Chill out with jazz under the stars

Few genres of music better herald the advent of autumn than the cool, relaxing and introspective tunes of jazz.

It is just that time of year when hipsters and would-be beatniks clad in Buddy Holly eyeglasses dust off their turtlenecks and head to their favorite noncorporate owned java house to sip cappuccinos and read Jack Kerouac.

And the Jarasum International Jazz Festival, now in its sixth year, is without a doubt the country`s premiere jazz event.

This year the festival will be back at Jarasum from Oct. 15-18 on the remote island in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province.

The line-up for this year`s festivities is stacked and with bands like Chico & The Gypsies headlining the bill. That band, of course, is fronted by none other than Chico Bouchikhi, the former co-founder of the legendary French-based modern Flamenco band, the Gypsy Kings.

Over five seasons, the three-day celebration of jazz has seen significant increases in visitors every year since 2004 when the inaugural event attracted a modest 30,000 - still quite a lot considering that year saw heavy downpours and was anything but inviting.

Now, the festival attracts more than 130,000 and this year organizers expect an even bigger turnout.

"Because various spots on the island were going through heavy renovations last year, we had to move some of the performances to venues inside the city center," organizers said. "But this year construction on those projects is finished so we were able to establish more stages on the island."

A total of eight have been set up, each with its own distinct color and musical characteristics. Three have been designated as the festival`s main concert venues.

Jazz Island, the main stage will feature headlining acts both local and international.

Party Gym will feature more upbeat dance-infused soul and funk while the Jazz Cube will focus on artists that hail from Europe under the concept of "One or Two" where featured acts perform either solo or in a duet.

For those with the entire family tagging along or with RVs and caravans, the Jarasum campsite is an option that`s hard to ignore.

The site was recently used as a filming locale on the upcoming Lee Byung-hun television action serial "Iris" and has been a popular destination for campers throughout the years.

The campsite boasts 40 mobile homes and 10 caravans available for advance booking as well as a lot with the capacity to host 285 mobile homes and caravans.

Though the festival has been gaining popularity with each edition, it has not been without its critics.

Past fest-goers have pointed out the lack of food amenities as one of the festival`s biggest blights. To resolve this complaint, organizers have secured the services of the nation`s fifth-biggest conglomerate Lotte to provide more food booths to tend to the hungry needs of festival-goers.

Indeed a legitimate complaint but surely, this has been a testament to the turnout the event has garnered over the past five years.

And with its popularity continuing to rise, the Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism has even selected the event as the "best festival in the Gyeonggi Province" for three years running since 2007.

In addition to providing fans an opportunity to congregate with fellow jazz aficionados, the festival also injects a boost to the regional economy which many say remains stagnant until the start of the festival.

Passes to the Jarasum International Jazz Festival cost 25,000 won ($21.12) for a single-day pass, a two-day pass is priced at 40,000 won and a full three-day pass will set you back a cool 50,000 won.

For reservations, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr or call (02) 1588-7890.

For more information on the festival and its program, visit www.jarasumjazz.com or call (031) 581-2813~4.

(kws@heraldm.com)By Song Woong-ki