Curious About Jazz This Season? 5 Concerts to Pick by Taste

This Korea concert is recommended for anyone who wants to explore jazz vocals centered on Stacey Kent's voice. Under the title 〈A time for love〉, she takes the stage at LG SIGNATURE Hall, LG Arts Center Seoul, on Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m. Unlike choosing a show for familiar themed songs such as Ghibli or carols, this is an option for experiencing one vocalist's tone and phrasing across an entire concert.

The running time is listed as 80 minutes with no intermission. Regular prices range from 66,000 won for A seats to 121,000 won for VIP, and the venue's official age guideline is 8 and up (born in 2019 or earlier). There's a separate notice that rows OP1~OP3 have no tiering, so it's best to weigh closeness to the stage against how much the person in front may block your view. The venue is LG Arts Center Seoul in Magok, so check the address and don't confuse it with the former venue in Yeoksam.

Diana Krall is a jazz musician who sings and plays piano. This Korea visit is the 〈SJF at the Theater〉 show on Sunday, November 22 at 6 p.m. at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Grand Theater, worth a look for anyone interested in a performance where piano and voice flow together in one artist's expression, not just vocals. It falls in the same week as the Stacey Kent concert, so you can compare schedules and the artists' music before choosing.

According to the official opening notice, the running time is 75 minutes and admission is for elementary schoolers and up. Prices vary by seat class, from 165,000 won for VIP to 99,000 won for B seats. Several artists take part in the same series, but this entry refers to Diana Krall's November 22 performance. Don't mistake it for a joint stage with performers from other dates, and check your booking to make sure the date and show title you chose match.

A joint stage where you hear Yerin Baek's songs together with Yun Seokcheol's jazz interpretations. The two have kept up a musical exchange for some time through arrangements and featured appearances, and this concert is billed as presenting jazz covers and signature songs reinterpreted as jazz. It's a great starting point if you want to widen your interest from the pop you love to jazz, or hear what changes when a familiar voice meets a different kind of playing.

It takes place twice at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Grand Theater: Tuesday, November 17 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 21 at 7 p.m. There aren't shows every day between the two dates shown in the run. You can compare schedules including the added 17th performance; it's planned at 80 minutes with no intermission. Admission is for elementary schoolers and up, and regular prices are 99,000~154,000 won. Choose between Saturday evening and the late weekday start depending on your group's travel and trip home.

If you're going with someone new to jazz, melodies you already know make a good guide. The Kazumi Tateishi Trio's 〈Ghibli Meets Jazz〉 reworks animation music in jazz arrangements, making it a fun show for comparing the mood you remember from the originals with how the playing changes. Rather than a large orchestra, listen for how the three players trade ideas within the trio.

The Seoul performance at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall is on December 22 at 7:30 p.m. It's open to ages 7 and up and runs 100 minutes without a break. Seats are listed at 88,000 won for VIP, 77,000 won for R, and 66,000 won for S. The tour also has a separate Christmas program, so if you're looking for a carol-focused show, be sure to tell it apart from this one. Confirm first that your group wants to hear Ghibli music, and you'll avoid booking a different show by the same performers by mistake.

If you're curious about the sound of a jazz orchestra but worried it'll be nothing but unfamiliar tunes, compare this concert, which weaves together carols and musical and film soundtracks. Under the theme 〈Broadway to Hollywood〉, it presents familiar melodies in fresh arrangements. Quite different from listening to a trio's conversation, it's a Christmas Eve option where you can catch the blend of a large ensemble and the rhythmic shifts of improvisation.

It starts on December 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Jangcheon Hall, Kwanglim Art Center, and runs 100 minutes without an intermission. It's open to ages 7 and up, with VIP at 79,000 won and R seats at 69,000 won. The official notice also mentions group package discounts, so if several of you are going, compare the eligibility conditions and the limits on partial cancellation. It's best chosen with companions who'll enjoy watching familiar music transform within jazz, rather than hearing originals reproduced as they are.