Richie Goods & Chien Chien "Connected" CD

Taiwanese vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu and African-American bassist Richie Goods, who has played in Alicia Keys' band, have completed a jazz album that transcends their identities! BIGYUKI also appears as a guest!

A collaborative album has been completed by Chien Chien Lu, a rising star in the vibraphone world, who is originally from Taiwan and is currently active at the forefront of jazz in NYC, and Richie Goods, the bassist who produced her debut album "The Path" and has played as a band member with Alicia Keys and Common. "CONNECTED" was created when Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods exchanged opinions on topics such as BLM and hate crimes against Asians while talking about their roots during the lockdown. Richie, an African American, and Chien Chien, an Asian, thought about the gap that exists as a stereotype between their respective communities, and this album was created by the friendship between the two of them, with the concept of love and peace, that people with different identities want to unite and fill that gap. The album starts with "Water/H20", a guest song by Sy Smith, an R&B singer also based in NYC. The opening song, which is over 7 minutes long, will take you to a paradise with Sy Smith's soulful and euphoric vocals and the gentle sound of the vibraphone. The third track, "Embrace the Now," features guest BIGYUKI, a Japanese keyboardist who is active in the same position as Chien Chien Lu, as a pure Asian who is fighting at the forefront of the NYC jazz scene. In particular, the synth sound of BIGYUKI, which creates a spacey and psychedelic space as it gradually enters the part with only vibraphone, bass, and drums in the second half of the song, will draw your attention. This album is, of course, perfect for enjoying jazz, and the cover of the fifth track, "Rain," a beloved rainy day classic, is truly soothing. However, this album is also characterized by songs filled with important messages, such as "2021 Interlude," which features a recording of the two discussing hate crimes against Asians over a relaxed jazz sound reminiscent of a jazz cafe, and "Rain Interlude," in which they talk about what inspired them to make this album over a similarly gentle background music. These songs are particularly memorable.

■Track list