Vancouver Hosts Cultural Jazz Opera

By I Oct. 10, 2003

Composer D.D. Jackson and poet/librettist George Elliott Clarke will preset their Canadian jazz opera, Québécité, at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre on Oct. 17 and 18.

According to the artists, the story chronicles the downs and then ups of two interracial couples living in Quebec City, whose “developing romances expose the inherent minefield of establishing relationships that cross racial and cultural backgrounds.” The story borrows from the real-life story of Jackson’s African-Canadian father and Asian mother.

Presented by the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, the production will feature Jackson on piano, Peggy Lee on cello, Brad Turner on trumpet, Jean Martin on drums, Mark Dresser on bass and vocalists Haydain Neale (African-Canadian), Kiran Ahluwalia (Indian-Canadian), Dean Bowman (African-American) and Yoon Choi (Korean-Canadian).

As the plot throws cultures together, so does the musical map Jackson created using influences from the different backgrounds of the couples.

“It has always been my mission to transcend rigid boundaries of categorization,” he said. “In this light, Québécité represents the most exciting challenge of my career, as the musicians with whom I am working with are the most conceptually varied I have ever encountered.”

Clarke has a slightly more abstract view. “Québécité is an Absinthe-Champagne-Chartreuse-Chicoutai-Grappa-PalmWine-Pastis-Rum-Saki-Sangri-Scotch-Tequila-Vodka opera,” he said, “one colored intensely with notes of ebony, dark-cherry, India indigo pink, and bronze-beige, the shade of papyrus.”

A free public panel with Jackson, Clarke and select cast members about the issues of cultural and musical diversity that are central to the opera will take place Oct. 16 at the Vancouver Public Library’s Alice McKay Theatre.

For more information, go to www.coastaljazz.ca