Vincent Hsu & Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band 《Jazz Changed, Jazz Changes, Jazz Changin’》

Join the Watch Party! Friday, November 12, 8 PM on Facebook 

Streaming On-Demand November 12-19 at FirstWorks.org – FREE

FirstWorks is proud to present this stunning live performance film created by Taiwanese jazz artist Vincent Hsu (徐崇育) and his ensemble, Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band (古巴爵士樂團). Born in Changhua, Taiwan, Hsu is an award-winning bassist and composer who fuses jazz and Afro-Cuban music with his Taiwanese roots. 

“How has jazz changed the world? How is it changing the world? How has jazz itself changed?” Reflecting on these questions, Hsu’s film is a thrilling tribute to a uniquely African American art form, and an acknowledgment of the indelible impact jazz has left on people and societies around the world. 

Featuring impeccable sound and spectacular settings unique to this island nation, the performance film reflects both the everyday and traditional life in Taiwan, while showing that jazz is alive and well beyond its birthplace. Interview clips with prominent musicians and scholars are also featured, including with Hsu’s mentor, the legendary bassist Cecil McBee, historian Loren Schoenberg, drummer and educator Jerome Jennings, and poet and writer Naomi Extra. 

This engagement of《Jazz Changed, Jazz Changes, Jazz Changin’》is made possible by Taipei Cultural Center in New York.