Jazz pianist Giovanni Mirabassi to stage concert in Seoul Cathedral

This spring, jazz music will fill the air of an unusual concert venue ― a grand cathedral.

Giovanni Mirabassi, a renowned Italian jazz pianist, will stage a concert titled “Jazz Standards in the Church” at the Seoul Cathedral Anglican Church of Korea on May 21.

Considered one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Korea, the building is particularly known for its excellent acoustics.

The upcoming concert is scheduled to feature a string of familiar jazz tunes from Giovanni’s new album which was recorded in South Korea in March. Unlike his previous works, the new album consists of only standard jazz scores including “My One & Only Love,” “When I Fall in Love” and “My Funny Valentine.”

Born in 1970 in Perugia, Italy, home to the famous Umbria Jazz Festival, Mirabassi began to learn jazz on his own from an early age under the influence of his jazz enthusiast father. Mirabassi’s playing style was shaped by a number of big names in jazz, notably the Italian jazz pianist Enrico Pieranunzi.

At age 17, Mirabassi started to pursue a career as a jazz musician in Italy, playing alongside the American jazz artist Chet Baker and touring the country as a member of the saxophonist Steven Grossman’s jazz band. In 1992, he moved to Paris to broaden his musical prospects and career.

In 1996, Mirabassi recorded his first album as a member of the Pierre-Stephane Michel ensemble and won the best soloist award at the Concours International de Jazz d’Avignon, an event launched by veteran jazz drummer Daniel Humair.

In 2001, Mirabassi released his first solo album “Avanti,” an important milestone in his career that won him a D’jango d’Or award and later a Victoires du Jazz Best New Artist Award, the French equivalent to a Grammy Award, in 2002.

Mirabassi’s 2003 trio album “Air” was chosen as the best record of the year at the Academie du Jazz, giving Mirabassi acclaim as one of France’s top jazz pianists.

The pianist made his presence known in South Korea with his 2005 album “Prima O Poi,” which included the famous main track “The Merry-Go-Round of Life” from the popular Miyazaki animation “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Mirabassi later performed in the 2007 edition of the annual Jarasum International Jazz Festival in Korea.

Mirabassi has continued to release a number of new albums every year, and is to perform many familiar melodies from his most recent album during the upcoming Seoul concert.

Tickets for “Jazz Standards in the Church” are priced at 60,000 won for R seats and 40,000 won for S seats. They can be purchased through Interpark, YES24 or Auction Tickets. For more information, call Plus Hitch at (02) 941-1150.

By Sohn Ji-young (jiyoung.sohn@heraldcorp.com)