Mixing different musical elements for a magical performance

On the first afternoon of Fuji Rock, audiences at the Field of Heaven were treated to arguably South Korea’s finest band, NST & the Soul Sauce. This fine reggae/ska outfit took it to another level with the addition of vocalist, Kim Yulhee, who holds her own as an acclaimed folk singer.

Many became aware of NST about two years ago when they released the track, “Song for Rico” which is a tribute to the ska trombonist, Rico Rodriguez, who performed with the Skatalites. Rodriguez helped make Field of Heaven famous, jumping onstage in 2002 which is a moment many Fujirockers cannot forget.

NST play a sort of down-tempo reggae that is tinged with Caribbean influences. The first song in the set was and the stage began loosely from “The Night of Mt. Naeba” inspired by the band’s first appearance at Fuji Rock in 2016. In fact, they performed at the Cafe de Paris where many were impressed by their fine musicianship.

The second song was dedicated to Kim Yulhee, a traditional Korean traditional folk singer who was beautiful in a native gown which flutters and sways in the light wind. From 2016 onwards, there has been a special collaboration between her and the band, transforming them for a reggae band to one that is much more of a hybrid that puts out a fuller sound.

Kim holds a fan in her hand and enchants the Field of Heaven with her voice which is full of trembling emotion. She shoots straight for the heart strings and appeals to everyday emotions. The band responds to Kim’s iteration and applause from the audience inspires the band to jam a little harder.

Bandleaeder, Noh Seon-teck, then offered special thanks to Natoyuki Uchida of Little Tempo and Ok Dub Ainu Band, who worked on the mix and co-produce of the latest release “Version”. Perhaps he was offstage at the mixing console?

The audience was was full of smiles as the band concluded their set, using diplomacy to help bridge the cultural difference between Japan and Korea. More exchange such as this can help bring more peace and common ground to all music lovers around the world.