American Cultural Center Announces American Music Series, Part IV: Jazz from the Drummer's Throne Performance/Lecture on Jazz by Jenks

PR9768E | Date: 1997-11-10

The American Institute in Taiwan Cultural and Information Section will present a performance/lecture on American Jazz music at 7:30 pm on Friday, November 14, 1997 at the American Cultural Center Auditorium (54, Nan Hai Road, Taipei). The speaker/performer will be AIT Kaohsiung Branch Chief Darrell Jenks.

Currently in charge of the AIT/K Branch Office, Jenks has been playing music since he took up the sticks for a Marching Band at the age of 9. His musical training included a stint in a community orchestra, work with composer James Hill on avant-garde music, performances with musicals, jazz, dance, and rock-groups. His first job as a leader was at 14 as the head of "Darrell Jenks and the Purple Kumquats" at the "West Buffalo County Festive Pie-Bake and Jamboree". Subsequently Jenks led a later version of that band at the CBGB club in New York City.

After switching from music to diplomacy, Jenks continued playing with rock and jazz groups in various countries. He took the "Back Door" band on the first ever tour by an American rock-band of Ulaanbaatar in 1992. He founded the "Alas" Jazz group, which is still playing on the mainland.

Over the last year, Jenks has used his musical experience to lecture on American culture and perform at such locations as the Monthly concert series hosted by the Kaohsiung 21 Urban Development Association, the National Pingtung Institute of Commerce, the Ying Ming Jr. High School, the Top Plaza Hotel, and concerts sponsored by the Kaohsiung City Government and other organizations.

Mr. Darrell Jenks's program is the fourth in the American Cultural Center's series on American music and culture. His lecture will be mainly in Chinese.

A book display at Mr. Jenk's program will introduce materials from the American Cultural Center Resource Service concerning American studies, arts, music, society and culture. Complimentary copies of magazines and pamphlets about American studies and culture will be available.

The lecture is free of charge to public. To obtain more information on the program, please contact Morris Huang by telephone at 02-2332-7981- ext. 215; fax, 2305-2120; or e-mail: taipei@mail.ait.org.tw.