Jasper Erkens – A Fresh Sound

One is constantly exposed to talent surrounding them, I got the chance to hear this young musician live in Gouna at an event celebrating the new position of the Belgium Ambassador and Council in the Red Sea. An open air event with free beer and more foreigners then I knew lived in the area, I was taken by surprise when a young man with curly hair took to the stage with an average guitar in hand and a shy look on his face.

Introducing himself, he went straight on to the music singing a couple covers and an original. Only 19, living in London and having just graduated music runs through his veins. Now why is all this relevant, well I have been watching X -Factor recently and have literally been brought to tears several times by the talent that is out there and the lack of opportunity that stands aside it. 

Egypt has a number of venue’s were we ‘appreciate’ music but I am constantly wondering why it has to be a ‘DJ’ recognized by DJ Mag or ‘Vocalist’ who has sang with Tiesto for an artist to be credible or worth bringing over. Is it due to our ignorance? or just the unwillingness to waste our time on anyone else, giving them a chance. 

I feel there needs to be more stress on live entertainment of other genre’s such as Erkens where we are exposed to other talents other then the typical, generic sort we see on a constant basis. Here are a couple tracks, one of them being a cover by Gnarla Barkley’s , ‘Crazy’ which I got the opportunity to see live and let me just say the boy’s voice did not crack and was far more impressive then the recorded version.  

WE SAID THIS: Watch This Kid Blow Up!