By Honorary Reporter Gokcecicek Sipahi from Turkey

Photos= Gokcecicek Sipahi

Launched in Germany in 2013, the Jazz Korea Festival expanded its range in 2015 through Korean Cultural Centers (KCCs) and missions in neighboring countries. The event last year covered the European continent, collaborating with the Korean Embassy in Romania and the KCCs in Italy, Turkey and Hungary.

The festival has received considerable attention for its jazz collaborations and an array of music styles, raising the brand value and promotion of Korean jazz through collaborations abroad in areas such as media, performance halls and accommodations. In addition, the performances of bands with a variety of styles allowed audiences to feel the many facets of Korean jazz, and spectators also expressed high satisfaction with the festival.

The Korean fusion jazz band Van Plein was selected to appear at last year's Jazz Korea Festival hosted by the KCC in Ankara on Nov. 15 at Cafe Bien and on Nov. 16 at Çankaya Sahne. The band performed in the Turkish capital as well as in other European cities such as Berlin and Bucharest.

On the first day of the festival, Van Plein performed and was followed by a delightful jam session of musicians from Turkey and Korea. On the second day, special guests Ankara State Opera and ballet trumpeter Doruk Gönentür accompanied the band.

The name of the three-man band means "from the square" in Dutch, meaning that anyone can meet without any discrimination due to gender or race. Motivated by the group's experiences in life, Van Plein produces a progressive mix of sounds featuring jazz, rock, funk and fusion.

Guitarist Han Dong-il, who specializes in bebop, fusion jazz and a variety of musical languages, is responsible for most of the group's compositions and arrangements. Bassist Oh Won-seok is known for his energetic and witty performances and solid and tidy techniques.

Drummer Kim Jong-hyun, who embodies lyric melody and stably holds sounds with delicate touches, gathers and disassembles many kinds of genres and takes experimental approaches toward creating sophisticated and unique team sounds. He creates a balance of techniques that remain under a song's message, creating abstract expressions based on musical languages and many rhythmic ideas.

The band's first album released in August 2018, "Proudest Month Ever," has nine songs containing impressions of and giving back to the people. The members' personalities and emotions reflected in musical text can be felt here. Van Plein's second album released in July last year, "We Will Meet Again," also has nine songs whose arrangements sound pleasantly fresh, lively and enormously energetic.

In November last year, the group released its third album "Today's Collection" and attended festivals in China like the Beijing Jazz Club Tour and the third Xi'an Jazz Festival and those in Korea including the third Mullaedong Jazz Festival and Muze On 2019.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.