Co-curated by Taiwanese musician Vincent Hsu (徐崇育) and jazz band Harlem Inc., a music performance titled "Harlem Legacy: Back to St. Nick’s Pub" will be presented at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, as part of its online program "Jazz From Around the World," from July 16 to 25.
This year, a total of five online concerts by music teams from Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and other European countries were selected to present their works in the program. Vincent Hsu and Harlem Inc. is the only Asian team selected and a pre-recorded session of their “Harlem Legacy: Back to St. Nick’s Pub” performance at Taipei National Concert Hall in 2019 will be broadcasted online.
Cultural Division of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK pointed out that, Vincent Hsu and Harlem Inc. launched "Harlem Legacy: Back to St. Nick’s Pub" at "NTCH Summer Jazz" party in 2019, taking the audience back to Harlem in the 1960s, integrating Taiwanese spirit into the performance featuring Hard Bop, R&B, Funk, Latin, and Reggae, as well as many original elements.
Due to the pandemic, Cultural Division of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK pointed out that through the collaboration with National Concert Hall, "Harlem Legacy: Back to St. Nick’s Pub" has been selected by the festival and they look forward to having more Taiwanese musicians attend this event in the future.
Vincent Hsu, a double bassist and composer with performances spanning across Asia, Europe, and America, has performed for many years at the iconic landmark of jazz music, St. Nick's Pub in Harlem, New York. He has also won several awards such as Global Music Awards, Golden Indie Music Awards, and other awards, to name a few.
Founded in 1978, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is held in late July annually, presenting more than 150 concerts and attracting over 60,000 audiences. Additionally, more than 12,000 people also viewed the live-streamed concert.
Following the impact of COVID-19, the performers of the physical concert are mainly local British musicians, and the international teams will participate in a total of 42 online shows. Viewers can access all online programs for a limited period with an online pass purchased before July 5.
For more information, please visit Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival's website.