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Harmonizing for humanity

FESTIVAL NOTES WHAT:Daniel Pearl World Music Day in Taipei 2008 WHERE:Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村), 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號) WHEN: Tomorrow from 2pm to 9pm DETAILS:No entrance fee, but suggested donation of NT$300 to cover venue costs ON THE NET: www.danielpearl.org; www.danielpearlmusicdays.org

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Musicians and journalists in Taipei come together tomorrow at the Taipei Artist Village for a full day of live music that commemorates the life of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was brutally murdered in 2002 while on assignment in Pakistan.

As Pearl was both a music lover and musician, his parents started a series of live music concerts in his memory, which grew into a global event, with musicians all over the world performing as part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days.

Taipei has held an annual World Music Day since 2002. The Daniel Pearl Foundation’s stated purpose for the events is to “use the universal language of music to inspire unity, tolerance and cross-cultural understanding,” under the theme of “harmony for humanity.”

“Danny was a passionate believer in the power of music to bring people together regardless of ethnic, religious or cultural differences,” said his father Judea Pearl, president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation, in a recent press statement.

Pearl was a classically trained violinist who also played the mandolin in a bluegrass and rock band.

The World Music Days, which traditionally take place around Pearl’s birthday on Oct. 10, have grown in size and stature. During their first year, the commemorations were marked with 117 concerts in 18 countries; last year, there were more than 500 concerts in over 40 countries, according to the foundation’s Web site. A number of high-profile musicians have lent their talents to Daniel Pearl music events in recent years, including jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, violinist Itzhak Perlman, and rock stars Elton John and REM.

Donations from tomorrow’s Daniel Pearl World Music Day in Taipei 2008 will be used to cover the costs of the venue with the remainder going to the Daniel Pearl Foundation. My band, the Muddy Basin Ramblers, will be there tomorrow playing American roots music along with a host of other locally based groups: solo rock act Nathan Javens; folk rock musicians Tyler Dakin and Russell Louis Picard; country music band 2 Acres Plowed; singer-songwriters Dana Wylie and Jez Hellard; blues guitarist Steve Ray; and indie-rock band 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽).

Tomorrow’s event is sponsored by the Taipei Foreign Correspondents Club, the Taipei Artist Village and the newly opened Village Cafe, which will be selling burgers, sausages, vegetarian food and beer.

To get to the Taipei Artist Village, get off at Shandao Temple MRT Station (善導寺捷運站), exit No. 1, walk to Tianjin Street (天津街) and then turn right at Beiping East Road (北平東路).

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