The Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra Releases New Project “Time Chamber” | LISTEN!
Pianist/Composer/Arranger
Monique Chao and her
Jazz Orchestra release
“Time Chamber”
(original release date: September 7th, 2024)
About Monique Chao
Monique Chao is from Taipei, Taiwan. Currently living in Milan, Italy. Monique first graduated in classical vocals at Taipei University of the Arts. After her arrival in Italy, she majored and graduated in jazz piano at G. Verdi Conservatory of Milan. Afterwards, she continued her master’s degree in jazz composition and graduated with the highest mark (110/110 e lode con menzione). Her thesis is a 50-minute Symphonic Jazz Orchestra Suite titled “Formosan Way”, dedicated to Taiwan. She got interviewed by 27 Ore of Corriere della Sera newspaper and Nuove Radici magazine for her success.
Monique is a diverse and active musician. From 2015 to 2023, she constantly travels between Europe and Taiwan for different jazz festivals with several projects: Monique Tiny Band, Monique Chao Quartet and Subconscious Trio. She has been the winner and finalist of several jazz composing competitions. She contributes in jazz education and creation. She works as a composer, arranger, recording musician, album producer and educator, and she is not stopping her steps of advance. In 2023, she represents Lucca Jazz Donna Fest as the main visual image artist in Italy.
The same year, she founded Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra based in Milan, Italy. In 2024, her commissioned big band composition “Trophy” in the debut album “Colors” by Decatur Jazz Band has been awarded “Outstanding Performance” Student Award in the 2024 Downbeat jazz magazine in USA. The same year, she has been invited again to compose for the prestigious Verdi Jazz Orchestra’s debut album. The orchestra is led by the composer/conductor Pino Jodice, in collaboration with the saxophonist Emanuele Cisi as the soloist.
About “Time Chamber” Compositions
1. Hollow
For jazz musicians, the sun, air, and water are the stage. Without the stage, their lives are just empty like a hollow drum.
2. Hyperbolic Time Chamber
Inspired by Japanese anime Dragon Ball where the warriors train their ability. Inside the chamber, both time and gravity are different from the outer world. After training, warriors can upgrade directly to Super Saiyans. This song was written during the global epidemic to describe how jazz musicians isolated themselves at home, practicing their instruments.
3. Women and Gravity
What if there was no gravity on Earth? Things would float away, also the numbers.
4. Melting City
All big cities in the world are like hot, bubbling pot, cooking good and bad, black and white, right and wrong. Do you happen to find them beautiful like I do?
5. Whale Fall
After each whale dies, its huge carcass will slowly sink. As it sinks, it is eaten by living creatures and it completes the marine food chain. This process is called “whale fall,” also known as “The last tenderness of the whale”.
6. Trophy
What’s so good about being a teenager? 1) you’re about to start an adventurous life. 2) even if you lose the game sometimes, eventually you will win. Youth is your trophy.
7. Chakra Marching
“Chakra” (Indo-European language in India) means “wheel” and refers to your energy points in your body. Chakra in Japanese manga series Naruto refers to a vital component in ninja world. It could be used to perform “jutsu”.
8. Chester Is Boss
Chester Bennington (1976-2017), lead vocalist
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