"CONNECTED" was formed during the lockdown. Bassist Richie Goods and vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu had frequent conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement and unwarranted hate crimes against Asians. They decided to undertake a project that would unify people and evoke imagery of love and peace. Not only was the music they produced impressive, but their friendship also deepened as they explored the stereotypical discord that often exists between the African American and Asian communities. Richie Goods and Chien Chien met in 2019 during a European tour. Shortly after, Richie produced Chien Chien's debut album, The Path. As their collaboration continued to flourish, a new endeavor emerged: "Connected," a project that embodied the profound musical connection between them.
Chien Chien’s foundation in classical training provided a rich and textured canvas upon which their collaborative work thrived. Her intricate knowledge of classical nuances intertwined seamlessly with Richie Goods' background rooted in the realms of R&B and funk, creating an enchanting juxtaposition of genres that breathed life into their compositions.
Music is the fulfillment of Richie Goods' destiny – it’s in his DNA. The youngest person ever inducted into the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame, bassist Richie Goods got an early start playing in church and clubs while still attending 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 credits jazz luminary Mulgrew Miller for helping him hone his jazz skills early in his career. Richie toured and recorded with Mulgrew for nine years. That opportunity brought Richie to the attention of many in the jazz community and afforded him the opportunity to record and tour with a variety of jazz and popular artists ranging from the Headhunters, Lenny White, Louis Hayes and the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, Milt Jackson, Russell Malone, Vincent Herring, the Manhattan Transfer and Walter Beasley to Brian McKnight, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera. Richie’s lengthy discography also includes Grammy award-winning and platinum albums of Alicia Keys and Common. Richie most recently toured with Grammy-winning trumpeter, Chris Botti and Sting. When not on tour, he can be found in his Westchester, New York studio, producing records for his company, RichMan Music, Inc. His first three solo projects with his fusion/funk band, Richie Goods and Nuclear Fusion, Live at the Zinc Bar, Three Rivers and My Left Hand Man all received critical acclaim. Richie is busier and more excited than ever, touring and promoting his new collaboration recording with vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu, Connected.
Chien Chien Lu is a vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer whose Taiwanese upbringing, classical music education, and passion for grooves crystallize into a fresh and distinctive approach to contemporary jazz.
Lu has recently been included in the list of 10 Emerging Jazz Artists 2023 by Grammy (Recording Academy). Her collaborative album with bassist Richie Goods, Connected just received the 34th Golden Melody Awards “Best Instrumental Album.” Her fierce authenticity and jazz mastery shine bright on her September 2020 debut solo project, The Path, which spent 20 weeks on the Jazz Week Charts Top 20, earned Best Jazz Songs in Golden Indie Music Awards and three Golden Melody Awards nominations, four Golden Indie Music Awards nominations and led to Lu’s being named the “vibraphone rising star” in DownBeat Magazine.
Lu offers a unique, intersectional perspective on modern jazz as a Taiwanese-born woman vibraphonist with a masters in classical music from Taipei National University of the Arts as well as in jazz from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. In her time as a classical percussionist, Lu has collaborated with composer Ching-Mei Lin and performed her marimba concerto for six-mallet marimba entitled “Pulsing Wave,” performed a solo percussion concert at Taipei Novel Hall, and in 2014, was named “Emerging Young Artist” for her work with her marimba duo at Taipei University of the Arts.
In 2015, Lu came to the United States to study jazz vibraphone with Philadelphia’s Tony Miceli, and graduated with a Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from University of the Arts in Philadelphia shortly thereafter. In 2017, she attended the prestigious Banff Jazz Residency under the direction of jazz pianist, Vijay Iyer, where she first met jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. From there, Lu began to perform regularly in the U.S. and was invited to join the esteemed Jeremey Pelt Quintet.
She just released her sophomore solo project Built in System live from New York and it was selected by The Times of London as one of the best jazz and world albums of 2023.
