Jack Lee Special Project
This December 2007, marks the third consecutive appearances by Jack Lee, for Bangkok Jazz Festival. First in 2005, Jack appeared with his own group, Jack Lee+ Asianergy, alongside Fourplay and Bob James group, and in 2006, Jack appeared with his Asian guitar Trio, ASGP (Asian Super Guitar Project) with Kazumi Watanabe from Japan, and Eugene Pao from Hong Kong. This year, Jack Lee wanted to bring a special project just for Bangkok Jazz Festival, introducing a new types of music for Asian Night program at the Festival. Jack Lee’s Korean+Japanese band will be joined by a special guest, Miss Annekei from Denmark (www.annekei.jp) with whom, Jack has produced a new album project for Japanese and Korean record label. This new recordings will be released in Asia in the spring of 2008, and for the first time, the music will be premiered at Bangkok Jazz Festival 2007. Although, Miss Annekei is Danish, she actually resides both in New York, Seoul, and in Tokyo, and most actively performing in Seoul, and Tokyo. The New album, Jack Lee+Annekei project will feature some of the most well known Romantic cover songs such as ‘Lately’ by Steve Wonder, ‘Fragile’ by Sting, ‘How Deep is your love’ by Beegees, ‘Aguas de Marco’ ‘Felicidade’ by Antonio Carlos Jobim, ‘Paper moon’ by Nat King Cole, as well as some originals by Jack and Annekei.. and the style of rearrangement will cover wide range of musical spectrum, from R&B sounds, pop jazz sounds, to Bossa Nova grooves featuring Sultry and passionate vocal work by the blonde haired beauty, Annekei..
This December 2007, marks the third consecutive appearances by Jack Lee, for Bangkok Jazz Festival. First in 2005, Jack appeared with his own group, Jack Lee+ Asianergy, alongside Fourplay and Bob James group, and in 2006, Jack appeared with his Asian guitar Trio, ASGP (Asian Super Guitar Project) with Kazumi Watanabe from Japan, and Eugene Pao from Hong Kong. This year, Jack Lee wanted to bring a special project just for Bangkok Jazz Festival, introducing a new types of music for Asian Night program at the Festival. Jack Lee’s Korean+Japanese band will be joined by a special guest, Miss Annekei from Denmark (www.annekei.jp) with whom, Jack has produced a new album project for Japanese and Korean record label. This new recordings will be released in Asia in the spring of 2008, and for the first time, the music will be premiered at Bangkok Jazz Festival 2007. Although, Miss Annekei is Danish, she actually resides both in New York, Seoul, and in Tokyo, and most actively performing in Seoul, and Tokyo. The New album, Jack Lee+Annekei project will feature some of the most well known Romantic cover songs such as ‘Lately’ by Steve Wonder, ‘Fragile’ by Sting, ‘How Deep is your love’ by Beegees, ‘Aguas de Marco’ ‘Felicidade’ by Antonio Carlos Jobim, ‘Paper moon’ by Nat King Cole, as well as some originals by Jack and Annekei.. and the style of rearrangement will cover wide range of musical spectrum, from R&B sounds, pop jazz sounds, to Bossa Nova grooves featuring Sultry and passionate vocal work by the blonde haired beauty, Annekei..
JACK LEE Biography
With roots planted firmly in his Asian heritage, technique and sensitivity honed by his schooling and experience in New York, and with a singular voice propelled by an intense desire for a more complete artistic expression, Jack combines formidable technique with a penchant for gentle, flowing lyricism that makes his music eminently appealing to both musicians and non-musicians alike on his latest release ‘ Asianergy’.
Jack’s music always has the combination of jazz, Brazilian, Rhythm & Blues, pop, funk, and Asian influences which leaves a deep emotionally satisfying impact upon the listener.
Born in Seoul on September 2, 1966, Jack absorbed the sounds of rock guitar heroes such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Jeff Beck before discovering the jazzier sounds of Pat Metheny, Larry Coryell, and Miles Davis. At 17, he traveled to the United States to pursue his passion and later enrolled as a computer science major at Columbia University. A stint as a disc jockey at the well-known station WKCR-FM exposed him to an extraordinary breadth of jazz music. Being a student in New York allowed him to experience first hand the living legends of jazz in the city's renowned clubs, and also enabled him to study first-hand with such guitar luminaries as Larry Coryell, Emily Remler, Bill Connors, and John Scofield.
In 1991, Jack's first disc Poong-Un (Winds and Clouds), recorded with production partner Ed Maguire, was released by Warner Music, followed by tours of Korea and Hong Kong. In 1992, he released Magnolia Blossom (Warner Music) which evolved after an auspicious meeting with Brazilian guitarist and composer Toninho Horta. Following tours that year with his own band to Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, he visited Brazil with Toniho Horta, Europe with Chico Freeman's Brainstorm band, and Moscow as part of the Tri-Cultural Festival. 1993 release Gracefulee (Polydor K.K.) featured an expanded cast of stellar musicians, including saxophonist Alex Foster, drummer Gene Jackson, bassists David Dyson and James Genus, keyboardists Charles Blenzig and Rachel Z and percussionist Manolo Badrena. Jack was the featured soloist with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestrais Pops Concerts in the fall of i93. In 1994 Jack recorded Where My Heart Goes (Dae Hong Communication), which explored his Asian cultural heritage and grew from his fruitful collaboration with accomplished multi-instrumentalist Norihito Sumitomo, and featured such stellar musicians as keyboardist Gil Goldstein, bassist Mark Egan, and drummers Danny Gottlieb from Pat Metheny Group and Billy Kilson. In that time Jack toured Japan with saxophonist Takeshi Ito and produced Ito's Groove Island, T.K.Covers (East West Japan) and Toninho Horta's Foot On The Road (Polydor K.K.) Recently, Jack has been working and performing with legendary pianist Bob James, with whom he has teamed up as the producer for Bob’s Latest project, ‘Angels of Shanghai’, a very special project with a group of incredibly talented Chinese Classical musicians in Shanghai. (to learn more on this project, please visit www.bobjames.com )
Jack’s Latest Project Band ‘Asianergy’ Bio
Asianergy is founded by the Jazz Guitarist, Producer Jack Lee, with multi percussionist Lewis Pragasam (leader of ‘Asiabeat’ band). The concept of this group is Unique blend of all musical possibilities with emphasis on the rhythms of Asia, and to explore the sonic capabilities of the world.
Jack Lee, a long time resident/musician/producer in New York music scene, met with Lewis Pragasam, leader of the ‘Asiabeat’ band, last year in Malaysia for an impromptu recording sessions, developed an immediate rapport and found themselves much excited to experiment the musical journey with this new concept. Having produced a new recordings by the great Jazz Pianist, Bob James’ upcoming album ‘Angels of Shanghai’ in China this January 2005, Jack decided to form this new concept band with Lewis, and further develop this ideas with the debut recordings. Coincidentally, the EBS television in Korea liked the idea of this group, and invited to perform for their EBS space TV program, for the world premiere show.
…on this Debut recording (scheduled to release in late summer by Universal Music Group worldwide) , Jack invited Academy award winning Pianist Dave Grusin, and a grammy winning drummer, Harvey Mason to record as well as good friend, very talented multi instrumentalist, arranger, a master of EWI (electric wind instrument) from Japan, Norihito Sumitomo and a great acoustic guitarist/composer from Brazil, Toninho Horta, and great pianist from New York, Charles Blenzig (currently musical director of the famous Michael Franks band). Another special addition to the band is Suphala, a beautiful and dynamic Indian Tabla Goddess from New York, who has been sought by prominent artists, leading to collaborations with the likes of Sean Lennon, Norah Jones, and Vernon Reid (living colour)
the tracks like Asianergy, Scenes from the past, Waiting in rain (composed by Jack Lee) sets the mood and the tone of this recording and the concept of the band. Exhilarating rhythmic Grooves with many percussive colors, and the contrapuntal flowing melodies with exciting solos with wide spectrum of new sounds from Asia, provide the listener, transported into the magic world of Asianergy..The compositions like ‘Episode from a journey’, ‘Exotica’ and ‘Scenes from the past’ showcases true fusion of multi-cultural influences from Latin music with asian sensibilities.
This exciting new project of ‘Asianergy’ will continue to explore and expand its possibilities . Catch its magic if they are touring in your town.
