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'Little Brother' comes to entertain you

By Diana Freundl
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Mar 18, 2005, Page 13

The only Chinese he understands is what his initials sound like (弟弟). But "little brother" doesn't need Mandarin to communicate with his audience tonight at Novel Hall in Taipei. The Canadian-born, half-Chinese pianist D.D. Jackson has been living in New York City for more than 15 years, establishing himself as a composer and performer of contemporary jazz.

The 37-year-old musician has toured extensively in Asia but this weekend marks his first visit to Taiwan. Although it's a brief encounter, he plans to pack in as much as possible. "I want to explore the scene," explained Jackson in a telephone conversation from his home in New York.

"It's possible to develop a New York-centric approach to jazz, and unless you travel, you don't realize how mature it has become in other parts of the world."

Hoping to exchange ideas with like-minded individuals, he is holding an open workshop at Shi-chien University (實踐大學) on Saturday at 2pm.

"I'm looking forward to hearing from young musicians and students about what is going on in Taiwan right now."

He will also get a first-hand sample of Taiwanese jazz when he is joined on stage by violinist Hsieh Chi-pin (謝啟彬).

Jackson is well versed in the New York jazz scene where he writes a column for Down Beat magazine. His music career got an early start at age six when he began studying classical piano. Although he's always had a fondness for jazz, particularly the music of fellow Canadian Oscar Peterson, he didn't start composing until his early 20s. Since then he has released 11 full-length albums.

At home he listens to a mix of jazz and classical depending on what project he's working on at the time, but his tastes of late have been more eclectic. One of his last purchases was Jay-Z's The Black Album.

"I'm interested in things that are adventurous -- ones that combine different styles of music together," he said in reference to The Grey Album, a remixing by DJ Danger Mouse of Jay-Z vocals with tracks from The Beatles White Album.

Jackson's CD collection is also a reflection of his experimentation with different genres. On a self-imposed sabbatical from recording, he is currently exploring the boundaries of musical theater. Last year, he collaborated with Canadian libretti George Elliot Clarke to compose the jazz opera Quebecite. The semi-autobiographical story deals with interracial relationships. It is a subject Jackson is familiar with. His mother was born in China and his father is African-American.

His albums are categorized as contemporary jazz, yet Jackson's music does not fit perfectly into the mold. His recordings include a version of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, with an accompanying orchestra, along with several Latin-infused original compositions. One of his most energetic releases is Sigame (2001) with a Cuban-influenced sound, owing heavily to the guest drummer Dafnis Prieto.

Performance notes:
What: D. D. Jackson's Jazz Piano Concert
When: Tonight, 7:45pm
Where: Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei (台北市松壽路3-1號)
Tickets: NT$400 to NT$1,200, available through Rigel Arts at www.rigelarts.com or at the venue
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