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| ▲ This poster of the 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026 is provided by the organizer. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- Jon Batiste, a singer-songwriter and pianist who has won seven Grammy Awards, will visit South Korea through the Seoul Jazz Festival.
Concert organizer Private Curve said Thursday that eight acts, including Batiste, will perform at the 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026, set to take place from May 22 to 24 at Olympic Park in Seoul.
Batiste is a genre-crossing artist rooted in jazz who moves fluidly between R&B and pop. A jazz major at the Juilliard School, he debuted in 2005 with the album "Times In New Orleans."
In 2020, he participated in composing the original soundtrack for Pixar’s animated film "Soul," and in 2022, he won five awards at the 64th Grammy Awards, including album of the year.
The upcoming appearance will mark Batiste’s first performance in South Korea.
Also making their Korean debut is Ezra Collective, a British jazz band that became the first jazz act to win group of the year at the BRIT Awards last year. The five-member group, led by drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso, blends jazz with afrobeats and hip-hop.
New Zealand-based six-member band Leisure and singer-songwriter Genevieve, whose hit song "Baby Powder" has amassed 170 million streams, are also set to take the stage.
Legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who debuted in 1982 and has won 10 Grammy Awards, will return to the Seoul Jazz Festival for the first time in eight years, following his appearance in 2018. The lineup also includes American jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood, known for adding experimental sounds to traditional jazz.
The Seoul Jazz Festival is an annual event that brings together renowned jazz musicians and pop artists from Korea and abroad. Additional performers will be announced at a later date.
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