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Jason Kao Hwang
The music of Jason Kao Hwang (composer/violin/viola) explores the vibrations of his history. His compositions are often narrative landscapes through which sonic beings embark upon extemporaneous, transformational journeys. His most recent releases, Myths of Origin, Soliloquies, Book of Stories, Uncharted Faith, and The Human Rites Trio, have received critical acclaim. Raised during the “melting pot” era of assimilation, Mr. Hwang did not learn Chinese from his immigrant parents, only English. When his parents spoke in Chinese to each other, he would listen intently to glean meaning from the inflection, rhythm, and timbre of their phrases. Mr. Hwang imagines this musical experience of the Chinese language as the foundation of his creative instincts. In addition, amongst his many musical inspirations are the Chinese erhu and pipa, as well as the Korean gayageum. In 2020, 2019, 2018, 2013 and 2012, the El Intruso International Critics Poll voted him #1 for Violin/Viola. In 2017 Downbeat Magazine named his quintet Sing House as one of the best CDs of the year. The 2012 Downbeat Critics’ Poll voted Mr. Hwang as Rising Star for Violin. The first Burning Bridge was one of the top CDs of 2012 by both Jazziz and the Jazz Times. In 2011 he released Symphony of Souls performed by his improvising string orchestra, Spontaneous River. In 2010, the New York City Jazz Record selected Commitment, The Complete Recordings, 1981-1983 from a collective that was Mr. Hwang’s first band, as one of the 2010 Reissued Recordings of the Year. His quartet EDGE released, EDGE (2006), Stories Before Within (2008), and Crossroads Unseen (2011), all of which appeared on many top ten of the year lists. His chamber opera The Floating Box, A Story in Chinatown was one of the Top Ten Opera Recordings of 2005 by Opera News. Mr. Hwang has received a 2023 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. He has received past support from Chamber Music America, NEA, Rockefeller Foundation, NY Community Trust, NYSCA, US Artists International, Meet the Composer, and others. As violinist, he has worked with Henry Threadgill, William Parker, Anthony Braxton, Butch Morris, Reggie Workman, Joëlle Leandre, Steve Swell, Taylor Ho Bynum, Tomeka Reid, Pauline Oliveros, Billy Bang, Leroy Jenkins, Patrick Brennan, Will Connell, Jr., Zen Matsuura, Oliver Lake, Jerome Cooper and others.
Awards
El Intruso International Critics Poll Violinist of the Year: 2019,, 2018, 2013, 2012
Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll Rising Star Violin, 2017
Grants: Chamber Music America, NEA, Rockefeller Foundation, NY Community Trust, NYSCA, US Artists International, Meet the Composer
Gear
ACOUSTIC VIOLIN/VIOLA SETUP
Audio Sprockets Tonedexter II preamp
Neunaber Immersive reverb
Xotic FX volume pedal
ELECTRIC VIOLIN SET UP
Atomic amplifire 12 multi-FX processor
RAT distortion
Clinch FX EP3
Xotic FX volume pedal
QSC K10.2 powered speaker
Tags
Jason Kao Hwang: Myths of Origin
by Jerome Wilson
Violinist and composer Jason Kao Hwang has worked with groups of every size, from duos up to full orchestras. “Myths of Origin" is one of his large-scale pieces, an imposing 42-minute work for an improvising string orchestra and drum set. It runs without interruption, but the recording breaks it down into nine sections. The music starts slowly, rising in a mass of seething bowed strings with a slight trace of Asian melody. It progresses into a dense cloud ...
Continue ReadingJason Kao Hwang: Soliloquies, Unaccompanied Pizzicato Violin Improvisations
by Mark Corroto
Violinist Jason Kao Hwang is the kind of collaborator every creative improviser dreams of having. His résumé reads like a who's who of avant-garde jazz, including partnerships with Butch Morris, Henry Threadgill, William Parker, Ivo Perelman, Anthony Braxton, and Steve Swell, among others. Hwang's musical versatility and deeply intuitive improvisational sensibility have made him a sought-after voice across a wide spectrum of exploratory music. With Soliloquies, Hwang steps away from the dynamic interplay of ensemble work to present ...
Continue ReadingJason Kao Hwang: Soliloquies, Unaccompanied Pizzicato Violin Improvisations
by Richard J Salvucci
Jason Kao Hwang is a child of Chinese immigrants, and previously recorded in Book of Stories (2023), Uncharted Faith (2022), and Human Rites Trio(2022), a CD completed during the Covid-19 pandemic. He places his music, on viola and violin, within the category of avant-garde-jazz-soul-folk. In the abstract, he calls his music “a celebration of life." Some might think his playing most akin to that of a mandolin, for that is the sound he conjures up. Fans ...
Continue ReadingAlbum Review
Joëlle Léandre: Lifetime Rebel
by Neri Pollastri
RogueArt presenta questo cofanetto di cinque dischi interamente dedicato alla figura della leggendaria contrabbassista francese Joëlle Léandre, documentando la sua presenza al Vision Festival 2023, tenutosi presso il Roulette di Brooklyn, e aggiungendovi un concerto tenutosi pochi mesi dopo in Francia ed un DVD con un video nel quale l'artista suona alcuni brani in solo durante un'intervista in cui parla della sua carriera. Il primo disco, registrato appunto al Vision Festival il 13 giugno 2023, vede all'opera il ...
Continue ReadingJoëlle Léandre: Lifetime Rebel
by Mark Corroto
Joëlle Léandre is the definition of a force of nature. She is unstoppable, unforgettable, and full of boundless energy. It is the nature of her force that recordings like Lifetime Rebel attempt to capture. These four CDs--plus an interview and solo performance DVD--capture a moment, but just a moment of her inexhaustible spirit, before she moves on. Recorded in 2023, Léandre was honored with a lifetime achievement award during New York's Vision Festival. The performances captured are by diverse and ...
Continue ReadingDino Duo: J.A. Deane & Jason Kao Hwang: Uncharted Faith
by Karl Ackermann
The idiosyncratic nature of Jason Kao Hwang's work lends itself to a broad range of collaborative possibilities. Uncharted Faith, a duo recording with electronics artist J.A. Deane, is unique because of both its experimental essence and its personal backstory. Deane (aka, Dino) lost his life-partner in 2019 and went into wooded seclusion to finish a book. The composer & violinist Hwang and Deane had discussed a project and the latter requested some Hwang material to improvise around. On only two ...
Continue ReadingWilliam Parker: Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World
by Karl Ackermann
If multi-instrumentalist/composer William Parker's ten-CD Migration Of Silence Into And Out Of The Tone World suggests a cohesive, high concept plan, it is something more. The beautifully packaged clamshell box set is comprised of mutually exclusive projects—one dating back ten years—with some common themes. There is an overall dedication of the music to “all people of the world who are searching for freedom...." Pandemic downtime resulted in Parker's accumulating enough material for many of these albums. Viewed as a whole, ...
Continue ReadingNYC Salon Concert With David Soldier, Jason Kao Hwang, Gene Pritsker & Robert C. Ford Set for Thursday January 11, 2023
Source:
Robert C. Ford
On Thursday January 11, 2023, at 7:30pm EST a concert will be held at the Sky Vault in the Financial District of New York City. It will feature original music and poetry by world class performers in an intimate salon atmosphere. This event is private but a free livestream is available via the Ticket Link below to the Facebook event page. Featured performers include David Soldier violin/acoustic guitar, Jason Kao Hwang violin, Gene Pritsker electric guitar and Robert C. Ford ...
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Jason Kao Hwang/Edge at Jimmy's, This Sunday, 1/6, 9PM
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Happy New Year! EDGE will be performing music from their new CD Stories Before Within (Innova Records), at Jimmy's this coming Sunday, January 6th, starting at 9pm. Jimmy's, a former speakeasy, is a great place to hear music. Go in, follow the secret passage and find the hidden theater. Sunday, January 6th, 9pm JASON KAO HWANG/EDGE Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet/flugelhorn Andrew Drury - drum kit Ken Filiano - string bass Jason ...
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Local Lingo Wednesday, November 28th 8PM at the Issue Project Room
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
KIOKU, in-residence at the Issue Project Room, has invited LOCAL LINGO to share a concert. KIOKU is a very creative trio playing compositions incorporating Korean and Japanese rhythms. This will be a great night! Both groups will have new CDs on sale. Hope you can attend. Also, if you want to read about cross-cultural collaborations, log on to the e-zine, Point of Departure. Bill Shoemaker hosts a roundtable discussion with J.D. Parran, Russ Gershon and myself, Wednesday, November 28th 8 ...
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Jason Kao Hwang / Edge Saturday, August 4, 8PM at Lotus
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Cooler in the Shade 2007 Innovative Music, Intermedia & Free Lemonade
Lotus Music and Dance, 109 W. 27th, 8th Fl. (6th Ave.) 212/627-1076 $10. Sbwy: #1 to 28th St.
Saturday, August 4, 8pm JASON KAO HWANG / EDGE Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet, flugelhorn Ken Filiano - string bass Andrew Drury - drums Jason Kao Hwang - violin, viola, composer
The four manage to meld their ...
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Reggie Workman's Sculptured Sounds Music Festival Presents Violinist Jason Kao Hwang @ The Downtown Music Gallery, Sun., Jan. 28
Source:
All About Jazz
Reggie Workman's SCULPTURED SOUNDS MUSIC FESTIVAL presents violinist JASON KAO HWANG
a mini showcase at the Downtown Music Gallery, 342 Bowery, NYC, 212-473-0043.>
The last performer in this January performance series, Hwang is a composer, violinist and educator who has created works ranging from jazz, classical, “new" and world music. Hwang has worked with Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Butch Morris, Reggie Workman, Vladamir Tarasov, Tatsu Aoki, Frances Wong, William Parker, Sirone and Dr. Makanda Ken MacIntyre. He currently ...
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Jason Kao Hwang / Edge Saturday, June 17, 10 pm at Vision Festival XI
Source:
All About Jazz
Saturday, June 17, 10 pm
Vision Festival XI Angel Orensanz Center 172 Norfolk Street (S. of Houston, near Ave. A) New York City Tix $25/night or $125 for festival pass
presents
JASON KAO HWANG/ EDGE Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet, flugelhorn, Andrew Drury - drum set Ken Filiano - string bass, Jason Kao Hwang - composer/violin
Our new CD will be on sale at the festival.
To buy advance tickets, ...
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Jason Kao Hwang's new CD Edge
Source:
All About Jazz
JASON KAO HWANG / EDGE
Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet/flugelhorn Andrew Drury - percussion Ken Filiano - string bass Jason Kao Hwang - composer/violin Asian Improv AIR 0067 Street Date May 30, 2006
Asian Improv Records is proud to announce the release of Edge, Jason Kao Hwang's new quartet CD. Edge is a sharp line shifting between cultures and genres, where sounds dance, vibrations transform and identities are affirmed. Edge ...
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Jason Kao Hwang/Edge CD Release Party Tuesday March 21 8PM and 10PM At The Stone
Source:
All About Jazz
Tuesday March 21, 2006 8PM and 10PM
Asian Improv Records CD RELEASE PARTY!!
JASON KAO HWANG/EDGE : Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet Andrew Drury - percussion Ken Filiano - string bass Jason Kao Hwang - composer/violin
The Stone http://thestonenyc.com NW Corner of Avenue C and East 2nd Street
Admission: $10 CD Concert Sale: $12
“The compositions are strong and the band, when they need ...
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Violinist/violist Jason Kao Hwang's trio with Ken Filiano (bass) and Andrew Drury (drums) is one of the most finely honed small groups in the improvised music scene...It all comes together on the closing "Defiance", the telepathic interplay, the storytelling, the rotating narratives and the sterling musicianship. Robert Bush, New York City Jazz Record.
Hwang's approach to the violin in "Soliloquies" is transformative… The music defies simple categorization…" Gian Paolo Galasi, Complete Communion
Composed moments and improvised passages are interwoven, producing music that feels both spontaneous and inevitable. The stated aim of the work is to counter Orientalist myths, but what it attains is even broader. Hwang and his ensemble create and discover sounds that evoke elemental, cosmological origins…Myths of Origin is ambitious and challenging. Blurring the lines between creation and performance, it is, at the same time, new and ancient. - JR Simon, The New York City Jazz Record.
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Jason Kao Hwang
Instrument: Violin
Born: May 12, 1957
