Introduction
Jo-Yu Chen is a Taiwanese jazz pianist and composer.
Life and career
Chen was born in Taiwan and initially studied classical music. She listened in particular to Romantic composers and moved at the age of 16 to New York's Juilliard School, mainly to study oboe. She became exposed to more types of music there, and became more interested in jazz. She later obtained a PhD in music education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She then continued her studies at The New School and took jazz piano lessons from Sam Yahel.
Chen's first album, Obsession, was released in 2009. This was followed three years later by another trio album, Incomplete Soul. In 2014, Chen, as "the first Taiwanese jazz artist signed to a major label", released Stranger, an album consisting largely of her original compositions.
Discography
An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009,2011* | Obsession | Sony Music Taiwan | Trio, with Chris Tordini (bass), Tommy Crane (drums), one track with Tyshawn Sorey (drums) |
| 2012* | Incomplete Soul | Sony Music | Most tracks trio, with Chris Tordini (bass), Tommy Crane (drums); one track quartet, with Andy Lin (erhu) added |
| 2014* | Stranger | Okeh, Sony Music | Most tracks trio, with Chris Tordini (bass), Tommy Crane (drums); some tracks quartet, with Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) added |
| 2019* | Savage Beauty | Sony Music | Most tracks trio, with Chris Tordini (bass), Tommy Crane (drums); some tracks quartet, with Mark Turner (sax) added |