The Big Easy in Taipei

14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2008 • TAIPEI TIMES The Big Easy in Taipei Nbugu Kenyatta, a veteran of Taipei’s live music Liz Yang fights the good fight for there’s one fixture in Taipei’s another group formed with his family. scene, plays New Orleans funk, R’n’B and soul music Wookies everywhere. PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES ever-changing live music Kenyatta continued to study music while with his band the Kenyatta Trio every Friday at the circuit, it’s Nbugu Kenyatta. earning his education degree at Southern Tavern and every Saturday at Capone’s. If Since arriving 16 years ago, University at New Orleans, which he says PHOTO: DAVID CHEN, TAIPEI TIMES hen the and Sonia Sui (隋棠) to act as the drummer and singer has been rocking gave him the opportunity to share the stage media the spokeswoman for beauty Taipei with the groove-oriented music of with greats such as jazz pianist Herbie W resort to product manufacturer COTA, his hometown, New Orleans. Hancock, guitarist Carl Le Blanc and avant- dredging up old romances, for a fee of NT$2 million. Nowadays the 54-year-old plays with garde jazz composer Sun Ra. readers know that the gossip The economic downturn his band, the Kenyatta Trio, at the Tavern One of his most valuable experiences rags are scraping the bottom seems to be just a rumor every Friday and Capone’s on Saturdays. was playing the clubs on New Orleans’ of the barrel. in such circles and clearly The group covers many styles, ranging from Bourbon Street starting from the age of This week’s tantalizing doesn’t have much bearing R’n’B and soul to reggae and funk. 17, he said. He became proficient in many tidbits (“tit-bits” might be more on the lives of supermodels. In the early 1990s Kenyatta made a different styles, including reggae, R’n’B, appropriate in the circum- Liz Yang, who is of mixed Tai- splash as part of the house band at the funk, jazz and blues, all of which are an stances), include Fun Taiwan wanese-Guatemalan descent, now-defunct club TU, breathing fresh air important part of playing music in New presenter Janet Hsieh (謝怡芬) has cut a swath through the into Taipei nightlife with the sounds of Orleans, he said. “You have to play more being manhandled in public country’s modeling world with traditional New Orleans jazz. Later on, than one style. You have to be versatile … by Super Idol judge Wang Chi- her bold poses, attitude and club owner Ted Su (蘇誠修) asked Kenyatta You have to play all of it.” ping (王治平) at an event held romantic involvements. to bring his electric band, ARRK, which “Fulfilling” is how Ray Anthony, to promote the upcoming 2008 While Liz Yang may be played classic funk and R’n’B in the spirit current guitarist for the Kenyatta Trio, Urban Simple Life (簡單生活 riding a wave that lifts her of acts like the Meters, Dr John and the describes playing with Kenyatta. “You’re 節) festival and Ethan Ruan (阮 above the troubled waters of Neville Brothers. playing with people that really enjoy 經天) who, according to Next, these troubled times, other They played up to four hours a night, playing the music,” he said. developed a pocket rocket beautiful people are definitely seven nights a week, and Kenyatta loved Kenyatta met his wife of 10 years, Kim struggling. every minute of it. “They actually had to Wei (魏宣愉), in Taipei. He sees himself as Television shopping ask us to stop playing and take a vacation a “liaison” between New Orleans music channels have taken a beating, because … being from New Orleans we’re culture and Taiwan and likes the occasional and hosts such as Si Rong (斯 used to playing 24 hours, 24-7,” he said, times when he gets recognized on the street 容), the “queen of consumer sipping on a beer at Capone’s. by past audience members. “It gives me electronics,” have been forced Kenyatta, also known by his original such a great feeling that — hey, people to rely more heavily than name Abe Thompson, developed a passion know me.” ever on such tricks as plastic for music at the age of 10, when he would Lately the Trio’s set has included Jimi surgery to maintain their spend hours waiting for his brother to give Hendrix tunes, reggae and several original Is that a pencil in your pocket, or are appeal with fickle audiences him a turn on the drum kit. The first song songs by Kenyatta, which he wrote just you hugging a sexy fan? and nervous TV producers. he learned was James Brown’s Cold Sweat. after recovering from a stroke nearly two PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES There is nothing Si won’t By high school he was practically eating years ago. sell, according to Next, and and breathing music. He sang with his five The health scare hasn’t changed while embracing a fan at a she has lost a further 8kg off brothers and two sisters in a Motown-style Kenyatta’s feelings about playing on stage, charity clothing auction. her surgically sculpted body group called the Tempressions (inspired which he describes as “heaven.” They’re just the warm-up to make herself even more by the Temptations and the Impressions), Besides, what would he do without acts, though. Speculation is appealing before the camera played the snare drum with his high school music? “It’s a part of me. I can’t live rife that singer Stanley Huang so she can help you decide to marching band, and performed psychedelic without it.” (黃立行) may be re-igniting a buy that diamante cummer- rock and R’n’B with the Energy Funk Band, — DAVID CHEN 13-year-old relationship with bund you’ve always wanted. Faith Yang (楊乃文). While some have to go The relationship stalled under the knife to ensure the more than a decade ago as the fat monthly paycheck keeps two Golden Melody Award- rolling in, others just lay back PERFORMANCE NOTES: winning singers (Yang won and think of England. Well, in best female singer in 2000 and the case of Michelle Reis (李嘉 WHAT: The Kenyatta Trio Huang won best male singer 欣), she was probably thinking WHEN: Every Friday night from 9pm to 11pm at the Tavern, 415, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, in 2005) each focused on about dollar signs. Taipei City (台北市信義路四段415號). Tel: (02) 8780-0892. Every Saturday from 9pm to developing their careers and The Macau society belle 11pm at Capone’s Restaurant, 312, Zhongxiao E Rd, Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路 engaging in separate romantic with a roving eye for wealthy, 四段312號). Tel: (02) 2773-3782 interludes. married men has wed Julian DETAILS: No cover charge Huang, who has worked Hui (許晉亨), the son of Hong his way through a formidable Kong construction baron Hui list of singers, TV personalities Sai-fun (許世勳). and models, even being Next magazine reports dissident at home and say that because of the dictatorship associated with Jolin Tsai (蔡依 that parental approval for Lessons in liberalism political exile abroad Civil rights activist and former in North Korea we should also have 林) for a short time, has always the match had been withheld informed his later work dissident Samuel Lee will give an authoritarian government [in South insisted that his only serious until it was revealed that Samuel Lee, like many South Korean as a founder of the a lecture on South Korea’s Korea],” said Lee, who was born in girlfriend had been Yang. Reis was already two months university students in the 1960s, People’s Solidarity for democratization. North Korea. pregnant. Hui Senior was participated in the April Revolution Participatory Democ- PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LUNG YINGTAI When asked to cite the processes Both icons of cool, Huang CULTURAl FOUNDATION and Yang could have been definitely not in a fun mood demonstrations that eventually toppled racy, one of South that enabled South Korea to move made for each other, and for the event, especially as Syngman Rhee’s military regime. He Korea’s most powerful dictatorial rule to beyond its authoritarian past, Lee the gossip rags are salivating the family had gone out of its later continued his dissident activities in civic organizations, and political democracy paused before answering. at the prospect of further way to protect Junior from West Germany, where he coordinated a as Secretary-General and also economic “Gradually increasing the influence developments. the clutches of entertainment protest movement against Park Chung- of UNESCO’s Korean development and and power of civil society, including the Huang is scheduled to industry gold diggers. hee’s dictatorship. National Commission — [the development of a] intellectuals and religious leaders,” he release a new album on Dec. The Hui clan had put “I had organized a democratic experiences he will address peaceful relationship with said. “And also, of course, the student 5, the title of which roughly the kibosh on Junior’s movement … called [the] Forum for in a talk tomorrow titled Why We North Korea,” he said. movements.” translates as “In the End You relationships with Carina Lau Democracy in Korea,” Lee said in a Are Where We Are: A Personal Account Lee, who is currently professor of Samuel Lee’s lecture is tomorrow Can Only Lie Down” (最後只好躺 (劉嘉玲) and Gigi Lai (黎姿), but telephone interview with the Taipei of South Korea’s Path to Democracy. social philosophy at Seoul’s Soongsil from 2pm to 5pm at the GIS Convention 下來).

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