Award-winning bassist and composer Vincent Hsu leads a stellar sextet in a captivating fusion of jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and his Taiwanese roots. Join us for an evening of a vibrant tapestry of sound as they perform selections from Hsu’s critically acclaimed work, “Music for the River Jazz Suite,” exploring the connection between the Love River in Hsu’s Southern Taiwan homeland and the mighty Mississippi River, as well as his new works inspired by Indonesian gamelan music while finally also unraveling intriguing parallels between Taiwanese Daoist and African Yoruba deities. Experience the flow of a unique musical journey that blends genres and transcends borders.

Instrumentation:

Alto Saxophone – Donald Harrison
Trumpet – Alex Norris
Tenor Saxophone – Ivan Renta
Piano – Zaccai Curtis
Double Bass – Vincent Hsu
Drums – Joel Mateo

About the artist:

Born and bred in Taiwan, Vincent Tsung-Yu Hsu is an award-winning bassist and composer who fuses jazz and Afro-Cuban music with his Taiwanese roots. Hsu was awarded a master’s degree in Jazz Performance from New York University and was mentored by legendary musicians, including Victor Venegas, Andy González, Cecil McBee, and John A. Schaeffer. He has been touring worldwide, including Madrid International Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Blue Note New York & Beijing, Busan Jazz Festival, Taipei Jazz Festival, National Theater & Concert Hall Summer Jazz Festival, Taichung Jazz Festival, among others.

Hsu’s latest album Music for the River Jazz Suite: The Spirit of Love River & Mississippi River has been chosen by DownBeat Magazine for its 2023 Editors’ Picks and received a stellar four-star review. Hsu’s previous albums were honored with three nominations (Homeland) at the Golden Melody Awards; “Best Jazz Album” (Homeland) and “Best Jazz Single” (“Dreamer’s Blues”) at the Golden Indie Music Awards; “Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement” (In Our Blood) at the Global Music Awards. In 2020, his composition “The Era” was selected by the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) as a finalist. In addition to performing, Hsu is committed to the outreach of jazz culture and original compositions, actively promoting jazz and Afro-Cuban music through projects in education and international exchange. His radio show Jazz Supreme also won “Best Non-Pop Music Program” and “Best Non-Pop Music Program Host” at the 2020 Golden Bell Awards.

He serves as the Founder and Music Director of two bands with different instrumentations: The Jazz Supreme Orchestra and Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band, which was invited to perform at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and the Downriver Festival, followed by their 2019 U.S. tour in New York, Chicago, and Connecticut. The two bands have taken the dual vernaculars of Afro-Cuban music and jazz and left their own musical mark through Hsu’s deeply emotive and soulful originals that embrace the context of Taiwan’s soundscape.

＊＊＊ This project is made possible with support from the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Ministry of Culture, R.O.C. (Taiwan) ＊＊＊

“Composer Vincent Hsu deserves our ears!……Don’t overlook the fact that Hsu as a bassist is locked, loaded and so much fun. At the core of the performance is the breathtaking ‘Rumba For The River Trilogy’ with moments of sheer beauty, power and joy that bring in so many influence from New Orleans all the way to Taiwan.

— DownBeat Magazine ★★★★ Editors’ Picks

“This remarkable album, featuring Afro-Cuban elements and recorded live at Taiwan’s Weiwuying Recital Hall, represents the debut of Hsu’s compositions with a large ensemble.”

— JAZZIZ

“There is much to recommend when listening to Hsu’s varied and provocative “River Suite”. He has composed a piece that resonates with history and two marvelous musical elements, jazz and Afro-Cuban music. The live audience clearly respects and has a great appreciation of Hsu’s far-reaching opus.”

— Latin Jazz Network