Kang Yun-mi & John Stowell, A Timeless Place: A Timeless Jazz Dialogue [Sejong]

Showtimes

Saturday (19:00)

Cast

Kang Yun-mi, John Stowell

Synopsis

[Concert Introduction] Kang Yoon-i & John Stowell DUO A Timeless Place It is a question about the essence of music created by improvisation, empathy, and breath, and a deep, quiet proposal that transcends genres and eras, inviting the listener to a place that transcends time. Nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 23rd Korean Music Awards (2026) Selected as one of the Top 10 Best Jazz Albums of 2025 by critics of the American jazz magazine Cadence A Timeless Place was recorded in Seoul in 2023 and released in 2025. It features jazz classics such as *Skylark*, *I Thought About You*, *Prelude to a Kiss*, and *A Timeless Place* (The Peacocks), which gain new vitality through the delicate and profound interpretations of the two artists. In this work, the two musicians go beyond the traditional role structure of "accompanist and soloist" to create music of improvisational dialogue and empathy, weaving melody and harmony together. The interplay of melodies inspired by Bach's counterpoint, combined with John Stowell's signature fluid harmonies and Kang Yoon-mi's serene yet sincere vocals, delivers a profound resonance. Influenced by legendary jazz vocalists such as Betty Carter and Jeanne Lee, Kang Yoon-mi's vocals are rooted in improvisation and freedom of interpretation rather than the reproduction of standardized tones; she floats through the music like an instrument, utilizing three-dimensional phrasing that employs long breaths and pauses. Notably, rather than taking the dominant position often associated with vocalists, she approaches the music by listening and responding delicately on equal footing with the guitar, highlighting her role as an equal creator who builds music together rather than simply singing. The recording was conducted in a manner akin to a live performance, shot in a single take without re-recording or editing. Focusing on a living dialogue that captures the breath and emotions of the moment rather than refined perfection, each track was naturally completed as music that exists only in that specific moment.

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