For jazz fans, a rare chance to hear musician Dave Grusin

A Grammy-winning composer, performer, producer, bandleader and record company executive, Dave Grusin has been around for several decades as a film and television sound track composer and a contemporary jazz artist.
Mr. Grusin, 71, will be in Korea to perform Tuesday with Harvey Mason, a drummer and the leader of Fourplay, in a performance labeled the “Harvey Mason Special Trio featuring Dave Grusin.”
This is Mr. Grusin’s second visit to Korea, following a brief television appearance in 2000 with guitarist Lee Ritenour, and so this is a rare opportunity to hear him play in person, as he has done very few live performances in recent years. The piano trio, which also includes base player Darek Oles, will perform songs from Mr. Mason’s solo album, “With All My Heart,” as well as Mr. Grusin’s familiar scores.
The wide breadth of Mr. Grusin’s music, which incorporates classical and folk motifs as well as standard rock and jazz, allowed him to score music for a wide range of motion pictures, although most of his work is based in jazz.
Mr. Grusin was nominated for an Oscar for original scores or songs for “The Milagro Beanfield War” (which he won), “Tootsie,” “On Golden Pond,” “The Champ,” “Havana,” “Heaven Can Wait,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and “The Firm.” He also won Grammy Awards for “Early A.M. Attitude,” “Mood Indigo” and “Three Cowboy Songs.”
Growing up in Littleton, Colorado, Mr. Grusin was influenced musically by his father and brother, and attended the University of Colorado to study classical music. He later discovered an affinity for jazz and enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music in New York in 1959. That year, he became an assistant music director and pianist for Andy Williams. In Mr. Willams’ band, he met drummer Larry Rosen, with whom Mr. Grusin launched the contemporary jazz label GRP Records two decades later.
GRP, born out of a production company in late 1976, was home to popular contemporary jazz and fusion artists The Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra, David Benoit, Lee Ritenour and Tom Scott.
Mr. Grusin was one of the pioneers in using digital techonology such as computers, synthesizers and digital recording in the 1970s, playing electric keyboards.
Drummer and producer Harvey Mason has been nominated for Grammy awards seven times, and participated in producing 200 movie sound tracks. He recorded the album “With All My Heart” with well-known artists like Mr. Grusin, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, and won a Grammy for a song in the album, “Speak Like A Child,” in February.
This is Mr. Mason's second visit this year after a performance with his group Fourplay in January.

by Limb Jae-un

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the COEX Auditorium in southern Seoul. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won ($30) to 90,000 won. For tickets, call 1544-1555, and for information call 02-3453-8406.