Nate Smith, Tigran Hamasyan and the Present and Future of Jazz Come to Jarasum

Jarasum will host some of the most prominent names in contemporary jazz this autumn, including Grammy-winning drummer Nate Smith, Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan and Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez.

The 23rd Jarasum Jazz Festival will take place from October 9 to 11 on Jarasum Island and around Gapyeong, Gyeonggi province. The final lineup includes 39 acts, with Smith standing out as one of the festival’s headline attractions on the opening day.

Smith joined jazz bass legend Dave Holland’s band in the early 2000s and later worked with artists including José James. Through his “Kinfolk” series, he has combined complex rhythms, powerful grooves and songwriting while moving across jazz, soul, funk and R&B. His album “Live-Action” won this year’s Grammy for best alternative jazz album, and its track “Big Fish” won best arrangement. The performance will mark his return to Jarasum 17 years after he appeared there with Craig Taborn and Chris Potter. He will perform with keyboardist James Francies and bassist Chris Morrissey.

Hamasyan, who performs on the festival’s final day, won the piano competition at the 2003 Montreux Jazz Festival and the 2005 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. He became known for combining jazz improvisation and progressive rock with Armenian folk music. Other international performers include Rodriguez, known for bringing Cuban rhythms into modern jazz, and Kuroda, whose music ranges across jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul and funk. Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen will appear as a duo.

The South Korean lineup includes four-time Korean Music Award winner Song Young-joo, performing in a trio with Jeon Han-kook and Lim Joo-chan, as well as JSFA and Kim Oki’s Love Love. Jambinai will present a special arrangement combining haegeum, geomungo, guitar, bass, drums, piano and yanggeum. Ritual Diamonds, a project by Korean percussionist Woo Min-young and Australian bassist Christopher Hale, will perform in South Korea for the first time. Singer-songwriter Lee Han-cheol will headline a free party stage in downtown Gapyeong.