Grammys to pay tribute to Stevie Wonder

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The Grammys will pay tribute to Stevie Wonder with a special performance after the music industry’s annual award night.Grammy organizers announced a two-hour show in the Motown legend’s honor to be recorded on Feb. 10 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, two days after the awards.An executive at CBS television, which will broadcast the tribute on Feb. 16, said the show will “give everyone he’s inspired a chance to show our esteem.” Stevie Wonder performs in Las Vegas on Nov. 29.

Dec. 16, 2014

Violinist Lee to perform 3 sonatas

Violinist Lee Sung-juViolinist Lee Sung-ju will present violin sonatas of Beethoven, Strauss and Franck in a recital at the IBK Chamber Hall of Seoul Arts Center on Dec. 17. Together with her longtime musical partner Oliver Kern on piano, the professor of the Korea National University of Arts will present a full program that cuts across classical, romantic and contemporary string repertoires. The concert will open with Beethoven’s violin sonata “Kreutzer” and conclude with a Strauss work, Violin

Dec. 15, 2014

Syrian wins Arab song contest, keeps clear of politics

BEIRUT (AFP) ― A Syrian from war-torn Aleppo was declared the winner of this year’s “Arab Idol” singing contest at the grand finale of the grueling four-month television competition in Beirut last weekend.The audience at Saturday’s finale broke into applause and cheers, chanting “Syria! Syria!” and “Hazem!” when the jury of the pan-Arab song contest announced Hazem Sherif as the winner.The 21-year-old kept clear of politics, avoiding taking sides in the nearly four-year conflict that has divided

Dec. 15, 2014

Smith, Swift own the night at Jingle Ball

NEW YORK (AP) ― If you wanted to make a time capsule of what happened in pop music this year, Friday night’s Jingle Ball ― the annual extravaganza held in Madison Square Garden put on by pop station Z100 ― would most likely provide the most accurate account. There was Pharrell ― with the hat ― crooning his hit “Happy”; Iggy Azalea rapping and posturing as she breezed through “Fancy”; Jessie J and Ariana Grande playfully one-upping each other in the power-vocal showcase smash “Bang Bang”; and Meg

Dec. 14, 2014

Eyelike: Lorde’s ‘Mockingjay’ soundtrack gets dark

Lorde’s ‘Mockingjay’ soundtrack gets darkVarious artists“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”(Republic Records)It was only a matter of time before Lorde graduated from contributing a song for “Catching Fire” to taking over the soundtrack for the latest “Hunger Games” soundtrack in which the 18-year-old chanteuse curates a concoction of dark magic, enchanting tunes and revolutionary feelings. As the world of Katniss Everdeen gets darker with sacrifice, violence

Dec. 12, 2014

Singer Shin Hae-chul memoirs to be published posthumously

A memoir by the late rock singer Shin Hae-chul will be published on Christmas Eve, the publisher Munhakdongne said.“Mawang Shin Hae-chul” is a collection of short essays and stories that Shin wrote before he died in October. “Mawang,” or demon lord, is the late singer’s nickname. Having found Shin’s writings on his personal computer, the bereaved family decided to publish the book to tell the legendary rocker’s personal story.  Late singer Shin Hae-chul’s posthumous book “Mawang Shin Hae-chul.”

Dec. 12, 2014

[Herald Review] ‘Kinky Boots,’ if your spirit needs lifting

Seoul’s performing arts scene in December is chock-full of timeless classics and feel-good shows to lure theater goers as well as novices who want to celebrate the end of the year with some cultural experiences. “Kinky Boots,” the six-time Tony Award-winning musical currently on its first non-English-speaking run in Korea, seems to be at the top of the pack. Opened Dec. 3 at Chungmu Art Hall, the show is a delightful mix of Broadway glitz and glam, uplifting songs and a heartfelt message about d

Dec. 10, 2014

New Dylan album to interpret Sinatra classics

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Bob Dylan’s new album which will come out in February will feature interpretations of classics sung by Frank Sinatra, all stripped down and recorded with minimal studio production.Dylan had previously confirmed he was working on his 36th studio album, entitled “Shadows in the Night,” but little was known about it.The album features the 73-year-old rock legend’s versions of 10 popular songs, which are mostly from the 1940s. All have been performed by Sinatra among other artists.“

Dec. 10, 2014

Artist in a turbulent time

Artist Po Kim was a victim of political upheavals in Korea. He was accused of being a communist and tortured by the South Korean authorities in 1950, right after he returned from a drawing trip with his students to an island in the West Sea.When the Korean War broke out shortly after, he was cleared of charges, but then arrested again, this time by the North Korean People’s Army for being a pro-American activist. “As soon as I was cleared of charges and freed from prison I walked to Gwangju. But

Dec. 9, 2014

Is Mona Lisa Chinese? Italian’s theory raises eyebrows

BEIJING (AFP) ― An Italian historian’s theory that Mona Lisa might be a Chinese slave and Leonardo da Vinci’s mother ― making the 15th-century polymath half-Chinese ― sent online commentators into a frenzy Wednesday.Angelo Paratico, a Hong Kong-based historian and novelist from Italy, told the South China Morning Post: “On the back of Mona Lisa, there is a Chinese landscape and even her face looks Chinese.”Chinese Web users expressed astonishment and disbelief Wednesday, posting dozens of parodi

Dec. 9, 2014

[Herald Interview] French native looks to pave the way for blues music

After moving to New York from Paris with wide-eyed dreams of moving to Harlem to pursue a life with jazz, David Naze instead found himself unexpectedly enthralled with Korean culture. Living in Big Apple for two years and being exposed to the city’s large Korean community, Naze said that he was so eager to discover Korean culture that he decided to pack his things and do away with his American dreams to move here despite having no concrete plans. Now in his third year in Korea, Naze has founded

Dec. 9, 2014

‘Happy,’ ‘Frozen’ top iTunes end of year list

A scene from FrozenNEW YORK (AP) ― The soundtrack for “Frozen” and Pharrell’s viral “Happy” are the year’s top-selling album and song on iTunes. Apple announced Monday that Taylor Swift’s “1989,” just released in October, is behind “Frozen.” Coldplay’s “Ghost Stories,” Sam Smith’s “In the Lonely Hour” and the “Guardians of the Galaxy” soundtrack round out the Top 5 albums. John Legend’s “All of Me,” Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse,” “Talk Dirty” by Jason Derulo and Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” follow “Happy”

Dec. 9, 2014

Barenboim bids La Scala farewell with ‘Fidelio’

MILAN (AP) ― Daniel Barenboim emerged triumphant from his last gala season opener as music director of La Scala on Sunday, bringing the entire orchestra onstage to bask in a standing ovation. “I am deeply happy for this evening and for all of these years. An evening like this doesn’t come out of nowhere,” Barenboim said backstage. “I feel that all we have done since 2005 had a guiding line and arrived at the point where we are today. Everyone ― the singers, the soloists, the chorus, the orchestr

Dec. 8, 2014

Beyonce, Pharrell, Sam Smith lead in Grammy nods

NEW YORK (AP) ― The year’s brightest newcomer, Sam Smith; the most nominated female in Grammy history, Beyonce; and mega-producer Pharrell led the Grammy Award nominations announced Friday, with six nominations apiece. Smith’s “In the Lonely Hour,” Beyonce’ surprise self-titled release and Pharrell’s “G I R L” will compete for the coveted album of the year, along with Beck’s “Morning Phase” and Ed Sheeran’s “X,” the most streamed album on Spotify this year. Beyonce Knowles (AP/Evan Agostini), Sa

Dec. 7, 2014

[Herald Review] Black full of gut-busting humor in Tenacious D concert

Rejoice for the return of the kings of rock and roll comedy. Hollywood actor and notoriously foul-mouthed comedic icon Jack Black and his rock and roll partner in crime, Kyle Gass, delivered a non-stop barrel of laughs during Tenacious D’s first concert in Korea at the Seoul Olympic Park on Friday night. A band that’s all about racy humor and politically incorrect lyrics, Tenacious D ― with Black on lead vocals and guitar and long-time friend Gass on guitar ― performed two live shows at the Olym

Dec. 7, 2014

Paving the way for artists

On display in the private office of Lee Hyun-sook on the top floor of her gallery in Seoul are items from some of the most significant contemporary exhibitions in Korea over the last couple of years. The small space overlooking Gyeongbokgung Palace is ultramodern, with a sculpture by Anish Kapoor, a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat and a glass sculpture by Roni Horn alongside her selection of contemporary designers’ furniture. Lee’s Kukje Gallery, opened in 1982, has been the first in Korea to s

Dec. 5, 2014