Could Jazz Help Inspire Your Classical Performance?

July 12th, 2021 / CutCommon / Stephanie Eslake, Founding Editor

Francis Hon has just released a studio album filled with classic piano works. Beethoven, Bach, Liszt — it’s all in there.

What can also be found in the album is Francis’ interpretation of this music, which is influenced by his love of jazz.

Francis recorded the works on his new album Dusk about 10 years ago, and back then he was “a pure classical pianist”. He’d grown up playing classical music since he was just 6 years old, and in 2011 travelled from Taiwan to the United States to study his doctorate in piano performance.

But Frances had always enjoyed listening to jazz. As time went on, he felt moved to enrol himself in a masters program at New York University. He co-founded the World Jazz Quintet, performed in Steinway Hall and the Williamsburg Music Centre, and released successful debut album Before Dawn flooded with his original compositions. The rest is history.

Speaking of history, it’s within this context that Francis has chosen to return to his earlier classical recordings and release them as Dusk. Now reflecting on these recordings, he tells us how they were played “with a jazz heart in the ears” — and how beautiful it can be to embrace both styles.

Francis, congratulations on your studio album! When I read of the composers featured on this release — from Bach to Beethoven — and then learnt about your performance approach, I was surprised. You have a classical background, but you’re a jazz pianist. I have so much to ask you about, but firstly, the most obvious: Why did you want to record an album of purely classical compositions rather than jazz works?

Thank you, Stephanie! This album is recorded before I officially learnt jazz. I was a pure classical pianist at that time, listening to a lot of jazz music. But didn’t know how to play jazz at all until I came to United States. [So when] I finally had an opportunity to learn jazz, this recording was basically archived for 10 years.

I tried focusing on jazz and separated myself from classical music, because jazz was so hard. It was quite successful, and I almost forgot that ‘classical’ mind. I was so happy to be able to dive into jazz music for another few years — and then pandemic came.

Everything slowed down because of lockdown. Then I recalled this recording, and gave it a spin.

It was like a time machine and catch-up with the ‘classical’ me. Because of my jazz training, I heard so many things I’d never heard before — even though it’s the same recording! This brand-new perspective made me decide to release it.

Let’s take a step back, now. You have an extensive background in classical music. In your liner notes, you describe that you felt a “huge conflict” between jazz and classical when you were first studying. How did this conflict affect your approach to music and the way you would play back then?

As a performer, the feeling between these two music genres is different: classical is forward, whereas jazz is much more laid-back.

When we say jazz is ‘relaxed’, that means the vibe it provides. But the timing and rhythm of jazz are very strict.

I would say when speaking of timing, classical is more relaxed and organic because you can always be flexible. And it’s not the priority when performing classical music, because no one wants to sound like a metronome. However, timing is essential in jazz, and you must have every note consistently fall into the time grid to sound authentic.

I remember one semester in my doctorate, I played Brahms Trio in A Minor, Op. 114; taking jazz at the same time. Interestingly enough, you would know which genre you practised more than the other through the comments you received. For instance, in a jazz rehearsal, I was criticised for my unstable timing on improvisation because I practised a lot of Brahms during the week; when in a lesson of coaching Brahms, my professor had to push me so hard to stretch the time, otherwise it would sound too rigid. And later, I realised I’d played too much jazz recently.

This conflict affected my approach, and it was a challenge to prioritise the time and consciously switch the feel in my early years of learning jazz.

So why did you want to persist — to keep maintaining your passion for both classical and jazz simultaneously, even when that might have been an enormous challenge?

To be honest, there were a few years I only listened to and played jazz, no classical music. Then I started teaching and became acquainted with classical music again. I remember playing Chopin Ballade No. 1 and No. 4, and noticed some familiar jazz chord progressions, and I re-learnt their beauty from another side as well! This moment made me want to pick up classical music again.

In classical music, every note was written and polished by composers, so we would easily take it for granted. But the jazz background taught me to appreciate the meanings behind those notes when playing classical repertoire.

Though we exist in a fairly post-genre world, there are still very clear divides between the classical and jazz streams. That divide is not often crossed so overtly. And even more than that, it’s often met with judgment or stigma on either side. What are your thoughts about this? Why do musicians so often place classical and jazz in competition with each other?

It would take years to internalise one genre for one performer — either classical or jazz. And that might explain why the divide is not often crossed overtly. Plus, both music genres are not mainstream in music industry, and audiences are more specific: they may prefer hearing it in an authentic way rather than crossover.

There is also great music successfully incorporating jazz elements into classical, and vice versa. I feel this kind of music provides a perfect example showing how we can adjust the ratio between jazz and classical to obtain the ideal balance in one piece, especially in this contemporary world.

How or what has your knowledge of jazz — particularly your freedom in improvisation — taught you about classical music performance?

I’ve always joking that if you have difficulty memorising classical music when performing, or struggle with the techniques, just think about the bright side: at least you don’t have to worry about what note to play. They already wrote down every note for you!

Indeed, that’s one thing I am grateful for when playing classical music. Because when you improvise jazz, you only have three minutes to compose the three-minute music, and you only have one chance. In classical music, you may have three hours, days, or weeks to compose the three-minute music. Knowing this difference hugely helped me interpret classical music, because you would understand why these notes were placed like this and where they would go. It’s like ‘behind the scenes’. As a result, I can feel and play them in a more reasonable way.

Let’s talk about this recording specifically. You’ve said in your notes: “Every composition is interpreted in the classical way but with a jazz heart in the ears because jazz taught me another side of beauty in classical music.” I’d like you to break down your favourite recording for us, and describe how this idea can be heard inside your performance.

One thing I love when playing classical music is its colour. The sonority brought by colours inspires our imagination.

In jazz music, this color is specifically controlled by the harmony, and jazz made me become more sensitive on the chords and their timbre. This could be heard especially in Dutilleux’s Piano Sonata, the first and second movements.

These two movements for me are like impressionism painting, because you can hear colours overlap on each other; sometimes bright, sometimes dark.

The first movement is like the changing lights in a twilight city, and the second movement is like a midnight lullaby that comes with a nightmare.

The third movement in many ways reminds me of the percussive feel and syncopations in jazz music. The similar colour inspiration could be also heard in Liszt and Scriabin.

How do all these ideas fit in with that term known as ‘historically informed performance practice’?

My piano professor in college is also a scholar specialised in the music of C.P.E. Bach, so she trained me pretty much with HIP especially when I play J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. This approach is extremely beneficial to my performance, because it enabled me to obtain a better touch, articulation, and control of multiple voices. This can be heard in Bach and Beethoven in this recording, and also the first movements of both Dutilleux and Scriabin since their textures reflect Baroque linear multi-voice music.

I didn’t know how to play jazz when recording this album. But I listened to many jazz records, and that did affect the way I feel the time and phrase.

When I interpreted these compositions, I tried to make it natural enough, as if I am telling a story, which is same thing in jazz improvisation.

What advice would you give to classical musicians who are hesitant to open their mind to jazz interpretations, or perhaps feel unconfident about improvisation?

Be humble and open your mind to all kinds of possibilities, because jazz is the music played by ears. There will be a period when you feel tonnes of conflict, but please be patient. Listen to jazz music as much as you can, because that is the nutrition for learning improvisation.

Most importantly, never be afraid of starting too late. It’s never too late if you begin now, and your classical background will help a lot once you pass through the stage of conflict and struggle.

Parting words?

I hope everyone enjoys this album, and I can’t wait to see more cooperation between jazz and classical happen in the near future!

All About Jazz - World Jazz Quintet: Live At QPAC Theatre

July 28th, 2020 / All About Jazz / Troy Dostert

Although all the members of the World Jazz Quintet are New York-based, the group's name does evoke the global palette of its music. Led by pianist Francis Hon—who, on his trio outing Before Dawn (2018), worked within pop and classical idioms in addition to conventional jazz—the World Jazz Quintet incorporates traditional Asian folk musics and a good dose of funk-based fusion in achieving its synthesis of musical touchstones.

The seven cuts on Live at QPAC Theatre are well-paced, characterized by strong rhythmic energy and skillfully-crafted melodies. If Hon's Before Dawn tended to stick to a mainstream piano trio sound, this ensemble is considerably more groove-heavy, helped in no small degree by bassist Jeong Hwan Park's use of electric bass and drummer Daisuke Konnos predilection for staying in a funk/R&B mode. Thus, even a piece like "Spring Breeze," written by Taiwanese folk composer Yu-Hsien Deng, possesses a contemporary-jazz sheen, accentuated by alto saxophonist Scott Litroff 's silky-smooth delivery. While Litroff is certainly able to dig in on more challenging fare—his engaging solo on the album's opener, guitarist David Ullmann's "Astor Place," being a fine example—overall, he is more inclined to play it safe, and Joe Sample's "Soul Shadows" offers the light, easygoing material that Litroff can really sink his teeth into.

Some listeners might prefer their jazz with a bit more edge, but there is no denying the group's appealing melodic sensibilities. Park's "Ultimo fin de Semana" is a lovely ballad, with impassioned solos from Litroff and Ullmann; and "One's Way Back" offers another memorable tune, with Ullmann's bluesy solo adding some grit to the proceedings, and Hon's own solo turn proving both lyrical and rhythmically dynamic. But, without a doubt, the most invigorating cut is the closer, Randy Weston's "Little Niles," where the group buckles up for a satisfying excursion into straight-ahead jazz territory. Litroff takes off convincingly, even bringing a bit of growl to his sound, and Hon takes the opportunity to showcase his formidable chops in a wide-ranging solo. A nice finish to a rewarding album.

Jazz Trail - World Jazz Quintet: Live At QPAC Theatre

July 13th, 2020 / Jazz Trail / Filipe Freitas, Editor

World Jazz Quintet is comprised of like-minded NY-based musicians with an ability to transform a mixture of idioms into a seamless fusion blend. This cross-country group - Scott Litroff on alto sax, David Ullmann on guitar, Francis Hon on piano, Jeong Hwan Park on bass and Daisuke Konno on drums - has recently released a live recording, Live at QPAC Theater, whose seven tracks demonstrate their taste for jazz tradition, Asian folk and pop music, post-bop, and R&B.

The record opens with Ullman’s “Astor Place”, whose slick rhythmic expressions evoke the spirit of that one-block street located in downtown Manhattan. Built on a tight foundation and crossing the borders of jazz, this piece is bolstered by a supple sax solo enthralled by refined post-bop terminology and serving straight-up emotion. With Litroff easily sticking out due to the force of his peremptory vocabulary, Hon serves as a counterbalance by cooking his solos thoughtfully and patiently. Although less dominant, he's by no means less efficient in his approach. However, it’s the saxophonist who shines again on “Spring Breeze”, a lighthearted folk Taiwanese composition by Deng Yu-Hsien, which gains a standard-like nature due to its cool tones and soulful harmonic progressions. Curiously, at times, it made think of an intersection between the spiritual pop songs of Van Morrisson and the straight-ahead jazz of Eric Alexander.

Joe Sample’s “Soul Shadows”, a staple among The Crusaders’ most known songs, is pure, grooved-out soul-jazz with a magnetic appeal. Slippery guitar and popping funky bass lines are part of the deal, in which everybody gets to solo. After this third track, the record faces a shortage in tension due to three balladic pieces in a row. Risking close-to-the-edge tonalities, Park’s “Ultimo Fin de Samana” is filled with long vibrato notes, while the waltzing “One’s Way Back”, borrowed from Korean K-pop artist Son Ju Park, is boosted with wide-ranging saxophone, soothing bluesy guitar, and a dramatic piano unfolding.

The record ends with one of the most iconic compositions from the late pianist Randy Weston - “Little Niles”. With it, the quintet restores the infectious verve of the first tracks, waltzing and swinging effortlessly with symmetry and proportion.

Never subjective in their practices, the members of this crew share musical warmth at the same time that celebrate their influences.

Rousing Robust Live Jazz: World Jazz Quintet – Live At QPAC Theatre

June 10th, 2020 / Contemporary Fusion Reviews / Dick Metcalf, Editor

Jazz pianist Francis Hon got very high marks from me when I reviewed his debut CD release, “Before Dawn“… his new album features rousing robust live jazz with his World Jazz Quintet, as you’ll see when you watch their 2017 performance of the opening track, “Astor Place“…

…In addition to Francis’s superb piano style, you’ll hear & see Scott Litroff – Alto Sax; David Ullmann – Guitar; Jeong Hwan Park – Bass and Daisuke Konno – Drums… be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the Francis Hon YouTube channel, too, since you’re there already.

If it’s lively performance you’re yearning for, you’ll find WJQ’s performance of Joe Sample’s “Soul Shadows” is an “instant hit” for you… I have no doubt that jazz DJ’s around the globe will be spinning this delicious & funk-filled tune often!

Guitarist David Ullmann’s original composition, “Memory Games“, is one of the tastiest tunes I’ve listened to (yet) in 2020… the pacing is perfect, and if you listen with headphones on, you’ll find many hidden sonic gems to enjoy.

Brilliant sonic images are painted for you on “Spring Breeze“; Scott’s alto on this tune is at the forefront, and the recording will bring pure pleasure to jazz aficionados everywhere; Francis just SHINES on his piano solos on this track!

There was no question in my mind what my choice for personal favorite of the seven (long) songs offered up would be… “Ultimo fin de Samana“, composed by bassist Jeong Hwan Park… just a superb jazz performance.

I give WJQ a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99… get more information on the BandCamp page for the album. Rotcod Zzaj

華裔鋼琴家洪維浩半路出家圓爵士夢

August 5th, 2018 / 世界日報

來自台灣的華裔爵士鋼琴家洪維浩 (Francis Hon)，自幼學習古典鋼琴，來美後卻被爵士樂迷住，決定追逐夢想，轉換音樂方向，與來自世界各地的音樂家組樂隊，在舞台上打造他的爵士音樂夢。

紐約勵馨婦幼關懷中心近日舉辦「讓愛飛揚青少年社會工作營」，洪維浩以自己的爵士樂之路鼓勵青少年，在追逐夢想的道路上，要勇敢、堅持、專注，終能走出一條獨特的路。

出生在台北的洪維浩，六歲開始學古典鋼琴樂，一直到從音樂學院本科畢業時，除了古典音樂，幾乎從未接觸過其他音樂類型；他說，直到23歲服兵役時與樂團團友交流，才知道了爵士樂，並喜歡上，但「那時台灣沒有專門的爵士樂課程，如果要學習爵士，我要從零開始，當時覺得太晚了。」

從第一次接觸爵士樂，到決定從頭學習爵士樂，洪維浩花了五年時間。研究生畢業後，2011年他到美國德州大學奧斯汀分校 (University of Texas at Austin) 攻讀古典鋼琴表演博士；讀書期間，在一次學生上台演奏的課堂上，聽了同學的精彩表演後，洪維浩想，即使自己的演奏水平與同學一樣好，卻沒有獨特之處。

為了與別人不同，洪維浩的音樂之路大轉彎，他決定走上爵士樂之路。他說，雖然開始得很晚，但「如果能堅持十年，日後就有十年經驗，如果不去做，十年後還是沒有經驗」。

學了20多年古典樂的洪維浩，想要涉足非洲裔文化底蘊的爵士樂並不容易。他表示，古典樂與爵士樂的演奏方式完全不同；古典樂音樂家都是「向前」的、「激進」的，爵士樂演奏家卻是「放鬆」的、「即興」的。

為了成為一個爵士樂音樂人，習慣早睡的洪維浩每周夜裡，都前往當地的爵士樂酒吧，與爵士樂演奏家交流，了解他們的說話、走路、表演方式；博士畢業後，又到紐約大學攻讀爵士樂研究生。

他表示，紐約有最好的爵士樂學校，有最優秀的爵士樂音樂家，有更多的演出機會，但初到紐約的求學之路並不順利；由於沒有朋友，也幾乎沒有爵士圈的「關係」，洪維浩一度十分沮喪，「很長一段時間沒有人邀請我加入樂隊，也許因為我是亞裔，也許因為我不懂他們講的笑話，有時他們說話很快，我也無法了解，感覺被隔絕了」。

直到有一天，洪維浩突然想到，既然沒人邀他，何不自行組團邀請別人；讓他意想不到的是，這個嘗試十分成功，他組建了爵士樂隊 World Jazz Quintet，有韓國、日本、美國成員，今年更登上皇后區表演藝術中心 (Queensborough Performing Arts Center) 表演，並融合了爵士和中國曲目「望春風」，碰撞出奇妙的火花。他還推出了參與作曲和演奏的爵士樂專輯「Before Dawn」。

洪維浩說，非洲裔較情緒化，通過即興演奏將情緒表露出來，是他們的優勢；但亞裔相對地有條理。通過學習非洲裔爵士樂的優點，了解他們不足的同時，發揚亞裔的優點，讓他走出了一條屬於自己的爵士之路。（陳小寧／紐約報導）

All About Jazz - Before Dawn

June 11th, 2018 / Troy Dostert

Taiwanese pianist Francis Hon didn't plan on becoming a jazz musician. But, during his doctoral studies in piano performance at the University of Texas, he met Jeff Hellmer, Director of Jazz Studies at the university, and that connection initiated Hon's pathway into the world of jazz—one he further explored during an eventual move to New York to intensively study jazz at NYU. On Before Dawn, his debut trio album, Hon shows that his thorough immersion in jazz has been time well spent.

Joined by veteran drummer Billy Drummond and fellow up-and-comer, bassist Jeong Hwan Park, Hon offers four of his own compositions and three others, Bobby Hutcherson's "Little B's Poem," Alec Wilder and Morty Palitz's "While We're Young," and Michael Jackson's "Stranger in Moscow." With a confident, graceful tone and a smart harmonic sensibility, Hon reveals his ample debt to Bill Evans, the warm romanticism of "While We're Young" making that parallel unmistakable. So, too, does Hon's predilection for waltzes, as three of the pieces utilize a 3/4 time-signature to excellent effect. It helps that Hon's partners Drummond and Park provide rhythmically supple support, with tasteful interjections that don't get in the way of Hon's ideas. Park's nimble basswork is especially worthy of mention, as he generates a good deal of the momentum on "Little B's Poem," where his adroit lines are the perfect complement to Hon's runs. Hon and Park have played together previously in another of Hon's projects, the World Jazz Quintet, and their synchronicity is abundantly evident in their rapport throughout the record.

Although most of the music on Before Dawn fits comfortably in the modern straight-ahead piano-trio vein, Hon does reveal a bit of his interest in other idioms, whether on "Morning Star," an impressionistic solo piece with a classical temperament, or his take on pop music with "Stranger in Moscow," reminiscent of the kind of reworkings pianists like Vijay Iyer and Brad Mehldau have tackled. But while these endeavors may bear more fruit for Hon in the future, for now he seems to find his sweet-spot right in the middle of the jazz spectrum, as his work on the album's title track makes clear. Built around a lovely tune, with Drummond and Park providing that insistent waltz tempo with which Hon thrives, it furnishes the perfect opportunity for Hon to delve deeply into the jazz tradition. And, with his harmonic concept at its most sophisticated, it's the record's best evidence that Hon has a promising career ahead of him in this music.

Bird is the Worm - Before Dawn

May 30th, 2018 / Dave Sumner

I do really try to stay away from the approach of comparing one artist to another… especially a modern artist with one from the classic jazz age. But this lovely set from pianist Francis Hon had me thinking wistfully about how long it had been since I’d given a Duke Pearson recording a spin. Hon has a way of gently coaxing a melody to resonate with impressive strength. Much of the album echoes the hard bop era, but there’s some modern influence that makes its presence felt, too. Hell of a nice debut. Hon is joined by bassist Jeong Hwan Park and drummer Billy Drummond. Music from Brooklyn, NY.

Textura - Before Dawn

April 2018 / Ron Schepper

Had Brad Mehldau not already taken the title The Art of the Trio, Francis Hon might have considered using it in place of the comparatively less proclamatory Before Dawn. On the fifty-minute release, the Taiwan-born pianist raises the piano trio tradition to a level of high art with elegant, classically infused playing superbly complemented by the contributions of acoustic bassist Jeong Hwan Park and drummer Billy Drummond. It's hard not to hear Bill Evans in Hon's playing (especially when he expresses a particular affinity for a prototypical Evans waltz such as “Alice in Wonderland”), but while he's obviously been influenced by him and others Hon's personalized approach shows him to be more than a mere follower or clone.

The groundwork for this recording began long ago. Hon, who undertook classical study at the age of six, moved to the US in 2011 to pursue a doctorate in piano performance at the University of Texas in Austin; during that time, his love for jazz blossomed, and an intense study of Nikolai Kapustin's solo piano music, notable for merging classical and jazz idioms, evolved into something of a blueprint for Hon's own approach. The degree completed, a subsequent move to New York City to attend the jazz studies master program at New York University found Hon studying and playing with John Scofield, Don Friedman, Alan Broadbent, and Drummond, among others. As steeped in the jazz tradition as Hon is, he's not averse to letting other influences seep into his music, whether it be a song by Michael Jackson, ballad by Diana Krall, or soundtrack by Dario Marianelli.

As mentioned, Hon's an elegant player, and one noticeably sensitive to harmony and melody. There's little evidence of dissonance in his playing, and while there's exuberance aplenty it never lacks for control. There's a mellifluous quality to the album material, which could be called lounge music of a particularly exquisite kind. As pleasurable as it is to listen to Hon, the rapport between the three provides as much pleasure. Drummond in particular impresses as an excellent partner to the pianist, the drummer's playing always sensitively attuned to the moment and as tasteful as the leader's; consider the lovely cymbal shadings and hi-hat accents he adds to the closing bars of “Little B's Poem” and his playing in the graceful, waltz-styled title track as simply two illustrations of Drummond's artistry. Park's no slouch either, as exemplified by the solid anchoring he brings to the material and the lively solos he contributes throughout.

Four Hon originals are featured alongside pieces by Bobby Hutcherson, Alec Wilder and Morty Palitz, and Michael Jackson, with the vibraphonist's rousing “Little B's Poem” establishing a high bar at the outset and providing an excellent vehicle for the pianist's chiming expressions and the others' supple accompaniment. Hon's mix of ascending single-line patterns and chords lends the radiant waltz a buoyant character that makes it an ideal scene-setter. Instating the trio's democratic approach early on, concise solos are taken by Park and Drummond that never arrest the flow but if anything bolster it. A lithe, samba-like feel animates “Blue Moon,” Drummond again enhancing Hon's playing with an inspired array of textures and colourations, after which the forcefully swinging “Momentarily” adds a Latin dimension to the proceedings. Much like a nightclub date, a solo piano performance appears that in the case of “Morning Star” casts the leader in a resplendent light with wistful and in places blues-tinged lead melodies animated by rippling right-hand patterns. After a rather Evans-like rendering of “While We're Young,” the trio caps the recording with a smooth cover of Jackson's “Stranger in Moscow” that's clearly more informed by funk and R&B than jazz.

Though the tracks were laid down at studios in New Jersey and various New York locations, the recording plays very much like a quintessential club date, the kind of set one could imagine Hon and company performing at Iridium or The Blue Note. Contributing to that impression are the many changes in mood, pacing, dynamics, and style that emerge over the course of the album. Close your eyes while listening to Before Dawn and you might begin to hear echoes of the appreciative applause that no doubt would arise during a live presentation of the material.

Contemporary Fusion Reviews - Before Dawn

February 19th, 2018 / Dick Metcalf, Editor

Francis plays high-energy jazz piano, and is joined by Jeong Hwan Park on bass and Billy Drummond doing drums on this most exciting March, 2018 debut jazz release!

Originally from Taipei, Taiwan, Francis moved to the U.S. in 2011, and used his well-honed piano chops (he started playing classical piano at the age of six) at the University of Texas at Austin to explore ever-expanding musical vibrancy… as you listen to his strident style on the 5:58 “Momentarily” (samples aren’t active yet, but when they go live, you’ll be able to access them), you’ll hear the fruits of his studies in jazz… this is certainly one of the most fresh jazz originals I’ve heard (yet) in 2018… the recording quality is excellent, and the players are all at the top of their game, to be sure.

You can get a splendid intimate look at the trio in action on the video Francis produced for the album as part of his Kickstarter campaign……very nicely produced, as is the album itself. In fact, that’s one of the things that really stands out on this release… each & every note is crisp and clear, and full of the vibrant life that jazz demands. While you’re on Francis’s YouTube page, be sure and subscribe to his channel.

The “proof is in the pudding”, as they say, and as you listen to Francis perform on “Morning Star“, another original composition, you will realize that he has clearly achieved his goal of melding his classical background with some of the most pertinent jazz on the scene today. I believe you will be hearing much more from this young player, so keep your ears on him.

From a jazz perspective, though, it’s another of Francis’s original compositions that won my vote for personal favorite of the seven tunes offered up for your aural enjoyment… the 8:06 “Blue Moon” highlights each of the instruments fully, and each of the players offer you their total energy and talent… you’ll be hitting “replay” often for this great tune!

I give Francis and his musical cohorts a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99. Get more information about Francis and the album at the Francis Hon website. Rotcod Zzaj

【勇敢追夢】古典鋼琴博士叛逃　紐約改玩爵士

October 13th, 2016 / 蘋果新聞

「我害怕我四五十歲某一天早上醒來，想要彈一首爵士的時候，卻發現自己不會！」來自台灣、今年33歲的洪維浩（Francis Hon）學習了一輩子的古典鋼琴，來到美國卻被爵士樂迷住，毅然決然到紐約大學進修爵士鋼琴碩士，他說：「美國的神奇之處，就在於每個音樂系所，都可以學習爵士鋼琴！」他應邀出席10月14日晚間7點新約克人的音樂 (TWNY MUSIC GUILD：TMG) 「美好的世界」音樂會，與美國的爵士樂手同台獻藝。

洪維浩5年前到美國德州奧斯汀學院進修古典鋼琴博士，但始終放不下爵士夢，他說在美國學習爵士樂並不容易，尤其是和黑人一起玩爵士：「我跟他們一起練習，總是很難找到他們的節奏。他們的樂感是與生俱來的，很多爵士迷只恨自己不是個黑人，不然玩起爵士就會容易很多！」

他說黑人玩爵士很輕鬆、習慣「laid-back（放鬆）」，學古典音樂的人卻習慣「往前」，每當他一往前傾，就會被糾正「搶拍」，他花了很多時間調適其中差異，另外，學古典音樂出身的他會注意彈奏的每一個音符，卻有人跟他說：「我不在乎你彈的音，我只在乎『感覺』。」即將從紐約大學畢業的他，已經在著手自己的音樂專輯，預計明年就會推出作品。

紐約作為現代音樂及藝術的聚集地，吸引了來自世界各地的音樂家，城市裡自由奔放的氣息，也促進了爵士樂發展。在TWNY的樂團裡，有來自台灣乃至亞洲，以及美國各地的音樂人，包括黃種人、白人、黑人，比如這次一同參演的黑人歌手Xavier McKnight，有一副與生俱來的好嗓子，年紀輕輕的他笑說：「不管現在的政治現狀多糟糕，你一聽這首歌就會覺得，這個世界還是那麼美好！」

TWNY這次將於10月14日晚間7點推出「樂」在紐約系列 (From Taiwan to New York City) 第三場音樂會「美好的世界」，執行長蔡榮昭表示，TWNY收到了很多自發申請參加的音樂人的作品。經過反復的篩選，挑選出了這次的曲目，集結了紐約流行樂壇，及爵士樂界的多位傑出演奏家及歌者，也邀請到才華洋溢，受到美國及台灣多位知名音樂家賞識的年輕作曲家胡宇君（ Ms. Chloe YuChun Hu），專門為這場音樂會譜寫了一首特別歌曲，作為驚喜獻給觀眾。（王筱辰洋／紐約報導）