[Interview] “I play things more precious than money” Sal Jazz Team: Jewel and Hangeul, ‘As an audience member, jazz feels the coolest when musicians improvise. Sitting next to the musicians, I feel like adding a word or two to their conversation. But to experience that thrill together, you don’t necessarily need to know much about jazz. With affectionate musicians Jewel and Hangeul by our side, the music they play becomes a hearty meal, comforting us like a dish made cheerfully by a chef.’,
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, ‘Jazz is booming everywhere. YouTube is overflowing with standard jazz and jazz playlists that rearrange K-pop songs, and many laborers looking for a break from music that tires their ears have started turning to jazz.’,
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, ‘But since last year, jazz has been echoing even in the remote mountains of Jirisan. From rural neighborhood cafes to solidarity activities with various activists, the Sal Jazz Team visits anywhere they are needed. They comfort people in their own way where solidarity and music are needed. What do we give and receive through jazz? Carrying the question in our hearts, we met Sal Jazz Team’s double bassist, Hangeul, and trumpeter Jewel one sunny day in June.’,
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| ▲ At the cafe ‘Planet Coffee’ in Sannae-myeon, Namwon City, they perform every last Saturday of the month. From right to left: Hangeul, Jewel, guest instrumentalist Park Won-hyung. |
| ⓒ Im Hyun-taek |
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, – Since the pandemic, jazz performances by the Sal Jazz Team have been resounding in the Jirisan area. How would you introduce the Sal Jazz Team?,
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, Hangeul, ‘: “We are the Sal Jazz Team spreading and performing jazz in the Jirisan area. We emphasize that we live in the mountains, so we mainly operate under the names ‘Sal Jazz Team’ or ‘Sal Jazz Trio.’ Although it would have been nice if all our members lived in the mountains, there are limitations as only the two of us play, so we always invite guest members to perform as Sal Jazz Trio or Sal Jazz Quartet.’,
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, ‘We formed the team after meeting Jewel, a trumpeter playing jazz in the mountains. I had heard about Jewel from hearsay but hadn’t had a chance to meet him until about two years ago when we were introduced by a villager. Initially, the three of us tried to form a music team with that villager, but it didn’t work out, and later on, I proposed the idea of a jazz team to Jewel. Luckily, Jewel was interested in jazz, so we were able to form the team.”‘,
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, – Besides performances, what other activities are you engaged in?,
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, Jewel, ‘: “I recently acquired the title of ‘village resident’ in a new universe called ‘Janghang Village.’ With the acquisition of a house, I feel like I’ve gained the status of ‘village person.’ Consequently, there are many village tasks that need to be done. In our village, there are hardly any rural-to-urban migrants, especially young people. As a result, I help out with various village tasks and frequently use the village community center. Since my house doesn’t have Wi-Fi or a refrigerator, the village community center is crucial to me.’,
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, ‘And when I go to the center, I naturally end up meeting grandmothers often. As I’ve become close with the village grandmothers, I now visit the community center frequently, not just for my needs. I help the grandmothers turn off their phone flashlights or read newspapers for them.’,
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, ‘Furthermore, due to tasks such as planting sesame seeds, cleaning the village stream, and organizing garbage, I don’t have much time outside the village. While doing these tasks, I also get agricultural products. Since I’m the only young person who doesn’t commute to work in the village, when the village residents need help, they either come to my house or call me, and fortunately, it suits me. I recently went on a village picnic, where I experienced a whole new world. (laughs)”‘,
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, – Hangeul, you became the ‘mayor’s son’ when your mother became the mayor, right? (laughs) What activities are you engaged in while enjoying life?,
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, Hangeul, ‘: “The mayor’s power in the countryside is immense. When you’re called the mayor’s son, people look at you differently. Anyway, I’m not too busy with village work. I frequently visit schools like Sinsangjak Elementary School, Inwol Middle School, Unbong Middle School, and the library for classes. In my spare time, I’m usually preparing for performances.’,
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, ‘I teach band and acoustic guitar classes at schools, and the kids really enjoy them. Since my parents were teachers, like a student at a private tutor’s, I acquired skills without realizing it. I enjoy teaching the kids. However, I’m happiest when performing, so I don’t want to expand my classes. I still want to focus more on playing music, but because I need income, I keep the classes.”‘,
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, Music in the countryside? (laughs),
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, – Both of you majored in music. It’s always precious to have such people in nearby villages. How did both of you come to major in music?,
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, Hangeul, ‘: “I naturally got to know music because my mother majored in music. I entered Sinsangjak Elementary School, an alternative school, because there was a band club. Thanks to that, I had enjoyable activities, but after graduation, I was afraid and didn’t plan on pursuing music further. However, after seeing friends continue with music after graduation, I thought, ‘If they can do it, why don’t I try too.’ So, I gained courage and studied music at the Seoul Jazz Academy. Ironically, the friend I went with didn’t fit in at the Seoul Jazz Academy and left, but I had a great time there.”‘,
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, – Did you study jazz abroad as well?,
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, Hangeul, ‘: “In Korea, studying practical music or at a university system is all jazz-related. Therefore, if you think classical music is for classical and practical music is for jazz in Korea. I went to the US because I loved jazz, so I studied there for about 4 years. I started with ESL (English Second Language Course) due to a lack of TOEFL scores and graduated early in 3 and a half years due to a stroke of luck. After graduation, when the shutdown occurred due to COVID, I returned to the countryside.”‘,
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, – Jewel, you also majored in music since your school days, right?,
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, Jewel, ‘: “In middle school, there was an orchestra club composed only of wind instruments called the Wind Ensemble Club. That was where I first encountered a trumpet and naturally started studying the trumpet through high school and university.”‘,
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, – But I heard that there was a period when you set aside the trumpet after moving to the countryside.,
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, Jewel, ‘: “That’s right. It seems that around that time, I had many thoughts about wanting to try something else. I had been playing the trumpet since I was young, but felt the need to discover and try things other than that. Therefore, I decided to settle in the countryside to explore new avenues. However, after moving to the countryside, there were really so many actual tasks that had to be done.’,
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, ‘So, there were so many things that needed to be done, more than what I wanted to do. It’s not that I didn’t feel like playing music, but the trumpet is an instrument that is difficult to play alone, and since there is no one to play with here, I naturally focused on other things. Then, I coincidentally met Hangeul and naturally started playing music again.”‘,
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, – After specializing in a field for a long time, one may want to leverage that expertise to work or delve deeper. Was there a reason for choosing the countryside despite the advantages of urban life, if any?,
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, Hangeul, ‘: “Initially, I had to come home due to COVID, so my mind was urgent. While studying in a different place, I must have spent an extraordinary amount of money, so I couldn’t just sit at home. But I also found it challenging to play music here as there weren’t many musicians, which made it difficult to perform. Out of urgency to earn money, I started working at a cafe. I kept postponing music using COVID as an excuse. Also, don’t musicians usually go to the mountains to practice for a few years? So I spent about 2 years thinking that I should practice here.’,
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, ‘Then, coincidentally, I went to Seoul for a performance, and after a long time, I played with really talented people. It was good, but it wasn’t that enjoyable. Seoul felt suffocating, and I saw people living there too intensely. Most of all, watching other musicians perform, I felt they were performing for money rather than for the stage and audience. That feeling was the decisive reason for making me not wanting to do music in the city.’,
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, ‘Also, in Philadelphia, where I studied, there were quite a lot of local musicians. Even at a small cafe in the neighborhood, there were top-notch musicians enjoying music leisurely, which made me realize that even if you don’t earn a lot of money, better to live freely. By learning music and life from such musicians, I felt that if I had to spend money to live in the city, I might as well go live abroad.”‘,
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, – Did that lead to the formation of the Sal Jazz Team?,
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, Hangeul, ‘: “That’s right. Adding one more reason, the double bass, like the trumpet, is an instrument that is difficult to play alone. So, I think we were able to form a team. If one of us had been on the guitar or piano side, we could have worked alone. Even so, guitars or pianos are necessary for a team.”‘,
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, – And what about Jewel? Was there a reason you wanted to play music in the countryside instead of the city?,
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, Jewel, ‘: “It’s a very common question I hear. Many people in the area often ask me why I’m doing this at a young age. But I feel like, not really wanting to further polish my musical expertise or succeed more using it. I’ve had the feeling of thinking ‘I’ve done enough’ since a long time ago.’,
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, ‘Not that I’m satisfied with my skills. After performances, I’m always dissatisfied and uncomfortable, but those actual places for honing expertise haven’t raised the quality of my life. The music scene, music scenes in city areas, and even the music scenes in cities full of music have always felt like you have to go out to a factory for music.’,
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, ‘This is why I wanted to be careful not to lose the peace of mind when I started music again after moving to the countryside. On the one hand, I felt that perhaps I could also do something here. Needing and being curious about so many things here, being able to receive more utility other than just music is the most significant difference.”‘,
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, (* To be continued in the next interview. Click!),
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, Host / Neokneok
Writer / Seung Hyun
June 21, 2024, at Jirisan Cultural Space Todak in Sannae-myeon, Namwon City.
Writer: Seung Hyun
Interview book on living in Jirisan, author of
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, Additional Note | , “This interview project is part of the ‘Impact Ground’ support project sponsored by the Brian Impact Foundation and planned and operated by the social cooperative Jirisanium under the direction of Jirisanium.”