Jazz pianist Kevin Hays will perform in South Korea on Nov. 6 at Cosmos Art Hall in Seoul and on Nov. 7 at Jazz in Lab in Sejong.
Hays made his recording debut in 1990 on an album with jazz saxophone master Joe Henderson and has since released more than 22 albums across several labels. Born in New York, he began studying piano at age 6 and was performing with baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola by 17.
His 1994 Blue Note debut, "Seventh Sense," won critical praise for capturing the energy of the mid-1960s, when swing-rooted players were pushing experiments in rhythm and harmony, and established him as an international name. He also won the award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019 as part of the Steve Gadd Band, for its 2018 release. In 2021, he was named a Steinway Artist, a designation the piano maker gives to musicians it considers exceptional in artistry.
It is his first performance in South Korea since the 2008 Incheon Jazz Festival, an 18-year gap.
Jazz Bridge Company, the promoter, said Hays "presents music deeply rooted in the jazz tradition without being bound by it," calling the shows "a chance to hear one of the finest jazz pianists of our time live."