Ancient Echoes: Jazz music meets classical Chinese poetry

Join us for an afternoon of extraordinary musical adventure brought to you by the Taipei-based jazz collective Zy the Way 中庸. Using poems from the ancient collection of poetry Book of Songs (Shijing 詩經) as the basis for their compositions, this performance seamlessly blends 3000-year-old ancient Chinese poetry and original jazz, crafting a distinctive and thought-provoking sonic experience.

CIW Postdoctoral Fellow Annie Ren will provide translations and exegesis of the poems in between songs. Representative Douglas Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia will deliver the welcoming remarks.

Light refreshments will be served at 3pm.

About Zy The Way
Zy The Way features a lineup of Taiwan’s top musicians such as versatile bassist Derrick Lin, woodwind specialist Jim "J" Geddes, and accomplished jazz drummer Steven Ma, transcends the boundaries of conventional jazz. Navigating music through the lens of the Doctrine of the Mean or “Zhong-Yong” 中庸, one of the four books of classical Chinese philosophy, Zy the Way encapsulates the balance between extremes, emphasizing a thoughtful and harmonious approach to life in the context of music.

Vocals/ Caitlin Magee
Piano/ Matt Fullen
Woodwinds/ Jim Geddes
Double Bass / Derrick Lin
Drums / Steven Ma
Poetry Reading / Tzu-Yung Tsai

We thank the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia for their support in making this performance possible at the Australian Centre on China in the World.