sight of Korean art music on a global stage. Programme 다스름 Daseurem 종달새 Lark AYIYA 해방 Liberation Time of Tree Ancient Tree Eternal Gray In this world, there are countless colours, yet … [Read More]
K-music 2024: Lee Heemoon’s Obangsingwa tour in London
Heemoon Lee, the visionary vocalist of SsingSsing, takes us on a transcendental musical journey with his band OBANGSINGWA and their new album, SPANGLE. A powerhouse of Korean music, Lee injects fresh energy and new life into time-honoured Korean folk songs (minyo). Seamlessly blending minyo with a kaleidoscope of genres – including jitterbug, pop, dance, rock … [Read More]
K-music 2024: Youn Sun Nah with Bojan Z
Youn Sun Nah in A Tribute to Women’s Voices. Following the success of her 2022 album ‘Waking World’, Youn Sun Nah returns to the K-Music Festival with her new work ‘Elles’. To mark the 30th year of her jazz career, Yoon Sun Nah’s 12th album Elles pays tribute to women’s voices, and to some of … [Read More]
Sun-mi Hong plays at the Vortex
Sun-Mi Hong makes two appearances at the Vortex this month, first as part of a quartet led by Ant Law and Alex Hitchcock – with whom she collaborated for the first time at K-Music 2022 – and then at the end of the month leading her own quintet: 2 March: Same Moon in the Same … [Read More]
K-music 2023: Soojin Suh & Kit Downes
Korean creative force, experimental drummer Soojin Suh brings her Chordless Quartet for a collaboration with acclaimed keyboardist Kit Downes. The concept behind the Soojin Suh Chordless Quartet is to explore freedom from all polyphonic instruments as a metaphor for freedom in society. Recent releases by the quartet include 2018’s critically acclaimed Strange Liberation and its 2021 follow-up, Roots … [Read More]
K-music 2023: Sun-Mi Hong + Hyelim Kim
Drummer Sun Mi Hong, acclaimed for her sensational performance with her quintet at last year’s K-Music Festival, is set to make a highly anticipated return to K-Music 2023. Following her debut with the album Third Page: Resonance under the UK Edition label, she returns with an extraordinary quartet comprising renowned jazz vocalist Song Yi Jeon, esteemed pianist … [Read More]
K-Music Festival 2022: the official press release
We’re excited at the line-up for this autumn’s K-Music Festival. Here are the full details, with links to the individual gig notices. K-MUSIC FESTIVAL 2022: Korea across London this autumn Wednesday 5 October – Thursday 24 November 2022 This autumn, as an exhibition ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ opens at the V&A, the K-Music Festival, now … [Read More]
K-music 2022: Sun-Mi Hong | Ant Law + Alex Hitchcock
Drummer Sun-Mi Hong was born in Incheon, Korea, but moved to Amsterdam to study at the Conservatoire and is now well established in the Dutch jazz scene, with a distinct style combining rooted groove with well-tempered outbursts. Her award-winning album ‘A Self-Strewn Portrait’ came out in 2021 and she releases a new album with her … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Soojin Suh Coloris Trio & Camilla George
I know I should no longer be surprised at how well these collaborations work, but last year’s online meeting between Soojin Suh and Kit Downes was really rather good, so I’ll certainly be attending this gig, the last of the 2021 K-music festival. Soojin Suh Coloris Trio & Camilla George Wednesday 17 November 2021, 7:45pm … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Sinnoi + Dongyang Gozupa
Before heading to WOMEX in Porto, Dongyang Gozupa joins the K-music festival to perform at the Coronet Theatre for a double bill with Sinnoi, a quartet led by vocalist Bora Kim, ‘her flawless voice gliding between the purest of high tones and animalistic growls’ (Songlines). An exciting night with a true mixture of fresh sounds … [Read More]
Shin Seung-tae’s new Trot persona
When Lee Hee Moon announced the disbandment of his glam rock minyo outfit Ssing Ssing last year, I forewent gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, prophesying instead that an abundance of interesting projects must surely follow. And Lo, it did come to pass. Female vocalist Chu Da-hye started her band, Chudahye and The Chagis … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Sinnoi
The second online concert in the Critics’ Choice strand brings us the innovative trio Sinnoi. Critics’ Choice II: Sinnoi Wednesday 11 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive A unique presence on the jazz scene, Sinnoi has a minimalist composition with rich, deep musical interplay of improvised and delicate exchanges. Sinnoi was formed by Bora … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Gray by Silver + Gonia
The second of the two online concerts from the New Talent strand brings together two interesting jazz-infused acts: New Talent III & IV: Gray By Silver + Gonia Monday 9 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gray By Silver Expressive pianist and composer Hanbin Lee leads this jazz group in expertly performed, emotional pieces … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Black String
Black String return to K-music in the second of the K-music Greats strand of the 2020 festival: K-music Greats II: Black String Saturday 7 November, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive ACT artists and masters of traditional Korean music and jazz Black String burst on to the London scene in 2011, their rise to the … [Read More]
K-music 2020: the official press release
Despite the pandemic, Serious and the KCCUK have arranged a great line-up for K-music this year. Bookended by live performances to open and close the festival, there’s a range of exciting online performances which involve new collaborations between favourite K-music artists from the past as well as some new names. We’ve already posted about the … [Read More]