Featured musicians: Simon Barker (drums), McMahon (piano), Phil Slater (trumpet), Carl Dewhurst (guitar), Scott Tinkler (trumpet), Paul Grabowsky (piano), Julien Wilson (saxophone) and Vince Jones (singer).

Text by Emma Franz

When jazz drummer Simon Barker heard a rare recording of Korean shaman Kim Seok-Chul – a grand master in his seventies playing with immense energy and complex technique – he knew immediately he was listening to one of the world’s great improvisers. Simon committed to find and learn from the enigmatic shaman, yet despite ten years of research and travel, Kim Seok-Chul proved elusive. 

During an incredible journey in 2005, Barker met with some of Korea’s greatest musicians. One was the exceptional pansori singer Bae Il-Dong, who trained in the traditional manner by living for seven years in isolation at a waterfall, screaming sixteen hours a day into the rapids. Another was percussionist Kim Dong-Won, who became Barker’s guide and eventually lead him to the shaman only days before his passing. Both artists will perform with Simon Barker after the screening

Fellow musician Emma Franz documented the journey and created Intangible Asset Number 82; a layered film which charts Barker’s ten-year personal quest and explores some of the musical and philosophical ideas that helped turn him into the unique improvising musician that he is today.

This award winning film showcases heroic music practise on an intimate, human level and showcases music as a valuable tool for personal transformation as well as bridging cultural divides.

Find more about this film in this interview with Emma Franz.