Episode 26-Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods: A Real Team

Taiwanese vibraphonist and percussionist Chien Chien Lu, along with Pittsburg, Pennsylvania native bassist Richie Goods, have crafted a sound that is both captivating and rhythmic. Their music draws from a rich tapestry of cultural influences including Taiwanese, American, and African-American traditions, especially within the jazz sub-culture. Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods are dedicated to expanding their musical repertoire, creating a unique connection that resonates deeply with listeners.

In the fall of 2024, Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods visited Columbus, Ohio, where they met with students at Otterbein University and performed to a captivated full house audience. During their visit, they visited my studio, sharing compelling stories about their individual paths into jazz and the inception of their musical collaboration. Chien Chien Lu recounted her transition from playing classical music in Taiwan to exploring the creative latitude of jazz upon her relocation to the United States. She arrived in the US holding a master’s degree in classical percussion but sought the unique expressions of jazz. While pursuing graduate studies in Philadelphia, Chien was introduced to Jeremy Pelt, one of today’s leading trumpeters. Impressed by her talent, Pelt included Chien in his subsequent European tour and later featured her in his next album. At that time, Richie Goods was a member of Pelt’s band. In 2017, Chien graduated with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts. It all then fell together.

Richie Goods describes his journey into jazz through performing arts school in Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School. After graduating from the prestigious jazz program at Berklee College of Music, Richie moved to New York City, where he studied under jazz legends Ron Carter and Ray Brown. Richie worked extensively with jazz piano legend Mulgrew Miller for nine years, which provided opportunities to perform with other major jazz luminaries including Russell Malone, Lenny White, Louis Hayes, and Vincent Herring. His extensive discography includes Grammy award-winning and platinum albums by Alicia Keys and Common.

Connected is a band jointly led by Richie Goods and Chien Chien Lu, and their latest recording is Connected vol. 1. This pandemic era-project was derived from frequent conversations Richie Goods and Chien Chien had about the Black Lives Matter movement and the unwarranted hate crimes against Asians. They decided to do a project that would unify people and invoke imagery of love and peace, says Richie. The result is a dynamic jazz group influenced by global sounds, which reflects the musical identities of Richie and Chien. Connected vol. 1, won “Best Instrumental Album” at the 34th Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.

The playlist for this episode includes five recordings. They tap into their latest recording, Connected vol. 1 and Chien Chien Lu’s first recording, The Path. Richie Goods produced The Path and Connected vol. 1. The playlist for this episode:

1.Treasure Mountain, Connected vol. 1, (Richie Goods/Chien Chien Lu), RichMan Music, 2023-(8:16); Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Electric bass & acoustic bass; Brett Williams-Keyboards & Rhodes; Quintin Zoto-Guitar; David Frazier, Jr.-Drums; Danny Sadownick-Percussion

2.Blind Faith, The Path (Chien Chien Lu), RichMan Music, 2020-(5:26); Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Bass & Electric Bass; Shedrick Mitchell-Piano & Organ; Quintin Zoto-Guitar; Allan Medford-Drums; Percussion-Ismel Wignall

3.We Live in Brooklyn Baby, The Path (Chien Chien Lu), Richman Music, 2020-(5:38) Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Bass & Electric Bass; Jeremy Pelt-Trumpet; Shedrick Mitchell-Piano & Organ; Quintin Zoto-Guitar; Allan Mednard-Drums; Percussion-Ismel Wignall; Yoojin Park-Violin; Phoebe Tsai-Cello

4.Someday We’ll All Be Free, Connected vol. 1, (Donnie Hathaway), Richman Music, 2023-(7:26); Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Electric bass & acoustic bass; Jamison Ross-vocal; Piano/Organ-Shedrick Mitchell; Lil John Roberts-Drums; Danny Sadownick-Percussion

Thanks to A Tribe for Jazz for helping to make this interview happen and their support. Please note that there may be some technical issues in the audio. However, the conversation rich in content. Thank you for listening. Subscribe and you’ll be one of the first to listen to upcoming episodes, articles, and announcements. Photo by Stephen Pyo

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