The Jacksons to reform for Michael Jackson tribute show with A.I.
Brothers to reunite on stage in Tokyo in October; Two new Jacksons songs planned for next year
By Robert Michael Poole 29 November, 2010
The Jacksons and A.I. (right). It is believed the show will then tour the globe after the Tokyo dates
The Jacksons – brothers Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Jermaine -- will perform on stage next October for a Michael Jackson tribute concert series that starts with two shows in Tokyo.
The announcement of the shows was made via a produced video during a special 10th anniversary performance of Japanese R&B star A.I.
A.I. will emcee the shows and sing with the brothers, her management told CNNGo. She will also be recording new tracks with The Jacksons in early 2011.
The project came about after an exchange of letters between A.I. and Michael Jackson's mother Katherine, following a documentary A.I. had made on Michael earlier in 2010 in which she met his family to discuss the legacy of the late performer.
"I was so excited meeting them and I tried to be calm, but once I got into it, they are so nice that they make you feel right," A.I. told CNNGo ahead of her Monday Tokyo show at the prestigious Budokan.
"I'd been listening to their songs since I was little but once you start talking with them they make you feel like a friend."
In her letter to A.I., exclusively revealed to CNNGo, Katherine says "Japan was one of Michael's favorite places in the world. He loved visiting your beautiful country and always felt much love from his millions of fans."
"By means of having Michael's brothers headlining the Tokyo Tribute it would provide Michael Jackson's followers with a true and complete perspective of Michael's artistic career and life as a brother."
The Jacksons, originally the Jackson 5, were one of the biggest music acts in the world in the 1970s and also helped launch the solo careers of Jermaine and Michael.
Following Michael's death in June 2009, the remaining four brothers recorded vocals for the single, "This is it." Rumors and speculation of a reunion and tribute show soon followed.
The Michael Jackson tribute shows have tentatively been scheduled for 14th and 15th of October 2011, and will feature a number of special guest performers filling Michael's shoes in The Jacksons. Full details have yet to be released.
It is believed the show will then tour around the world with different guests in each city, though with A.I. likely at the helm for each.
Making new music
A.I. with Jackie and Tito Jackson in Los Angeles.
A.I.'s initial contact with the Jacksons had been for a Japanese TV documentary she hosted for Music On! TV, in which she interviewed each member of the family but was surprised to find them so welcoming and modest.
Katherine and Tito watched the show and wrote her a letter of thanks.
"I felt like I didn't do anything, they had done it for me," says A.I. "But she thanked me for making a nice show and I knew I had to write something back. I wanted to say 'thank you, I love you, thank you.' I was just happy to meet them and let the people know what Michael was like as a person and what is it like inside the family.
"After I did that I listened to more of the Jackson 5 from back in the day. I thought that would be great to sing and dance with the people who were around Michael, especially his family," she says.
Following the emotional letter exchange, discussions to record songs together soon began with two tracks already on the cards.
"We haven't talked about the kind of song yet, whether it will be for Michael, or about us but we think it will be nice to have one of the producers that Michael used to work with. We met with Teddy Riley, he's been making music for a long time, but he also makes current music."
Despite the aura around the Jackson family, A.I. is keen to let the audience know how the Jackson family really are and get across their true personalities in the shows.
"Every time I see them on TV shows they seem serious but they are actually so cute and I want to tell people that even though they are the Jacksons, everyone's human and everyone's got a heart. I think the show in October will be good for people to enjoy music from back in the day and discover the new songs."
http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/play/exclusive-jacksons-reform-official-michael-jackson-tribute-show-japanese-singer-ai-277446
