Pass the Syrup: Celine Dion Defends Her Smooth, Sweet Style

Jae-Ha Kim

Candy-coated. Saccharine. Gaggingly syrupy. Celine Dion’s heard it all from critics who hate her music. “I’m used to getting some critics who like me and some who can’t stand me,” says the French-Canadian singer, who was sweet enough to call us from Quebec. “Thank goodness there are more people out there who like syrup.” Since 1990, when Dion released her first English-language album, “Unison,” Dion has won a loyal following of fans who fell in love with her smooth vocal delivery on such songs as “Where Does My Heart Beat Now?” After her duet with Peabo Bryson on the Grammy Award-winning “Beauty and the Beast” a couple of years ago, she became a bona fide star.

Haircut’s Nick Heyward Takes Solo Flight With `Kite’

Jae-Ha Kim

Until releasing his latest album, Nick Heyward hadn’t had a fantastic day for a long, long time. A decade ago, Heyward fronted the English pop band Haircut 100, whose debut album, “Pelican West,” spawned a trio of hit singles (“Love Plus One,” “Favourite Shirt” and “Fantastic Day”).  At the height of the group’s success, he trimmed himself from Haircut to pursue a solo career.

Power Steering: `Anglo-Grunge’ Swervedriver Likes Its Melodies Loud

Jae-Ha Kim

Making as much noise as Sonic Youth and relying as heavily on guitars as My Bloody Valentine, England’s Swervedriver throws in a touch of reggae that mutates their sound just so.  Sometimes uneven live performers whose songs tend to drone on a la the Grateful Dead, Swervedriver fares much better with  its current CD “Mezcal Head”: strong lyrics and punkish guitars played LOUDLY.

James Steals Show From Duran Duran

Jae-Ha Kim

The best thing about going to Duran Duran’s concert Sunday night at McGaw Hall was catching its opening act, James. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s a bad, bad idea for headliners to hire opening acts that are more interesting than they are. Don’t get me wrong. I like Duran Duran. And for a couple of years in the ’80s, I truly loved them. Until they stopped growing.

Sooyoung Park, 26, Musician

Jae-Ha Kim

Sooyoung Park’s theory is there’s a time and place for everything. When he majored in math in college, he didn’t worry that school was holding back his music career.  And when Seam’s singer-songwriter-guitarist felt ready to tackle music full time, he put grad school on hold.

Touring the Trendy Side Of California Hot Spots

Jae-Ha Kim

The Cat & Fiddle is easily my favorite L.A. hangout. Trendy, but not snooty, this pub and restaurant is one of the places to be seen this. People have a difficult time remembering what it’s called – I’ve heard Fiddle Dee Dee, Cat in the Hat and Cat in the Fiddle – but in a city filled with poseur clubs, the Cat & Fiddle stands out as winner.

Confessions Of a Teetotaler

Jae-Ha Kim

All the liquor I’ve ever consumed in my lifetime would fill a martini glass. OK. Maybe two. When I was in college, one of my cousins – also not a big drinker – told me I would have to learn to drink socially or I would risk being viewed as an oddball. I’ve been viewed as odd for many reasons, but not drinking has never been one of them. Why don’t I drink?

Greek Classic Gets Japanese Twist in `Kabuki Medea’

Jae-Ha Kim

With “Kabuki Medea,” Wisdom Bridge Theatre uses traditional Japanese Kabuki-style theater to tackle Euripides’ Greek classic “Medea.” The result is a splendidly clever tale that is familiar, enacted in a way that is not. Almost 400 years old, Kabuki theater is based on highly stylized and exaggerated moves. In Shozo Sato’s production, which opened Monday night, the actors speak English, but with exaggerated Asian inflections. The rich costumes and demure movements are decidedly Japanese, but the thoughts behind them are Western. The Greek locales in Euripides’ play are substituted by medieval Japanese islands. This adaptation keeps the Western names that Euripides gave his heroes. By the end of the first act, the audience doesn’t find it at all surprising that a Japanese nobleman would be named Jason.