Daniel Pearl day to be commemorated in style

David Chen and the Muddy Basin Ramblers. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTISTS

"Behold, Danny, the islands of friendship that you have seeded with your pen and fiddle have grown into a network of musical brotherhood that now embraces the entire planet," says a recent statement posted on the Daniel Pearl Foundation Web site.

The Wall Street reporter who was kidnapped and slain by Islamic extremists in Pakistan two and a half years ago is being remembered once again this year by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club (TFCC) with music, beer and food -- specifically Wisconsin sausages (three different kinds of bratwurst), Speckled Hen beer, Abbot Ale (NT$50) and more.

The Daniel Pearl Music Day event, at the Taipei Artist Village tomorrow, features local performers David Chen and the Muddy Basin Ramblers, Tarry Bush, Dana Wylie and Co, Monkeyfinger and other guests.

It is is not a fundraising event, as the Daniel Pearl Foundation has requested that no unauthorized fundraising take place. Instead, it's the hope of the foundation that people around the world gather to enjoy a day of music and celebrate Pearl's life.

The Daniel Pearl Foundation's mission is to "promote cross-cultural understanding through journalism, music and innovative communications."

"There are some cool bands and it should be a mellow time," says organizer Sean Scanlan. "Everyone's welcome."

The Taipei Artist Village is at 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei (台北市北平東路7號). The event starts at 6pm and will end around 10pm. For more information, contact seanscanlan@hotmail.com. The Daniel Pearl Foundation Web site is: http://danielpearl.org.