Trying to capture gratitude and warmth

Interview with Sol Jang

Positive energy
The trio and the new recording
The jazz journey

I keep returning to your track Arnhem, from your debut album 19-29, of 2024. Can you describe how you arrived at composing that piece?

‘My debut album 19–29 brings together both my earlier works and more recent pieces. I wrote Arnhem not long after I started living in Arnhem in the Netherlands. Before moving there, I had always lived in big cities like Seoul and Philadelphia. Compared to those places, Arnhem felt very calm to me. While walking through peaceful parks like Park Sonsbeek and Park Zypendaal, I began to realize how much comfort a quieter environment could give me. I was living far away from my precious family, and I still am, but I discovered how much that sense of peace helped my musical growth. It gave me stability and a feeling of belonging that I hadn’t experienced for a long time. That’s what the piece is about. I tried to capture gratitude and warmth, but without making it overly sentimental.’ 

Positive energy

How do you perceive the jazz scene in the Netherlands, considering your view from the eastern part of the country?

‘As for the jazz scene in the Netherlands, it’s true that cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam have more active scenes than Arnhem. But what I’ve felt is that there’s an incredible diversity of jazz styles throughout the country. It’s a very international scene, with many talented musicians from different backgrounds. It inspires me a lot. The Dutch scene feels experimental, diverse, and quite young. There’s active collaboration between emerging and established musicians, which makes it very dynamic. Living in the eastern part of the country hasn’t been a disadvantage for me. The Netherlands is well-connected, and musicians are very open-minded. If you have a clear vision and confidence in your sound, the scene feels warm and welcoming. Also, the many conservatories across different cities help create and sustain this active environment.’

After graduating from ArtEZ Conservatory, you became part of the teaching staff in Arnhem. That must have its effect on your own music.

‘ArtEZ Arnhem is a school where the curriculum, environment, and teachers are all very free and open-minded. I felt truly honored to become a member of the teaching staff right after graduating. I gain a great deal of inspiration from both my students and fellow teachers. In particular, I receive such positive energy from my students. Being with them as they explore new music and build their own unique worlds inspires me deeply, and I find that I am constantly learning as well.’

The trio and the new recording

Your group was first called Sol Jang International Project, now you stick to your trio with double bassist Johannes Fend and drummer Max Hering. Is that a matter of ‘less is more’?

‘At first, I called the group Sol Jang International Project because I didn’t necessarily intend to perform my compositions only in a trio setting. I started the project simply to write and play the music I wanted to hear, without thinking too much about a fixed band format. In the early days, I performed my pieces solo and as a duo as well. Over time, I realized how long I had been longing for the piano trio format. I met Max, who is not only a wonderful musician but also a dear friend, and we slowly began rehearsing and performing together. He has been with this trio from the very beginning, offering me deep trust and support over a long period of time. Later, I started playing with Johannes after coming across his solo album by chance. I had a strong intuition that I wanted to play with him, so I reached out and suggested we collaborate. Changing the name wasn’t really about “less is more.” It was more about my desire to build a solid and distinctive sound specifically as a piano trio. Playing with Max and Johannes gives me immense joy and musical fulfillment. Naturally, I stopped performing my compositions solo or in duos, and the name evolved along with that process.’
 
Will you present new work in Bremen?

‘Yes! We’re going into the studio at the end of February to record our second album. I’m very excited about it. The album is called ON: 온. In English, “on” suggests turning something on, activating it. In Korean, “온” means “everything.” They’re pronounced the same, which I love. The album contains pieces about my identity – things I don’t often even share with close family or friends. I’ve also tried to combine elements from all the genres I love with jazz. That’s why I chose that title. We’ll be presenting the new music at jazzahead! in Bremen, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m grateful to share this music on such a big stage. Beyond that, we have performances planned in the Netherlands and Germany, and we’ll be dedicating a lot of time and care to preparing for the release of the second album.’

The jazz journey

Where did your jazz journey start, as a listener and as a player?

‘My jazz journey began at home. My parents have wonderful artistic taste, and thanks to them, I was exposed to jazz while growing up. As a player, I trained in classical music for many years before switching to jazz in high school. A very close friend of mine dreamed of becoming a jazz bassist and was taking lessons at the time. Through that friend, I began listening to jazz. Surprisingly, it didn’t take long before I became even more passionate about jazz than my friend and started practicing more intensely. I began as a listener and gradually became a player. In the very beginning, I never imagined that I could actually become a jazz musician. I just remember thinking, “I wish someone would call me a jazz pianist.” Now people do call me that, and I introduce myself that way, but it still feels special. My dream is still to become a jazz pianist. For me, jazz wasn’t love at first sight. It was a love that grew slowly, steadily, and deeply over time. Jazz and the piano are my lifelong companions. They are the driving force that led me to live in different countries and continue taking on new challenges.’ 

‘For me, jazz wasn’t love at first sight. It was a love that grew slowly, steadily, and deeply over time’

After South Korea, you lived in the US and in Germany, now in the Netherlands, you register your music with Buma. Where is Korea in your career path?

‘That’s such a good and difficult question about Korea. Korea is where my family lives, my homeland, and a place I deeply love. In 2024, touring there with my trio for two weeks was incredibly meaningful and joyful for me, and I hope there will be more opportunities like that in the future. There are so many great musicians there, and especially in Seoul, there are numerous jazz clubs. I believe the scene is continuously growing. To be honest, at this point in my life, the Netherlands feels more like my musical home than Korea. I think it’s because I’ve really shaped my sound and musical identity in the Netherlands. I don’t have plans to leave the Netherlands, and my professional foundation as a musician is in the Netherlands.

‘To be honest, at this point in my life, the Netherlands feels more like my musical home than Korea. I think it’s because I’ve really shaped my sound and musical identity in the Netherlands’

Still, Korea always lives somewhere in my heart. It’s a bit strange – when I’m in Korea, I miss the Netherlands, and when I visit Korea, I find myself wanting to return to the Netherlands. That sense of contradiction, that question of belonging, is at the heart of my debut album 19–29. What I can say for now is that I truly hope for more opportunities to tour in Korea and to share with Korean audiences what I’ve learned and developed in the Netherlands.’

Text by Mark van Schaick