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| ▲ This photo, provided by an association of Woong-san, shows Woong-san. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by the Korea Jazz Association, shows the poster for the "2022 Seoul Jazz Festa." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by an association of Woong-san, shows the jazz vocalist Woong-san. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Apr. 17 (Yonhap) -- “Jazz Musicians has been spending 'winter-like' days. I want to sing with hope in this performance which has had a long preparation time.”
A representative jazz diva in Korea, Woong-san (real name Kim Eun Young) introduced the “2022 Seoul Jazz Festa at Nodeulseom” event that was prepared to commemorate the “World Jazz Day” on the 30th of this month.
The event hosted by the Korea Jazz Association will be held for six days from 26th of April till the 1st of May at the complex cultural space in Nodeulseom, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Woong-san, who became the president of the association in January last year, planned and prepared the overall event.
“World Jazz day is like a feast day for all jazz musicians,” said Woong-san in a phone call with Yonhap News Agency on the 15th. “I want to introduce talented rookies and junior musicians to many people with the heart of putting out my cherished ‘treasure box’.”
Although this is the second event that she has planned and prepared, this year, she paid special attention to it.
The biggest difference is that, while the performance was held online last year, this year, they will perform a variety of stages for six days offline.
“The indoor performance hall has about 500 seats, and the outdoor performance can accommodate around 1,000 people” Woong-san said. “There will be a total of 12 performances, and all of the tickets has been sold out within twenty minutes.”
For the reason of holding the event for six days, she said, “I wanted to let many people know that K-pop or Gugak (Korean traditional music) are not the only Korean music, but that K-jazz is ready to go out and inform them that there are so many people with outstanding talents here as well.”
She also mentioned that it was not easy to create a mixture so harmonious as there were more than 100 musicians from all generations.
"I thought and pondered dozens of times for each performance so that the first generation, who laid the foundation for Korean jazz, the currently active second generation, and the third generation, the rising stars, could all harmonize naturally" said Woong-san.
After a long time of consideration, she revealed that she has prepared the stages like a “course meal.”
“If one goes straight into legitimate jazz, one might not be able to digest it. So, for the ‘appetizer,’ I put the performance that explains jazz by good-spoken commentators, and will raise the atmosphere with Blues’ music performances and big band performances, also known as the flower of jazz music.”
“The most breathtaking main is the Jazz All Star Performance” she said. “The young ambitious 20s, Kang Jae-hun trio and the first-generation Korean jazz seniors will be singing ‘What a Wonderful World’ and become one.”
On the last day of the performance, Kang Tae-hwan, also known as the “legend” of improvisational music, will be on stage to deliver the deep impression of jazz.
“This is a performance that should be seen by jazz enthusiasts that have not seen the jazz stage for a long time, and for music lovers as well” Woong-san said. “In an era where people are exhausted due to COVID-19, this is recommended to those who want a new kind of shock and trill.”
Woong-san also did not forget to say that she was only able to make it through because of all the staffs as none of the preparation parts were easy.
“It was a series of difficulties and hardships,” she recalled. “One day I was so exhausted that I wanted to cry, but I got up again with the thought of working hard for the renaissance of Korean jazz.”
“Some of the staffs at the secretariat really did everything with a sense of duty. All of the staffs including sound, lighting and filming, came together in the spirit of creating a jazz revival in South Korea” she added.
Along with that, she said, “Through this year’s ‘Seoul Jazz Festa,’ I wish to make Nodeulseom to a “Jazz Island” every year in the last week of April. I want to introduce as much as ‘diamonds’ in the Jazz industry to the audience.”
Woong-san wished to convey the power of jazz to more people.
“Not everyone needs to know the music called Jazz. However, more people will be able to understand, enjoy and see Jazz in a wider and higher perspective. It’s like a pleasant gift from life.” (Laughs)
In May, when all the events are finished, Woong-san will then return as a 'jazz vocalist'.
She plans to start recording at the end of May and release a full album in September. This will be her album in about four years, and she is also planning a solo concert in October.
“The energy that Woong-san, who leads the Korea Jazz Assosiation needs and the energy that the artist Woong-san needs is different. Strangely, I can’t create music well. After the festival ends, I should go back to the version of me that does music.” (Laughs)
“The album actually had to be released two years ago, but it got delayed” said Woong-san. “There are some people out there who thinks that the name Woong-san is heavy, but I hope people will remember it as a natural music that makes one feel at ease.”
(END)
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