Vincent Hsu (徐崇育) is a Taiwanese bassist, composer and the leader of Vincent Hsu & Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz band. We sat down to speak a few days before his concert, Spirits from Both Sides. The concert was held on August 15th at Flushing Town Hall with Vincent and Arturo O’Farrill- a six-time GRAMMY Award winner and two-time Latin GRAMMY Award winner. Hsu planned to premiere a big-band arrangement of his Taiwanese Trilogy Music Suite (台灣人三部曲), at the August 15th performance.
We talked about the parallels between Taiwanese folk culture and Afro-Latin spiritual beliefs and how his musical composition, Taiwanese Trilogy Music Suite, draws inspiration from Taiwanese Hakka writer Chao-Cheng Chung (鍾肇政).
Related Links:
Vincent Hsu: https://www.vincenthsujazz.com/
Arturo O’Farrill and Vincent Hsu to Unite Afro-Latin and Taiwanese Jazz in Queens: https://worldmusiccentral.org/arturo-ofarrill-and-vincent-hsu-to-unite-afro-latin-and-taiwanese-jazz-in-queens/
Spirits from Both Sides: Arturo O’Farrill x Vincent Hsu: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/show-details/spirits-from-both-sides-arturo-ofarrill-x-vincent-hsu
Arturo O’Farrill: https://www.arturoofarrill.com/
Machito: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machito
https://nmaahc.si.edu/latinx/frank-machito-grillo
Yemọja: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yem%E1%BB%8Dja
Mazu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazu
Ogun: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogun
Yorùbá religion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_religion
The deities that shape our lives: Everyday religion in Taiwan: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6259141
Lukang: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lukang
Kaohsiung: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiung
Changhua: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changhua
Andy González: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Gonz%C3%A1lez_(musician)
Jerry González: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Gonz%C3%A1lez
The Beatles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles
Joan Miró: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mir%C3%B3
Cecil McBee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_McBee
John Schaefer: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/john-schaeffer-obituary?id=21082089
Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dajia_Mazu_Pilgrimage
The Taiwanese Camino: Mazu Pilgrimages: https://shorturl.at/TMYD5
“Mazu Pilgrimage” by Vincent Hsu: https://youtu.be/eA4HT3ZU0og?si=c5Y9mo_sfHEXvCw3
Lukang Mazu temple: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lukang_Tianhou_Temple
Gonzalo Rubalcaba: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzalo_Rubalcaba
Chucho Valdés: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chucho_Vald%C3%A9s
Ignacio Berroa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignacio_Berroa
Dafnis Prieto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dafnis_Prieto
Victor Venegas: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/lvrj/name/victor-venegas-obituary?id=48861846
John Patitucci: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Patitucci
Mark Johnson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Johnson_(jazz_musician)
Jazz Supreme (爵士无所不在) on Bravo FM 91.3: https://bravo913.com.tw/index.php?route=choice/program_detail&choice_program_id=155