It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. (Past profiles: folk-indie artist Jang Kiha and the Faces, rock singer-songwriter Yi Sung-yol, and indietronica artist Oldfish.)

Now it’s Korea’s foremost and possibly only mainstream jazz group Winterplay, which is out with a new album and poised to enjoy even greater success than it did with its debut in 2008.

SONG OF THE DAY

Winterplay – “Billie Jean.” I love covers when they’re done well and offer an artist’s own spin on the original song. I’m sure we all know where this one comes from, right? (If someone doesn’t, me and my creaky old bones will be very, very sad.) [ Download ]

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Post tags: artist profiles, musicians, Winterplay

The talented Honey Lee — Seoul National University grad, classical music major, 2006 Miss Korea, 2007 Miss Universe 3rd runner-up — is taking her much-lauded skills at the gayageum (classical stringed Korean instrument) and using them for a fusion jazz performance.

She’ll take the stage on May 27 and 28 as part of the “Yoon Hee-jung and Friends Concert” in Seoul, singing and playing her gayageum. She explained, “I’ve always liked jazz. I was also a Yoon Hee-jung fan, and it happened that I received the call about this. I’ve always wanted to try mixing the gayageum with jazz music — this is such a great opportunity.”

Honey Lee is currently in her last semester of graduate studies in classical Korean music. Now, if only she’d put out a fusion album! That would be pretty fantastic.

SONG OF THE DAY

Shin Hye-sung with Honey Lee – “사랑하기 좋은 날” (A good day to love). A re-post. She also received vocal training and collaborated with Shin Hye-sung on this track. I think she has a pretty voice, although given her skills, I’m more interested in her music than her vocals. [ Download ]

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Post tags: Honey Lee, musicians

If you’re into Korean indie or rock music, you may already know about Jang Kiha and the Faces — and if not, you should be hearing about them very soon.

Jang Kiha has all but exploded onto the scene recently, and is being called the “indie Seo Taiji,” accruing enough acclaim and buzz in the previous half-year to be drawing massive mainstream attention as well.

What is the appeal of this guy? Well, the lo-fi simplicity of his alt-folky music has its definite appeal, as do his playful lyrics and flippant vibe. But it’s also his cool, laid-back attitude and the curious case of his incidental fame.

SONG OF THE DAY

Jang Kiha and the Faces – “싸구려 커피” (Cheap Coffee). His sound can be likened to 1970s-esque folk rock inflected with a dash of whimsy, but it is also described as blank of emotion. By that, it means that the songs aren’t particularly heartfelt or emo — but that’s its charm. For instance “Cheap Coffee” — I particularly like the syncopated talk-singing part — is a cool shrug of a song. [ Download ]

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Post tags: artist profiles, interviews, Jang Kiha, musicians

Seo Taiji’s back!

The k-rock icon released the first part of his 8th “Atomos” album last year (”Part Moai”), and now he’s released the second (”Part Secret”), which went on sale this week. And to kick off the round of promo work for this disc, he’s holding a White Day concert — two, actually, on the 14th and 15th at Seoul’s Olympic Garden.

Speaking of which, Happy (early) White Day! As you may know, White Day falls on March 14, a month after Valentine’s Day — while girls give chocolate on Valentine’s, White Day is the guys’ turn to reciprocate. But don’t worry, if you’ve got no cause to celebrate either day, you can always wait another month for April 14’s Black Day, when singles gorge on jajangmyun (black bean sauce noodles). Unless you take the anti-consumerist approach and eschew fake holidays altogether. (Psst, I say let’s choose that last one.)

Anyway. Seo Taiji’s March 14 concert bears the rather unwieldy title “2009 Seo Taiji Single 2 Release Celebration Concert Wormhole.” (Yeah, wormhole. There’s a really easy black-hole-suckage joke in there, but this is Seo Taiji so it doesn’t really apply.)

It will also be his first performance of the album’s single, “Juliet,” for which a music video teaser will be released on the 16th.

Via My Daily

SONG OF THE DAY

Seo Taiji – “Juliet” [ Download ]

RELATED POSTS

• The return of Seo Taiji

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Post tags: kpop, musicians, Seo Taiji

Ooh. Interesting.

This may only interest a handful of you out there who also happen to love Roller Coaster, but this is for us fans of the laid-back, acid-jazz/lounge/groovetronica group: the voice of the band, Jo Won-sun, is finally coming out with her own solo album 17 years after her debut.

I’d been wondering when they’d come out with another album, and since I effing LOVE their music — melodically intricate, groovy, mellow, diverse — I am more than happy to hear about this. And if you don’t know them but enjoy Clazziquai, Humming Urban Stereo, Casker, and/or Fortune Cookie, you should really give them a whirl.

I also realized most of my previously posted Roller Coaster song links are now dead, so I’ve reupped and reposted them here:

SONG (REPOSTS) OF THE DAY

Roller Coaster – “숨길 수 없어요” (Can’t Hide It) [ Download ]

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Post tags: kpop, musicians, singers, stuff I dig

First, I’d like to say that I know having lots of ads can be distracting on blogs. I’ve deliberated a lot on which ad blocks to use or not, and I’m never perfectly satisfied. But the ads are also why I’m able to give away free stuff like this, so there’s that silver lining.

Since the last free CD giveaway (and artist profile) went over pretty well — hey, what free stuff doesn’t, right? — I thought I’d continue with another great but overlooked artist, singer-songwriter Yi Sung Yol. (Also spelled Lee Seung Yeol/이승열.)

The Rules: Like last time, leave a comment with your email address so I can contact winners. I’ll give away FOUR CDs — winner gets his/her choice of CD, either Yi’s first album “이날, 이때, 이즈음에…” or his second, “In Exchange.”

Giveaway closes: A week from today, noon PST on Friday, June 20 27. I’ll close entries then and post winners later that day.

SONG OF THE DAY

Yi Sung Yol – “우리는” (Us) from the soundtrack of Que Sera Sera (reposted from an earlier post).
[ Download ]

 
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Post tags: artist profiles, CD giveaways, musicians, song lyrics, Yi Sung Yol

Isn’t this adorable? Rocker, songwriter and Jaurim frontwoman Kim Yoon-ah poses with husband Kim Hyung-kyu and their eight-month-old baby son for July’s issue of Marie Claire. The article notes how Kim Yoon-ah displayed a different side at the photo shoot, ditching her glamorous onstage image to spend some simple, quality bonding time with her son.

Husband Kim Hyung-kyu got his start as a VJ and is now (is this right?) a dentist educated at Seoul University’s dental school; the couple married in June of 2006 after meeting in 2002. Their son Min-jae was born last October.

Jaurim recently released their seventh album, “Ruby Sapphire Diamond,” and are currently busy promoting it. Together nearly eleven years, the group is still going strong, although Kim Yoon-ah explains that she’d rather not take on the burden of drawing attention to their longevity; it’s easier to continue on as they have: “I’ve never felt the need to assume that responsibility or meet that expectation.”

Via Segye.com

SONG OF THE DAY

Jaurim – “27″ from their most recent (seventh) album. [ Download ]

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Post tags: musicians