Dutch trumpeter and first time faculty member Saskia Laroo has played with jazz professionals such as Winton Marseilus and Maceo Parker. Also hailing from the Netherlands is Latin and jazz pianist and currently faculty of Belgium's Royal Conservatory in Brussels Peter Van Marle. This is his third year participating in Taipei's jazz festival.
Three Belgian jazz impresarios have been invited back. Jazz guitarist Fabien Degryse has recorded five albums under his own name, and has been a faculty member of the Taipei International Jazz Academy since 2004. Bart de Nolf is on bass and has played with the likes of Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz and Bud Shank. Belgian jazz drummer Thierry Gutmann who has worked with a number of European jazz greats, is active in the pop and jazz scene and is assistant professor at Belgium's Royal Conservatory. This is his second year participating in the Jazz Academy.
Amsterdam-based US national Deborah J Carter will croon to a number of standards and Europe-based American John Ruocco is on saxophone, flute and clarinet.
Rounding out the academy are Hsieh and his wife Chang Kai-ya (張凱雅), who trained at the same school in Brussels, the latter in jazz and Latin piano. They both teach in the music department at Shih-Chien University in Taipei.
With the increased popularity of jazz combined with greater numbers of international artists playing in Taiwan, Hsieh envisions jazz becoming a deeper part of Taiwan's cultural scenery.
"Maybe the schools can [start] professional programs and students can start [learning] jazz as soon as they enter the college," Hsieh said. "That's our goal."
What: 2007 Taipei International Jazz Festival
Where: Da-an Forest Park, Taipei
When: Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm
Admission: Free
Details: www.taipeijazz.com
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