Lineup:

[June 19th] NST & The Soul Sauce meets Kim Yulhee

In 2017, NST & The Soul Sauce, an eight-piece roots reggae band, joined forces with a multi-award winning Korean pansori vocalist Kim Yulhee to create one of the most unique cross-genre mashup tunes that has never been heard before. Their unique sound has elements of reggae/dub, jazz, afrobeat, funk, soul, psychedelic blended with deep rooted Korean traditional sound. Along with the influence of Korean traditional sound and philosophy, they’ve created what they have dubbed: “Korean reggae."

Performance link: https://youtu.be/Hw-4gpEdyos

[June 26th] Kim So Ra

A multi-award winning Korean traditional percussionist, composer, and ambassador of Honam Province Jeongeup folk music, Kim So Ra is one of the most skilled and prominent Janggu (Korean double-headed drum) players in Korea. Kim is known for her genre-bending performances combining Korean traditional sounds with creative, charismatic and modern interpretations. Kim has performed at WOMEX 2018 and Mundial Montreal 2018 as official showcase artist.

Performance link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkYiTHtU_Y0&t=2s

[July 3rd] Black String

Black String incorporates a variety of expressions in traditional music, as well as harmonizes with other expression in world music. Interpreted by artists, their sound embraces traditional music as well as jazz, reflecting both composed and improvised creations. They especially focus on improvisation as an important aspect of Korean traditional music and attempts to create a unique language through Asian intuition and musical idiom.

Performance Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNbgzxs1v2Y&t=356s

[July 10th] Ak Dan Gwang Chil

Ak Dan Gwang Chil (ADG7) is a multi-award winning Korean traditional music group, featuring six Korean traditional musicians and three powerhouse female folk singers. ADG7 performs repertoire from the sacred, shamanic and secular gut (ritual music) and minyo (folk song) traditions of the Hwanghae-do region, nowadays a western province of North Korea. Their powerful engaging performance will immerse audiences into a spiritual experience and bring blessings of positive energy originating from gut and minyo. ADG7 has recently performed at WOMEX (World Music Expo) 2019 and globalFEST 2020 as one of their official artists.

Performance link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUmBKOVRtp0

[July 17th] Coreyah

There are few band across the world that so expertly meld classic, traditional instruments and vocalization with entirely modern ones as Coreyah. Their new breed of music breaks the barrier between the traditional and the contemporary. This sextet group Coreyah’s unique freewheeling, polystylistic vision of Korean traditional music combines various world music heritages, such as Anglo-American rock, Balkan gypsy, and a variety of musical genres from South America and Africa.

Performance link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o348UCjLrXI

[July 24th] NAMU

NAMU is a Korean traditional music ensemble that made its official debut in 2015. Since 2013, NAMU has collaborated with various artists and has crossed over many genres with wide range of projects that include classical music, contemporary jazz, and dance beats. This trio of outstanding soloists together create music that is a powerful blend of precision and playfulness.

Performance link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKO4ovefZhE

[July 31st] Lee Heemoon X Prelude X Nom Nom

Lee Heemoon, an extraordinary ‘sorikkun’ (Korean folk singer) who earns acclaim as a groundbreaking iconic artist with each performance comes together with jazz performed by Korea's top jazz group Prelude, accompanied by an electrifying minyo duo Nom Nom. Lee’s performances attempt a hybrid of genres, taking the vast repertoire of Gyeonggi minyo as motif. He brings traditional Korean vocal music, which has been sidelined in the Korean art world, to the core and creates a distinctive sound that suggests to the audience a new way of appreciating vocal music.

Performance link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxjSOXd66uA

[August 7th] Noreum Machi

Noreum Machi, referring to a performer who is so skilled that no one would dare to follow on stage, is the most widely recognized Korean traditional music band in Korea. Noreum Machi specializes in the virtuosic percussion music known as Samul-nori. This exciting music, first introduced to the West in the late 1970s by the legendary ensemble, Samul-nori is a modernized-staged adaptation of the ancient Pungmul-nori, famers’ ritual that had its origin in shamanism and animism.

Performance link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ-GH0t4uyw

[August 14th] Joe Kye

Born in Korea and raised in Seattle, violinist-looper and vocalist Joe Kye blends indie-rock, jazz, classical, pop, and world folk to create a unique sound. With his innovative use of digital effects and looping, Kye weaves together diverse textures, catchy melodies, and rich, sweet vocals to create songs that groove, uplift, and empower listeners.

Performance Link: https://youtu.be/lw4VJDD_DjE

Resources from SORI. To learn more about the artists, you can visit www.sori.nyc