All that Jazz from all over
- Source: Global Times
- [08:51 August 06 2010]
- Comments
Yuka Tadano (front), with (from left)Roberto Verastegui, Brian Girley and Li Xiaochuan. Photo: Courtesy of Shanghai Concert Hall
By Guo Song
A Japanese bassist, a Chinese trumpeter, a saxophonist from America and a pianist from Mexico. When four different cultures meet in a jazz band, in which direction does their music go?
Acclaimed jazz band YT Little D will bring its unique style to a concert, Dancer Jazz, in Shanghai tomorrow - an appropriate performance for one of the first Chinese cities to embrace jazz music.
Founded in the fall of 2009, YT Little D is a youthful band based in the US. The members are Japanese bassist Yuka Tadano, Chinese trumpeter Li Xiaochuan, American saxophonist Brian Girley, and Mexican pianist Roberto Verastegui.
Attractive Tadano, the bass player and leader, is one of the most promising bassists in the US and a rising talent in the jazz world. She started her career when she was 17 years-old in Japan and made her name later in the US. Warm and dynamic, her music is heavily influenced by Paul Chambers, Ron Carter and Ray Brown.
She is also responsible for the idiosyncratic name of the band - the letters "YT" are her initials and "Little D" is a nickname for the town of Denton where the four musicians met at the University of North Texas which is famous for its jazz department.
The trumpeter Li Xiaochuan is one of the best young jazz musicians in China and a member of Two O'Clock, another fine US jazz band.
Saxophonist Brian Girley has shared the stage with big names in the jazz world like Sam Rivers, John Fedchock and B.B King.
Roberto Verastegui, an award-winning pianist from Mexico, has also worked with internationally famous jazz musicians and groups, and also plays with the University of North Texas One O'Clock, an acclaimed jazz group which was nominated for a Grammy Award last year.
At the Shanghai concert the band will be joined by Ronnie Williams, the noted New York drummer. As to the direction its music takes, this band seems to head to all points of the compass. YT Little D has developed a distinct style with its different approaches to music and performance.
Making full use of its members' diverse cultural backgrounds, it merges different genres in its music, including jazz, rock, gospel and folk music from Mexico, China and Japan. All the players contribute their distinctive sounds and personalities to the compositions.
At their Shanghai concert they will perform eight pieces from their first album Dancer, released by Armored Records this year.
