Spirits From Both Sides: Arturo O’Farrill x Vincent Hsu
Aug 15, 2026
DATE: Saturday, August 15, 2026
TIME: 8 PM
Advance Tickets: $45 General Admission | $40 Members | $150 Table for 2 [Includes 2 Tickets, Bottle of Wine/Sparkling Water, Cheese and Dessert plate] [Reservation Only, First Come, First Served] $130 Table for 2 Member Price
Day-of: $50 General Admission | $45 Members
Join us for an incredible evening of jazz!
Spirits from Both Sides brings together two distinct lineages of Afro-Cuban Jazz into a single evening to create an Afro-Taiwanese Jazz Orchestra. Six-time Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill, a leading voice in Afro-Latin Jazz, is joined by longtime collaborator, bassist and composer Vincent Hsu, whose award-winning music fuses Jazz and Afro-Cuban sounds with his Taiwanese roots, for an evening of cultural exploration spanning continents and traditions.
Stay after the concert for a talk between O’Farrill and Hsu, moderated by former Executive Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Tracy Hyter-Suffern.
About the Artists
Arturo O’Farrill
Mexican-born pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill stands as a towering figure in contemporary music, renowned for his genre-defying virtuosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice through music. O'Farrill is a celebrated composer whose work has been performed by Dr. Cornel West, pianist Lara Downes, The San Francisco Ballet, and others. Hailed by DownBeat as "one of our greatest living pianists”, O’Farrill bridges the gap between traditional Latin rhythms, modern jazz, and contemporary composition, continually pushing the boundaries of the art form while maintaining a profound connection to his roots. Beyond performing worldwide, O'Farrill is a passionate educator and advocate for political and social justice, using his platform to champion diversity and unity. As founder and director of both the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) and Belongó (formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance), O'Farrill plays a pivotal role in nurturing cultural dialogue through the transformative power of music.
Vincent Hsu
Vincent Hsu is an award-winning bassist and composer who fuses jazz and Afro-Cuban music with his Taiwanese roots. Born in Changhua, Taiwan, and raised in Kaohsiung, he launched his musical career in New York City, where his debut album, Homeland, won "Best Jazz Album" at the 2014 Golden Indie Music Awards. His composition "Dreamer's Blues," from the album In Our Blood, won "Best Jazz Single of the Year" at the 2018 Golden Indie Music Awards and later earned a Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement from the Global Music Awards. Hsu is the Founder and Music Director of Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band and the Jazz Supreme Orchestra, bringing together African polyrhythms, Latin and jazz improvisation, and Taiwanese compositional elements to create vivid, original storytelling.
低音提琴演奏暨作曲家。成長於高雄，旅居紐約八年，畢業於 NYU 紐約大學爵士演奏碩士。演奏風格擅長爵士與非洲古巴音樂，活躍於國內外各大音樂節現場，曾受邀於馬德里爵士音樂節、紐奧良 NOLA River 音樂節、釜山爵士音樂節、紐約和北京 Blue Note、臺中/臺北爵士音樂節、兩廳院夏日爵士音樂節等地演出，並成為美國紐奧良爵士博物館首次邀演之臺灣音樂家，巡迴至芝加哥、紐約、康乃狄克州。近年亦透過線上演出呈現臺灣爵士樂世界觀，包括 UNESCO 聯合國教科文組織「國際爵士日」線上馬拉松、羅德島 FirstWorks 藝術節，並參與愛丁堡爵士及藍調音樂節「世界爵士」線上單元，為該音樂節唯一入選之亞洲樂團。自2021年受衛武營國家藝術文化中心之邀，策劃演出世界首演新作《大河精神—給愛河與密西西比河的爵士組曲》、2023新年音樂會《摩城之聲 搖滾古巴》。
以首張爵士創作專輯《Homeland》獲第5屆金音創作獎「年度最佳爵士專輯」，以及第26屆金曲獎三項提名，包括「演奏類最佳專輯」、「演奏類最佳專輯製作人」、「演奏類最佳作曲人」。並獲由新加坡、馬來西亞、台灣三地音樂傳媒評選之第八屆 Freshmusic Awards「年度最佳演奏專輯」。作曲〈夢想家的藍調〉獲第9屆金音創作獎「年度最佳爵士單曲」；專輯《In Our Blood古巴吶喊》獲美國全球音樂獎（Global Music Awards）銀獎，並以〈The Era大時代〉成為ISC國際作曲大賽（International Songwriting Competition）決選作品。現任「Soy La Ley 古巴爵士樂團」、「Jazz Supreme 爵士樂團」兩團團長，以及兩廳院夏日爵士策展人—除現場演出外，深感爵士樂文化和原創作品之重要，致力於爵士樂與非洲古巴音樂文化之推廣、教育和國際連結。目前於臺藝大任教，指導與創立「臺藝大爵士與非洲古巴大樂團」。主持之《Jazz Supreme 爵士．無所不在》廣播節目獲2020年金鐘獎「最佳類型音樂節目」、「最佳類型音樂節目主持人」。
2023年10月甫發行最新專輯《大河精神—給愛河與密西西比河的爵士組曲》，被美國權威爵士樂雜誌《DownBeat》評為 “Editors' Picks”（編輯嚴選），並獲高達四顆星的樂評推薦。
| Date | Performance Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | 8:00 PM |
DATE: Saturday, August 15, 2026
TIME: 8 PM
Advance Tickets: $45 General Admission | $40 Members | $150 Table for 2 [Includes 2 Tickets, Bottle of Wine/Sparkling Water, Cheese and Dessert plate] [Reservation Only, First Come, First Served] $130 Table for 2 Member Price
Day-of: $50 General Admission | $45 Members
Join us for an incredible evening of jazz!
Spirits from Both Sides brings together two distinct lineages of Afro-Cuban Jazz into a single evening to create an Afro-Taiwanese Jazz Orchestra. Six-time Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill, a leading voice in Afro-Latin Jazz, is joined by longtime collaborator, bassist and composer Vincent Hsu, whose award-winning music fuses Jazz and Afro-Cuban sounds with his Taiwanese roots, for an evening of cultural exploration spanning continents and traditions.
Stay after the concert for a talk between O’Farrill and Hsu, moderated by former Executive Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Tracy Hyter-Suffern.
About the Artists
Arturo O’Farrill
Mexican-born pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill stands as a towering figure in contemporary music, renowned for his genre-defying virtuosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice through music. O'Farrill is a celebrated composer whose work has been performed by Dr. Cornel West, pianist Lara Downes, The San Francisco Ballet, and others. Hailed by DownBeat as "one of our greatest living pianists”, O’Farrill bridges the gap between traditional Latin rhythms, modern jazz, and contemporary composition, continually pushing the boundaries of the art form while maintaining a profound connection to his roots. Beyond performing worldwide, O'Farrill is a passionate educator and advocate for political and social justice, using his platform to champion diversity and unity. As founder and director of both the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) and Belongó (formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance), O'Farrill plays a pivotal role in nurturing cultural dialogue through the transformative power of music.
Vincent Hsu
Vincent Hsu is an award-winning bassist and composer who fuses jazz and Afro-Cuban music with his Taiwanese roots. Born in Changhua, Taiwan, and raised in Kaohsiung, he launched his musical career in New York City, where his debut album, Homeland, won "Best Jazz Album" at the 2014 Golden Indie Music Awards. His composition "Dreamer's Blues," from the album In Our Blood, won "Best Jazz Single of the Year" at the 2018 Golden Indie Music Awards and later earned a Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement from the Global Music Awards. Hsu is the Founder and Music Director of Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band and the Jazz Supreme Orchestra, bringing together African polyrhythms, Latin and jazz improvisation, and Taiwanese compositional elements to create vivid, original storytelling.
低音提琴演奏暨作曲家。成長於高雄，旅居紐約八年，畢業於 NYU 紐約大學爵士演奏碩士。演奏風格擅長爵士與非洲古巴音樂，活躍於國內外各大音樂節現場，曾受邀於馬德里爵士音樂節、紐奧良 NOLA River 音樂節、釜山爵士音樂節、紐約和北京 Blue Note、臺中/臺北爵士音樂節、兩廳院夏日爵士音樂節等地演出，並成為美國紐奧良爵士博物館首次邀演之臺灣音樂家，巡迴至芝加哥、紐約、康乃狄克州。近年亦透過線上演出呈現臺灣爵士樂世界觀，包括 UNESCO 聯合國教科文組織「國際爵士日」線上馬拉松、羅德島 FirstWorks 藝術節，並參與愛丁堡爵士及藍調音樂節「世界爵士」線上單元，為該音樂節唯一入選之亞洲樂團。自2021年受衛武營國家藝術文化中心之邀，策劃演出世界首演新作《大河精神—給愛河與密西西比河的爵士組曲》、2023新年音樂會《摩城之聲 搖滾古巴》。
以首張爵士創作專輯《Homeland》獲第5屆金音創作獎「年度最佳爵士專輯」，以及第26屆金曲獎三項提名，包括「演奏類最佳專輯」、「演奏類最佳專輯製作人」、「演奏類最佳作曲人」。並獲由新加坡、馬來西亞、台灣三地音樂傳媒評選之第八屆 Freshmusic Awards「年度最佳演奏專輯」。作曲〈夢想家的藍調〉獲第9屆金音創作獎「年度最佳爵士單曲」；專輯《In Our Blood古巴吶喊》獲美國全球音樂獎（Global Music Awards）銀獎，並以〈The Era大時代〉成為ISC國際作曲大賽（International Songwriting Competition）決選作品。現任「Soy La Ley 古巴爵士樂團」、「Jazz Supreme 爵士樂團」兩團團長，以及兩廳院夏日爵士策展人—除現場演出外，深感爵士樂文化和原創作品之重要，致力於爵士樂與非洲古巴音樂文化之推廣、教育和國際連結。目前於臺藝大任教，指導與創立「臺藝大爵士與非洲古巴大樂團」。主持之《Jazz Supreme 爵士．無所不在》廣播節目獲2020年金鐘獎「最佳類型音樂節目」、「最佳類型音樂節目主持人」。
2023年10月甫發行最新專輯《大河精神—給愛河與密西西比河的爵士組曲》，被美國權威爵士樂雜誌《DownBeat》評為 “Editors' Picks”（編輯嚴選），並獲高達四顆星的樂評推薦。
| Date | Performance Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | 8:00 PM |
