[Instruction]
In late spring of 2020, we meet the new music of Sarang H.Lee in her debut album called ‘When the Blue Bloom Blooms’.
Sarang is a jazz composer from South Korea who has worked as a songwriter and a pop piano player for last 12 years and now. By releasing this album she marks her progression into a new style and start of her career as a composer.
This story ‘When the Blue Bloom Blooms’ could be defined as her self-portrait drawn and coloured by music. The album describes poignant memories from her life, particularly her time spent living in the Netherlands.
In her late thirties, Sarang started studying Jazz Composition in Rotterdam, the Netherlands for her master for 3 years. Looking back over the time, she says “I felt like I’d been isolated in a green desert, very beautiful but somehow dry.”
The word “green desert” which she uses to describe this tough period doesn’t mean the nature of Holland or its culture but instead is a comment on the whole journey itself. She found the journey tough; walking alone, adapting to constant uncertainty, an unpredictable life of a stranger in a foreign country who is separated from her home culture. All of these difficulties led her to face herself.
Indeed, every circumstance urged her to confront how she is with honesty. As if looking into the mirror, she saw every side of herself including a dark side that she wanted to overcome. Making breakthroughs wasn’t easy but in the end the time resulted in real growth of her as an independent human being and an artist.
She says, “Through this painful stage of life, I learned who I am and how I am. I learned what to focus on and what to leave behind”
And when she got “home” there were several sound files in her bag which were played and recorded by her friends in Holland at the end of the journey, describing all the memories. Memories of a green desert, harsh winds and the spiritual voice that she heard. Afterward she started working with the files and communicating with the artist friends in Holland, and now it’s ready to be released.
In this album there are various themes of life including: the Unfamiliarity, Bitter Resentment of the Weak, Learned Helplessness (studied by the Psychologist Seligman), Facing the Fear Hidden in the Innermost Part, the Lesson for the Life from Unheard Voice, the Racism toward the Specific Race, and the Exceeding Pleasure Given to the One Who Stands the Painful Stage of Life and Finally meets the Fruitful End of the Whole Journey.
To describe the themes of life mentioned above, Sarang tried to use specific motifs throughout the whole album ; the sound from wind, rain, whisper, bells, footsteps, and breath. To make the message effective, she also challenged herself to compose in as many diverse ways as she could so the audience experience broad genres: from electronic music to vocal music, from piano solo to hybrid ensemble, experimental improvisation vs. the generally used musical language, the Korean traditional vibes, and the jazz groove, etc.
An interesting point to note is that there are 2 Korean poems translated by herself and a quote of a lesson from the Father Alfred D’ Souza which are transformed into lyrics.
So now is the time for us to see how the blue bloom has bloomed, observing an amazing moment and enjoying the perfume.
Indeed, life seems to be tough like being in a vast desert. From time to time it even seems there will be no end to the pain.
But remember, as long as you’re alive you must have your own seed somewhere deep in your soul, and the seed is meant to sprout, grow, and fully bloom someday. That is your life’s story, not others’.
Sarang hopes and prays to see that miracle of life would happen for you also when you listen to her music; for your blue bloom to start blooming and for you to find the colour of your own petals.
In May 2020, that is just what Sarang is praying for.
Bloom, dear, because .. that is your life.
@MaasPodium in Rotterdam, NL
[ Credit ]
Producer : 사랑(Sarang H.Lee)
Conductor : Kaori Neus(3,6,7)
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– Vocal : Mandy Chan(4,5) / Beatrice Milanese (7)
– E. Sound : 사랑(Sarang H.Lee) (1, 3)
– Flute : Piotr Tchavosky (5) / 유송윤(Songyoon Ryoo) (7)
– Clarinet : Adriana Gonçalves (3,6,7)
– Bass Clarinet : Mayuko Takeda (6,7)
– Saxophone : Albert Kerekeš (3,4,6,7)
– Trumpet : Rumon Hagenaars (6,7)
– Trombone : Ivan M. Melin (6,7)
– Melodica: Yiannis Karygiannis (6)
– Bandoneon : 최안나(Anna Choi) (5,7)
– Celesta : 사랑(Sarang H.Lee)(7)
– Piano : Yiannis Karygiannis(3) / Siu Tin Chi(4,5) / 사랑(Sarang H.Lee) (2,7)
– Violin : Burcu Ramazanoğlu (3,7)
– V.Cello : Elena Garcia Verduras (3,6) / Sophie Ehling (7)
– C.Bass : Ivan Cruz(3,6,7) / Donatas Bielunskis (4,5)
– Guitar : José Alberto Sánchez Ortiz (3,7)
– Tabla : Bintang Manira Manik (6)
– Drums : 신기범(KiBeom Shin) (3,6,7) / Django Buiting (4,5)
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* All Composed by 사랑(Sarang H.Lee)
* Lyrics Origin :
– ‘꽃’ by 이소라 (SoRa Lee) (4)
– Quote of lesson from Father “Alfred D’Souza” (5)
– ‘흔들리며 피는 꽃’ by 도종환 ( Jonghwan Do) (7)
* Translated by 사랑(Sarang H.Lee) (4,7)
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– Mixed & Mastered by Aleksandar Obradović
– Recorded at Marmalade Studio in Delft, NL
by 사랑(Sarang H.Lee)(4,5), Carsten Vos(7)
– Live Recorded (3,6)
From the Final Master Recital ‘When the Blue Bloom Blooms’
of 사랑(Sarang H.Lee)
As Part of ‘Codarts Composers Festival’
on May 22, 2019 @Maaspodium in Rotterdam, NL
– Artwork by 사랑(Sarang H.Lee)
Sarang H. Lee 