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Yuhan Su

In many ways, Yuhan Su represents the voice of the new generation of jazz musicians. Though she is firmly rooted in jazz tradition, her music is innovative, emotional, cerebral and most importantly, always lyrical. Her compositions and improvisations are uniquely hers, marked with an amalgamation of complexity, intensity and emotional resonance. And though she is capable of blistering technique, she always maintains a sense of melodic lyricism and wonder in her playing.

"It's been a pretty wild music journey. From learning J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schuman..'s music by playing piano, and getting highly inspired by Ravel, Debussy, Bela Bartok by studying composition, until my percussion study in the university and graduate school, John Cage, Steve Reich, Iannis Xenakis, Keiko Abe, Minoru Miki... a lot of great contemporary composers' music walks into my ear. And after all this, it's jazz! Jazz is like a conclusion for me. I mean I got to learn the skill to conclude things and then develop it in my own way. It's hard to explain the genre and style, but I just need to non-stop write and play. Let all this energy transform to something from here. Let imagination go farer and farer." Yuhan said.

Yuhan Su, a native of Taiwan, had her first exposure to music when she started learning the piano at the young age of seven. She developed a passion for percussion at the age of ten and while keeping up her classical piano studies. In 2001, Yuhan entered the Taipei National University of Arts, majoring in Percussion, and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelors’ Degree in Music. She continued to pursue her musical studies and in 2008, graduated with a Masters in Music, majoring in Percussion from the same university.

In 2001-2003, Yuhan joined the Ju Percussion Group II and performed throughout Taiwan. She also held several percussion recitals during the years when she studied at the Taipei National University of Arts. In 2005, she was invited to perform in Seoul, Korea as a member of TNUA percussion ensemble. In 2006, she collaborated with a media artist and received the First Prize in Live Performance in Digital Art Awards.

Yuhan devoted herself to writing original songs using the traditional dialect of her country and in 2007, won First Prize with her band in the Hakka Music competition, also receiving First Prize in the 2007 Original Songwriting Competition.

During her formative years studying in the University of Arts, she was highly inspired by all kinds of Art forms including drama, literature, dance, and contemporary fine arts. She grew to be aware of the importance of originality and the excitement required to create great art. She started to look for her own musical voice.

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5
Album Review

Yuhan Su: Liberated Gesture

Read "Liberated Gesture" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


A remarkable feature of vibraphonist Yuhan Su's captivating fourth release as a leader, LIberated Gesture, is its cohesiveness and narrative quality. Even though only three tracks are part of a suite, common motifs and logical transitions interconnect all ten. This and the sublime balance between the emotional and the cerebral endows the work with its enchanting impressionism. Pianist Matt Mitchell sets an expectant mood on “Naked Swimmer" with his percussive and sparse chords. Mitchell, together with drummer Dan ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Yuhan Su, Stirrup, Arch Trio & Zenophilia

Read "Yuhan Su, Stirrup, Arch Trio & Zenophilia" reviewed by Maurice Hogue


A mixed bag of music with some interesting new albums: Taiwan/New York vibraphonist Yuhan Su dazzles with her release Liberated Gesture; piano threesomes from the Arch Trio from Italy, Wadji Riahi from Tunisia and Omawi from The Netherlands; Stirrup with Fred Longberg--Holm cello, Nick Macri bass & Charles Rumback drums, another trio of pianist John Blum, saxophonist David Murray & drummer Chad Taylor; the rootsy down-home flavour of Zenophilia from Italy, led by drummer Zeno Di Rossi; the sax/drums duo ...

2
Radio & Podcasts

Yuhan Su, Sam Eastmond, Vanessa Perica, Chien Chien Lu & More

Read "Yuhan Su, Sam Eastmond, Vanessa Perica, Chien Chien Lu & More" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


This time around we play with an unusual idea, alternating big band albums with albums recorded by vibraphone players. “Why?" you may ask... For no particular reason, other than the fact that we realized these tunes flow well together.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Nikki Iles “Red Ellen" Face to Face (Edition) 0:16 Host talks 7:27 Chien Chien Lu “Hsiu Chin" Built in System (Giant Steps Art) 9:27 ...

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Play This!

Yuhan Su: Naked Swimmer

Read "Yuhan Su: Naked Swimmer" reviewed by John Chacona


For Liberated Gesture, her fourth release, Taiwan-born, New York vibraphonist Yuhan Su assembled a band of saxophonist Caroline Davis, pianist Matt Mitchell, bassist Marty Kenney and drummer Dan Weiss, all of whom play at their usual exalted level. That's fast company, but Su holds her own, moving smoothly in and out of taut ensemble passages and soloing with the clarity and subtle color of tinted quartz. Still, she makes her most impressive contribution on Liberated Gesture with her pen, not ...

5
Radio & Podcasts

Yuhan Su + Sounds of the Middle East

Read "Yuhan Su + Sounds of the Middle East" reviewed by David Brown


This week we will feature a selection of music that congers of the sounds of the Middle-East though the lens of jazz. Our featured new release will be Liberated Gesture by Taiwanese vibraphonist and composer Yuhan Su. Old, new, in, out... wherever the music takes us. Each week, we will explore the elements of jazz from a historical perspective.Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 00:30 Cannonball Adderley Quintet “Hippodelphia" from Mercy, Mercy, ...

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Interview

Yuhan Su: Sun-Chaser On Vibraphone

Read "Yuhan Su: Sun-Chaser On Vibraphone" reviewed by Jiaowei Hu


Five thousand years ago, the giant Kuafu set out from the East in an impossible pursuit of the Sun. In his endless chase, says the Chinese classic Shan Hai Jing, he swallowed up all the waters of the Yellow and Wei Rivers, yet even these were insufficient to quench Kuafu's thirst. Ultimately, legend has it, Kuafu perished in his pursuit, yet the giant often referred to as “the Chinese Prometheus" remains mythologized for his fortitude, spirit and resolve.

1
Album Review

Yuhan Su: City Animals

Read "City Animals" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Dopo aver pubblicato due dischi con l'etichetta Inner Circle Music di Greg Osby (Flying Alone, 2013 e A Room of One's Own, 2015) la giovane vibrafonista taiwanese presenta un lavoro ancor più interessante a capo del suo quintetto con Matt Holman alla tromba, Alex LoRe al sax contralto, Petros Klampanis al contrabbasso e Nathan Ellman-Bell alla batteria. È lo stesso organico del disco appena precedente, eccetto l'ingresso del sassofonista al posto del chitarrista Kenji Herbert. Trasferitasi a ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs at Bond Lounge at Langham Boston Hotel on January 18

Jazz Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs at Bond Lounge at Langham Boston Hotel on January 18

Source: MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts

Jazz vibraphonist and composer Yuhan Su is performing with her quartet at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Langham Hotel in Boston on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. A native of Taiwan and a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, Su is preparing to release her first CD, and continues to perform and compose music. Su's performance is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz ...

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Performance / Tour

Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs at Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, November 16

Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs at Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, November 16

Source: MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts

Jazz vibraphonist and composer Yuhan Su is performing with her quartet at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Langham Hotel in Boston on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. A native of Taiwan and a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, Su is preparing to release her first CD, and continues to perform and compose music. Su's performance is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Liberated Gesture

Sunnyside Records
2023

buy

Unstuck in Time: The...

Sunnyside Records
2022

buy

City Animals

Sunnyside Records
2018

buy

A Room of One's Own

Inner Circle Music
2016

buy

A Room of One's Own

Inner Circle Music
2015

buy

Flying Alone

Inner Circle Music
2013

buy

Bokonon

From: Unstuck in Time: The Kurt...
By Yuhan Su

Freezing Point

From: A Room of One's Own
By Yuhan Su

Flying Alone

From: Flying Alone
By Yuhan Su

Videos

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