Low profile for Obama's half brother

SHENZHEN, China — The news release didn't say who Mark Ndesandjo was. Nor did the posters and e-mails promoting the concert Friday in Shenzhen, a southern boomtown where he played piano to raise money for orphans.

But the 200 or so people who showed up for the fundraiser at a posh hotel resort knew the man in a Chinese-style brown silk shirt was the half brother of U.S. President-elect Obama. They had a rare encounter with Ndesandjo, who has been dodging the media since his family ties were made public last summer.

For the past seven years, Ndesandjo has been living in Shenzhen, a freewheeling city just across the border from Hong Kong. The announcement for his piano concert identified him as a strategic-marketing consultant. He also helped start a chain of eateries in China called Cabin BBQ.

Ndesandjo slightly resembles his half brother and shares the same trim, athletic physique. He speaks Mandarin, is a vegetarian and practices Chinese calligraphy.

He said Friday that he has just finished a novel, "Nairobi to Shenzhen," but has no publisher.

Ndesandjo apparently wants a low-key life separate from Obama. No one mentioned his family when he was introduced at the charity concert and cocktail party sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China.

During brief remarks on stage, Ndesandjo mentioned that he would visit the U.S. in a few days, apparently to attend Tuesday's presidential inauguration. He said if he didn't make the trip in time, he would embarrass his family.

He also told the crowd that the chamber president, Harley Seyedin, was fond of the president-elect. Ndesandjo added, "I like my president, too!" That was the closest he came to mentioning Barack Obama.

Ndesandjo's reluctance to play up his famous relative is extremely unusual in China, where people commonly name drop and use their connections to advance their interests. In China, relationships, or "guanxi," with powerful people are golden and rarely wasted in winning new business or opening other doors.

As his Chinese wife watched, Ndesandjo began his performance with a Chinese tune called "Liuyang River" followed by what he said was "Chopin's First Nocturne." His third and final piece was a jazz tune by Fats Waller called "Viper's Drag."

His Chinese friend and restaurant-business partner, Sui Zhenjun, said he has known Ndesandjo since he arrived in China in 2002.

"But it wasn't until July when media reports started surfacing about him being related to Obama that I found out they were related," he said.

Ndesandjo declined to answer questions at Friday's concert. He wouldn't confirm basic details about his past or discuss his relationship with Obama.

He uses the surname of his mother, Ruth, the third wife of his father, Barack Obama, Sr., who died in 1982. He was born in Kenya and moved to the United States when he was a child.

Footage from a Chinese TV news show posted on YouTube shows him practicing calligraphy at home and teaching children how to play the piano, praising them in Mandarin and English.

After the charity event, Ndesandjo chatted with friends and shook hands as he slowly walked out of the venue pursued by journalists. He slipped into an elevator and ignored questions as the door slowly closed.