I am enjoying this expansion of traditional Korean instruments used in and alongside different genres. Rock and metal have had the biggest representation, but more artists use their skills to create more hybrids. HyeYoung Oh‘s GAYAGEUM w/jazz showcases how the instrument seamlessly fits and it’s the musician’s talent that allows the instrument to shine.
The gayageum’s formal sounds are transformed to align with recognizable jazz songs. And since most songs are known in some way, there’s a nostalgia to the tracks. HyeYoung Oh definitely shows that she’s a master of the instrument. I will say that jazz as a singular genre is something I listen to often, more like a fusion or hybrid of themes in other music, but I hear the rhythms and measures in every song.
You don’t need to think hard while listening to GAYAGEUM w/jazz. It’s more about appreciating these different arrangements and understanding how deftly she’s able to manipulate the instrument. “Reminiscences” is the most “Korean” among the songs since it’s not an existing translation and I think this is what makes it one of the stronger songs.
While it’s nice to hear how the gayageum can be used as a jazz instrument, I’d rather hear HyeYoung create more true hybrids of creation. By taking the gayageum as the foundational instrument and building a jazz song around it. But otherwise, there’s not anything to complain about. The album is solid and shows off the instrument.
Also, it’s another great addition to the growing library of Korean traditional instruments breaking boundaries.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.