This week’s episode of the ASCAP Deems Taylor Virgil Thomson Award winning program Between the Keys features a special guest, the 20-year-old multi-talented British composer, pianist, singer, writer and broadcaster Jack Pepper.
“Jack Pepper is remarkable,” says Between the Keys host Jed Distler, who is The Classical Network’s Artist-in-Residence. “At 20, Jack's accomplished more in his field than many musicians accomplish in decades. His original music organically blurs the stylistic boundaries between musical theater, contemporary classical and popular worlds. His weekly radio show Culture Bunker does the same thing, and he constantly explores the personalities and the stories behind great music.”
Distler and Pepper met up in London several months ago, where they interviewed each other for their respective shows, in two uninterrupted back-to-back sessions. “Jack went first, interviewing me for Culture Bunker, and I must say that he did his homework, and asked stimulating questions that I did not expect! After we finished, I quickly set up my portable equipment and interviewed Jack. I don’t know if two radio hosts have ever interviewed each other in succession this way, but it worked out marvelously, and we bonded like crazy. How can one not bond with Jack? He’s brilliant, warm, generous, funny and open minded, and he just energizes the room with his presence. No wonder he’s one of England’s most talked about young musicians. I really hope we can do more programs together.”
For Between the Keys, Pepper curated a playlist that reflects his boundary blurring tastes and passions, bringing together composers and performers like André Previn, Richard Rodney Bennett, Sylvia McNair, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Howard Blake, and, of course Jack Pepper himself.
Join Jed Distler Tuesday nights at 10 for Between the Keys, an exclusive production of The Classical Network and WWFM.org.