The godfather of Taiwan R&B music, David Tao, rocked Beijing Sunday night with the first concert of his Magic Music Journey at the Capital Gymnasium.
Renditions of all the popular songs from his albums brought the concert to one climax after another.
As an expression of gratitude to the city of his birth, Beijing, Tao performed an excerpt from Peking Opera accompanied by a small drum before launching into the song, Susan Says, which is a R&B hit using Peking Opera elements.
Tao staged a huge sellout concert in Shanghai last month, his first concert on the Chinese mainland after eight years in the business. Having heard that Beijing audiences have an ear for rock, David Tao added more rock elements to his renditions and staged a rather different performance to his Shanghai outing.
Both fans and the media have long compared Tao with Jay Chow, as they are both good singer/songwriters in the R&B style. This time Tao proved to the audience that he has his own distinct style and talent, no matter what the critics say.
It's now harvest time for David Tao, as he composes and sings songs that best showcase his talent and passion.
(CRI September 13, 2005)
