Taiwanese musician Lu Chien-chien (魯千千) and her group were invited to partake in the 18th DC Jazz Festival, the largest jazz festival in the mid-Atlantic region, from Sept. 3 and 4 for the first time, under the support of the Ministry of Culture and Taiwan Academy of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.
During the two days, Chien Chien Lu Quintet brought nearly an hour of contemporary jazz music performances to the audience at the Wharf in Washington, DC and at the Union Stage music bar, respectively.
Lu is a vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist and composer whose Taiwanese upbringing, classical music education and passion for R&B grooves crystallize into a fresh and distinctive approach to contemporary jazz. She obtained her masters in Classical Music from the Taipei National University of the Arts as well as in Jazz from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
Lu's fierce authenticity and jazz mastery shine bright on her Sep. 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 being named the "vibraphone rising star" in Downbeat Magazine’s 69th Annual Critics Poll. Lu’s band has also played many prestigious festivals, including the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and toured extensively in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Established in 2004, the DC Jazz Festival is an annual event. The 2022 edition featured an extraordinary assemblage of performers, ranging from DC legends and emerging talents to NEA Jazz Masters and international superstars, with concerts at a variety of venues.