ABOUT CHien CHien Lu

Chien Chien Lu is a jazz vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer whose Taiwanese heritage, classical training, and passion for groove define her fresh, distinctive approach to contemporary jazz. Her journey in music began at age six with classical piano, followed by classical percussion at ten. She trained intensively for two decades, performing with the world-renowned Ju Percussion Group for five years and touring extensively across Asia before turning her focus to jazz in 2015.

Lu remembers her time in Taiwan immersed in the world of classical music: disciplined, structured, and full of beauty; but something was always missing. No matter how precise the performance, she felt a deeper voice inside her that wasn’t being heard. There was a call to break free from the page, to step into a world where she could speak honestly and spontaneously. That call eventually brought her to the United States, where she began exploring jazz and improvisation as a way to express her truest self.

Recently named one of DownBeat Magazine's “25 for the Future” and one of the “10 Emerging Jazz Artists of 2023” by the Recording Academy, Lu has quickly risen as a dynamic force in today’s jazz scene. Her latest collaborative album with bassist Richie Goods, CONNECTED, won “Best Instrumental Album” at the 34th Golden Melody Awards.

Lu’s fierce authenticity and jazz mastery shine in her debut solo album The Path (2020), which spent 20 weeks in the JazzWeek Top 20, won “Best Jazz Song” at the Golden Indie Music Awards, and earned three Golden Melody and four Golden Indie nominations. She was also voted a “vibraphone rising star” in DownBeat Magazine’s 69th Annual Critics Poll. Her band has performed at prestigious festivals like the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and DC Jazz Festival, and toured across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

Before jazz, Lu’s classical career included a solo percussion recital at Taipei Novel Hall and performances of Ching-Mei Lin’s six-mallet marimba concerto Pulsing Wave. She was named an “Emerging Young Artist” in 2014 for her marimba duo work, and her classical sensibility continues to shape her sound.

Her transition to jazz was sparked at the 2017 Banff Jazz Residency under the direction of Vijay Iyer, where she met trumpet icon Jeremy Pelt. This pivotal experience launched her into the U.S. jazz scene and led to her joining the Jeremy Pelt Quintet. Her sophomore album Built In System (2023) was praised as one of the best jazz and world albums of the year by The Times of London.

Lu now focuses on her collaborative band with bassist Richie Goods, CONNECTED. The group recently performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Stanford Jazz Festival, and the Taipei International Percussion Convention. They are scheduled to appear at SFJAZZ in late 2025, and Lu will return to Taiwan to teach and perform at the National Concert Hall Jazz Festival summer 2025. In 2026, she will collaborate with the WDR Big Band on a new project. Currently, CONNECTED is preparing to record their second album, CONNECTED Vol. 2.

魯千千，旅美台灣爵士鐵琴手、當代打擊樂手與作曲家，現居紐約。融合了台灣文化背景、古典音樂訓練與對Groove的熱愛，她以新穎而獨特的聲音，在當代爵士樂界嶄露頭角。魯千千被美國《DownBeat》雜誌評選為「未來25位重要音樂家」之一，並榮登葛萊美主辦單位Recording Academy評選的「2023十位新興爵士音樂家」名單，成為國際間備受矚目的新生代爵士樂手。

魯千千六歲起學習古典鋼琴，十歲開始學習打擊樂，並於國立台北藝術大學取得碩士學位。她曾任朱宗慶打擊樂團成員，隨團巡演於北京、上海、廣州、新加坡與日本等地。儘管古典音樂世界充滿紀律與美感，她內心始終渴望更真誠、自由的表達。2015年，她毅然赴美攻讀爵士演奏，並於2017年自費城藝術大學畢業後，移居紐約，全心投入爵士樂與即興創作。

她曾隨美國知名小號手Jeremy Pelt五重奏巡迴世界各大舞台，錄製多張專輯，並於Jazz Standard、Smalls、Smoke及Dizzy’s Jazz Club等紐約頂尖爵士場館演出。個人首張專輯《行 The Path》於2020年推出，在全美JazzWeek Top 20排行榜停留18週，並獲得金曲獎三項提名、金音獎四項提名，單曲〈行〉更榮獲「最佳爵士歌曲獎」。

2023年，她與貝斯手里奇・古瓷（Richie Goods）合作發行的專輯《繫 Connected》，榮獲第34屆金曲獎「演奏類最佳專輯獎」，並由日本P-Vine發行日版專輯與黑膠。同年秋天，她發行第二張個人專輯《內建系統 Built-in System》，獲金曲獎三項提名及金音獎兩項提名，並被《泰晤士報》與《DownBeat》雜誌評選為年度最佳專輯之一。

她目前專注於與里奇・古瓷共同領軍的團隊「繫 CONNECTED」，演出足跡遍及Monterey Jazz Festival、Stanford Jazz Festival、DC Jazz Festival及台灣國際打擊樂節等，並將於2025年在舊金山SFJAZZ登台。同年夏天，她亦將返台於國家音樂廳主辦之爵士樂節教學與演出，並於2026年與德國WDR Big Band展開全新合作計畫。

從古典到爵士，從台灣到世界，魯千千以誠摯、自由與極具生命力的聲音，持續在國際爵士樂壇寫下獨一無二的篇章。

More About Richie Goods and Chien Chien “CONNECTED“

Our music has always been about connecting people, bridging different cultures, races, or whatever divides us. I firmly believe that music is the universal language, offering a perfect means of connecting cultures, even though we come from diverse musical backgrounds.

We 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. We find that aspect truly special.

Also, the development of music often traces an economic route. Jazz, for instance, found its origins in Louisiana where it accompanied business activities, becoming an essential part of the local culture. Similarly, Taiwan's traditional Nanguan music (南管音樂) has its roots in Quanzhou and followed an economic route along the shoreline. We find this historical connection fascinating. This is also why jazz migrated to New York, as it became the new financial hub..."

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. I believe that finding ways to advance the music, often through collaborations between musicians from different backgrounds, can be very beneficial.

I 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.

Live

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Management

Brian McKenna

brian@mckennagroupproductions.com

 Booking

MARIA MATIAS

maria@mariamatiasmusic.com

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