Music
Press
"Ms. Park has an angelic face and the soul of a rock star."
— The New York Times
- The New York Times
"Ishle Yi Park was hilarious from the moment she took the stage, introducing herself as "Ishle Yi Park. I'm not Ms Chin, I'm Ms Park", to laughter. A Korean/American with the stature and features to match, she was an impassioned ball of energy onstage, not only reciting her poetry but singing — a cappella, as well as with the aid of a guitar and rapping with the audience.
The ribald P—-y followed to general hilarity before she took up her guitar and closed with entertaining renditions of Bob Marley's Mellow Mood, Beres Hammond's Tempted To Touch and Tracy Chapman's Baby Can I Hold You [Sorry], the audience singing along and clapping in time all the way."
— The Jamaica Observer - The Jamaica Observer
The first woman poet laureate of Queens. Author. Singer. Worldwide performer. Many words can be used to describe the extraordinary Ishle Park, but perhaps The New York Times said it best: “Ms. Park has an angelic face and the soul of a rock star.” iaLink caught up with Ishle for an exclusive interview.
http://www.ialink.tv/e_news/v4i5/Ishle.php - IaLink
Discography
Ishle, Work is Love, LP (Issilah Productions)
Taiyo Na, Love is Growth, LP (Issilah Productions)
Luminous, LP (coming soon!) (Issilah Productions)
Photos
Bio
Issil is a singer & poet whose name means morning dew in Corean. A fire snake gemini born on the same day & year cycle as her spiritual mentor Bob Dylan, Issil's acoustic songs are small poems that come from a pure, truthful place in her heart. They speak of love, longing, happiness, heartache, redemption, and her dream for One Corea.
Um, she also likes doing Biggie, Marley & Lennon covers & very laughable impromptu hippy-gangsta freestyles or 80s dancehall reggae songs. :)
Issil has performed at colleges, cafes & festivals in the United States, North Corea, South Corea, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, and at starfilled beaches at night in Cuba, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. Her record label, Issilah Productions, released her debut album Work is Love in 2002, and Taiyo Na's Love is Growth LP this March 2008. She is slated to release her first album of acoustic songs of love & movement, entitled Luminous, this summer.
Recorded by Issil over the span of 2 years in meadows, fields, bedrooms, hotel rooms, near oceans & waterfalls & rivers in Costa Rica, Jejudo, Aotearoa, and Queens, Luminous is a homemade work of love by one girl who defies tradition and pursues her love of song & music, wherever it may lead.
The album will feature collaborations with the legendary South African musician Pops Mohamed and Reunion Island musician Damien Mandrin. She hopes her music will soothe you, make you smile & laugh, or put you in a quiet, dreamy space....and she is grateful to be taking her first steps in this humbling, lifelong journey. Peace.
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