Derrik Jordan and the World Fusion Movement
Derrik Jordan knew he wanted to be a musican as soon as he left the theater after watching “A Hard Day’s Night” in the Sixties, and he started down that road almost immediately. But he never thought he’d be the host of a hit TV show until he was in his 60s. Yet here we are: Derrik is a prolific violinist, multi-instrumentalist, improviser, composer, producer, recording artist, as well as the host of The World Fusion Show, a new public TV show that’s exploding in popularity.
We feature an interview with Derrik and a healthy sampling of his original music in Episode 19 of the Right Brain Music Podcast.
Derrik has been performing and recording for decades. He’s released over 20 albums and played with top-nothc musicians from all over the world. What makes him — and his repertoire — unique though, is the ease with which he’s traveled between genres of music from cultures all over the planet. You’ll hear his remarkable range in the podcast. It spans Brazilian, African, Indian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European music as well as jazz, folk and bluegrass. He believes in cultural sharing, and finds dynamism in the mixing of musical forms and styles.
It’s only natural that Derrik would become a leading ambassador of world fusion, a genre that celebrates the cross-fertilization of different musical traditions in new and exciting ways. He became host of The World Fusion Show only after nursing an ember of an idea for years, and then presenting it to a local community access station near his Vermont home. They liked the concept, and WFS was soon broadcasting live, with musical guests from around the world.
The show not only caught on, it took off. Just two years after its inception, WFS now airs on over 100 stations in the US. A distinctive part of each show is a jam, in which Derrik joins his guests. These jams will soon air in India, expanding the audience exponentially.
World fusion has been a thing since the Beatles infused Indian music into a few memorable songs, and has been growing quietly since. The wide-ranging genre may now be emerging from the shadows, and it’s appropriate that Derrik is now prominent in this movement. He emphasizes that music is for everyone, and it’s more than just our shared heritage—it’s a force for bringing people together in a time when nothing could be more important.
Link to Derrik’s site and The World Fusion Show to learn more. A playlist of songs included in the podcast episode is below.
The Right Brain Music Podcast explores the world of improvised music. It’s available through Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Please subscribe through your iPhone or Android podcast app, so you don’t miss an episode! For details on other podcast episodes, artists and recordings, see our website.
Derrick Jordan tracks heard in the podcast episode are, in order:
“Sandcastles” from Invitation to Xtasy - Superstring Theory
“Waterfalls 192” from Exotic Duets and Improvisations
“Jump 12” from Superstring Theory Goes to Senegal
“Ragpicker’s Rhapsody” from Impulse Ensemble
“Aliwu Mix” from Superstring Theory Goes to Senegal
“Fire” from Exotic Duets and Improvisations
“Initiation” from Impulse Ensemble
“Don’t Look Back” from Shtetl Songs
“In Bhangra We Trust” from A Thing of Beauty - Superstring Theory 5