Richie Goods & Chien Chien Lu "CONNECTED"
A contemporary groove based Jazz band
A contemporary groove based Jazz band
“CONNECTED” was formed during the lockdown. Bassist Richie Goods and vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu had frequent conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement and unwarranted hate crimes against Asians. They decided to undertake a project that would unify people and evoke imagery of love and peace. Not only was the music they produced impressive, but their friendship also deepened as they explored the stereotypical discord that often exists between the African-American and Asian communities.
Richie Goods and Chien Chien met in 2019 during a European tour. Shortly after, Richie produced Chien Chien’s debut album, “The Path.” As their collaboration continued to flourish, a new endeavor emerged: “Connected,” a project that embodied the profound musical connection between them.
Chien Chien’s foundation in classical training provided a rich and textured canvas upon which their collaborative work thrived. Her intricate knowledge of classical nuances intertwined seamlessly with Richie Goods’ background rooted in the realms of R&B and Funk, creating an enchanting juxtaposition of genres that breathed life into their compositions.
Their collaborative album, “CONNECTED,” has just received the 34th Golden Melody Award for “Best Instrumental Album.” Chien Chien has also recently been included in the list of 10 Emerging Jazz Artists of 2023 by the Grammy (Recording Academy).
Richie Goods & Chien Chien Lu “CONNECTED”
“CONNECTED” is a jazz quintet featuring Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods. A rhythm section of the top jazz musicians in New York City.
Nostalgia sounds between Nanguan Music and Jazz
Lu Chien Chien Trio x Gang-a Tsui Theater
Richie Goods and Chien Chien Lu’s music has always been about connecting people, bridging different cultures, races, or whatever divides us. They firmly believe that music is the universal language, offering a perfect means of connecting cultures, even though we come from diverse musical backgrounds.
Richie and Chien Chien believe that music is the crystallization of cultures. When listening to music, what resonates with us the most is the feeling, a sense of time. The sense of time in music is intricately connected to the emotional impact it has on the listener. To truly understand this sense of time, you need to know and immerse yourself in the culture. Richie and Chien Chien find that aspect truly special.
Jazz is essentially American classical music. Just like with any kind of music, if it remains stagnant, if it stays in one period or one era, eventually it will die out. Finding ways to progress the music is crucial. Richie Goods and Chien Chien’s group “Connected” believes that finding ways to advance the music, often through collaborations between musicians from different backgrounds, can be very beneficial.
“Connected” hope that people who see this can gain a better understanding of how we are all connected, how we are all the same. Even though our music is not that far apart, we can still connect on so many levels as human beings.
Chien Chien Lu (band leader)
Richie Goods (band leader)
Jerome Jennings (Drums)
Jordan Peters (Guitar)
Matt Wong (Piano)
Nostalgia sounds between Nanguan Music and Jazz
In search of the groove of meditation quality, Lu Chien Chien tried to contact the Nanguan musicians of Gang A-Tsui Theater, which upholds the unique significance of Taiwanese culture and is devoted to preserving the tradition of Nanguan and creating a new life of music on both sides.
Rarely does an album come about that defines an era but Connected is one such album. As Billie Holiday gave us Strange Fruit and Gil Scott Heron gave us Small Talk at 125th & Lenox, Richie Goods and Chien Chien’s Connected is a musical historical landmark for our time.
─Andromeda Turre, DJ for SiriusXM REAL JAZZ
Savoy Jazzfest’s “Connected” performed one of the best jazz concerts we’ve heard in this country.
Sep 2 2023 Beanrunner Cafe. Peekskill, NY Sep 9 2023 Silver Springs Jazz Festival. Maryland, MD Sep 10 2023 White plains Jazz Festival. Westchester, NY. Sep 14 2023 St. James Live. Atlanta GA Sep 17 2023 Jazz at the Lake. Lake George, NY Sep 29 2023 Mid-Autumn Moon Concert. Houston TX Sep 30 2023 Mid-Autumn Family Performance. Houston TX
Oct 2 2023 Trinity University. San Antonio, TX Oct 18 2023 University of California. Riverside CA Oct 25-28 2023 Tua-Tiu-Tiann International Festival of Arts. Taipei Taiwan
Nov 5 2023 Mount Olivet Baptist church. Peekskill, NY Nov 8 2023 University of the Arts. Philadelphia, PA Nov 9 2023 Chicago promontory. Chicago IL Nov 10 2023 the Carlisle room. Washington, DC Nov 11 2023 An Die Musik. Baltimore, MD
