A dose of ajaeng and janggu by Korean band NaMu

Korean band NaMu comes to Chennai with their array of traditional instruments
NaMu
NaMu

It is not often that we find Korean bands coming to Chennai. But after the hugely successful K-Pop World Festival earlier this June, it seems we are going to see a lot of them performing in the city in the future. Taking Phoenix MarketCity by storm tomorrow will be NaMu, the Korean traditional ensemble who will perform in the city. The four-piece band is known for fusing various sounds from traditional Korean instruments, and is lead by founding member Aram Lee. 

However, the band did not always have that name nor their present members when it was first formed. Lee says, “At first, the group was called  Project E. That was in 2014 and the members were also different, except for Seongryong Yeo. After that, the other members left and Minwang Hwang joined me. It was then that we rechristened the group as NaMu, with members aged 25-38.” 

Lee, who plays the daegeum (a variation of the flute) and yanggeum (a string instrument), informs us that the band debuted at the Yeowurock Festival in 2015, one of the biggest music festivals in Korea. With vocalist Mingwang on ajaeng (another string instrument) and janggu (a variation of the drum), Seongryong as percussionist and vocalist, and Inhwan Choi on bass, the band’s soundscape is inspired by traditional melodies and rhythms. “We are also inspired by European contemporary jazz and Indian music,” says Lee, adding, “In our music, there are many aspects inspired by Indian music, jazz, electronics, etc. So, it is important to figure out how to effectively mix these aspects with Korean traditional music. We hope that many traditional Indian musicians see our concert in Chennai and we get to talk with them about our music.”

Talking about the rise of K-Pop’s popularity in the country, Lee is hopeful for his band too. “One day we will be as famous as Korean acts like Big Bang and BTS,” he says, with a laugh, adding that the turning point in his musical career came when he got a chance to perform with Kang Tae-Hwan, a jazz saxophone player. “That was the time when I was introduced to and learnt about improvisational music. After that I developed a more open mind and this helped me greatly whenever I collaborated with varying styles of musicians,” he says, adding that he is continuously trying to improvise on their musical style too. “I’m am trying to combine the daeguem, which is a analog instrument, with electronic music. There are also plans to combine the sanjo, which is the most important component in Korean traditional music, with jazz and electronic music,” Lee says. 

At Phoenix MarketCity. September 22. 6 pm onwards. 

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