Jarasum Jazz Festival returns with Grammy winner Nate Smith

Jara Island's Jazz Festival is returning to Gyeonggi this Hangul Day weekend with Grammy-winning drummer Nate Smith.

The 23rd Jarasum Jazz Festival, which runs from Friday to Sunday, is held at the festival venue on Jara Island in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi located northeast of Seoul. The festival will feature 64 acts from Korea and abroad. 

The festival will be headlined by drummer Nate Smith, who won two Grammy Awards in February, on Friday. It will be Smith's first time in 17 years opening the Jazz Island stage. 

Trumpeter Takuya Kuroda will be accompanied by a five-piece band spanning jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul and funk, while pianist Song Young-joo will perform with a trio. Eighteen-member band Annoying Box will perform on Friday as well. 

Saturday's performances include Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, who fuses classical music with Afro-Cuban rhythms, followed by Portuguese musician Bruno Pernadas, who mixes jazz with psychedelic rock.

Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan will headline the final day of the festival on Sunday. Korean jazz band JSFA will also be performing that day. 

The festival will hold a special France Focus program in celebration of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France, during which French artists will perform. 

Tickets for the festival can be purchased from Yes24 Ticket. 

BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]