Crossing East: Jon Jang Music Feature
Series: Crossing East - Asian American History series
From: Dmae Roberts
Length: 00:04:58
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Piece Description
Jon Jang, Jazz Pianist is a jazz pianist who has studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and toured at major concert halls and music festivals in China, South Africa, Europe, Canada and the United States. He is featured on over ten albums and has composed commissions for many theater productions and major concert halls. This profile looks at how the 1960's and 70's shaped Jon Jang's artistry. This five-minute feature is part of the Crossing East Asian American History series. It is an evergreen, self-contained module with intro and outro/credits.
Broadcast History
Produced as newsfill as part of the Crossing East Asian American History series. Only stations that didn't run NPR news aired this feature.
Transcript
JON JANG
Script
HOST: I?M DMR WITH THE CROSSING EAST MUSIC FEATURE.
PIANIST JON JANG?S FIRST INSTRUMENT WAS ACTUALLY THE SNARE DRUM WHICH HE PLAYED TO SOUSA MARCHES IN THE SCHOOL BAND IN 4TH GRADE. AFTER LISTENING TO JOHN COLTRANE IN HIS TEEN YEARS, HE WAS INSPIRED TO PLAY JAZZ.
JANG: When I heard the music of John Coltrane, specifically the live version of my favorite things, I wore out the record. And in high school I had a history teacher, he knew I was interested in music. He gave me the book ?blues people? and I learned how the music was related to life. The basic premise was as the lives of African Americans change, the music changed. So the music was about changing tradition.
HOST: CHANGING TRADITIONS IS WHAT JANG END UP DOING THROUGH HIS MUSIC. GROWING UP IN THE 70?S IN MIDDLE CLASS SUBURBAN PALO ALTO. HE COULD COUNT THE NUMBER OF ASIAN KIDS IN HIS SCHOOL ON ONE...
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Musical Works
Music from Jon Jang's "Two Flowers On A Stem" CD.
Related Website
