Flushing Town Hall Presents U.S. Debut of the Afro-Latin-Taiwanese Jazz Collaboration

Six-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill and award-winning Taiwanese bassist Vincent Hsu will present their first-ever U.S. performance together on Saturday, August 15, when they bring Spirits from Both Sides: Arturo O'Farrill x Vincent Hsu to Flushing Town Hall for a one-night-only concert co-presented by Belongó.

Following their joint debut at Havana's Plaza Jazz Festival last year, Spirits from Both Sides pairs O'Farrill's Afro-Latin jazz tradition with Hsu's blend of jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and Taiwanese influences to create new Afro-Latin-Taiwanese jazz sounds.

A leading voice in Afro-Latin jazz and the Founder and Artistic Director of Belongó, O'Farrill is a world-renowned pianist, composer, and bandleader. Hsu, who won multiple music awards, is a Taiwanese bassist, composer, and bandleader whose music blends jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions with his Taiwanese heritage.

The ensemble on August 15 will feature acclaimed Afro-Latin jazz musicians, alongside Taiwanese musicians from Hsu’s Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band, and local Cuban and Taiwanese guest artists, representing the rich cultural diversity of the World’s Borough, joining together musical traditions from across the globe on a single stage.

“We're truly honored to present these two jazz luminaries in this one-of-a-kind concert and want to express our deep appreciation to the artists for selecting Flushing Town Hall for their performance,” said Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director of Flushing Town Hall. ”We have a long history of presenting jazz and Global Mashups, passionate and curious audiences, a beautiful Steinway Grand piano, and a state-of-the art sound system - now, add in these incredible musicians, and it will make for an extraordinary night of music!"

"Vincent Hsu is my Taiwanese counterpart. We both understand that culture is the language of humanity. We both know that despite the geographical distance, human hearts beat the same rhythms. Life's celebrations, births, birthdays, marriages, graduations, life endings, and all the important markers of our time are celebrated with music,” said Arturo O’Farrill. “The beat of a sacred Cuban batá and the beat of a sacred Taiwanese Dharma come from the same desire to celebrate our shared humanity. This concert is a reflection of what we, and all humanity, share. The desire for world peace and the hope for all humanity to live lives filled with hope."

“To me, it’s a dream beyond dreams of sharing the stage with the legendary Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra! 20 years ago, I sat in the audience of Arturo’s Orchestra and that night broadened my imagination of embracing cultures and humanity, respecting the past and creating the now—through the language of music. It was also the night when I met the late Latin Jazz innovator, Andy González, who was the bassist in Arturo’s Orchestra and started a precious mentorship for me since then,” said Vincent Hsu. “For this unique concert at such a historic venue as Flushing Town Hall, with great honor, I’m hoping to premiere a big band version of “Taiwanese Trilogy Music Suite,” inspired by the Taiwanese nativist literature giant Chao-Cheng Chung, as well as “The Gatekeepers” dedicated to Andy González, who showed me what it meant to be a musician—that is to love music purely and deeply, and share it with all people who have a common mindset. I will keep protecting the legacy and spreading the music we love so much. Thanks to Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Ministry of Culture, R.O.C. Taiwan and Flushing Town Hall for making this journey possible. Thank you, Arturo & Belongó, for giving me the fearlessness to dream!”

The concert also reflects O'Farrill's lifelong commitment to international collaboration. Throughout his career, he has worked with musicians from Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and Mexico's Veracruz region, demonstrating jazz's unique ability to connect artists and audiences across cultures.

Following the 8 PM performance, O'Farrill and Hsu will participate in a conversation moderated by Tracy Hyter-Suffern, former Executive Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

Advance tickets are $45 for general admission and $40 for members. Tables for 2 (including 2 tickets, a bottle of wine/sparkling water, cheese, and dessert plate) are available by reservation only, first-come, first-served, and are $150 for the general public and $130 for members. Day-of tickets are: $50 for general admission and $45 for members. Tables are not available day-of. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.flushingtownhall.org.

About the Artists

Arturo O’Farrill
Mexican-born pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill stands as a towering figure in contemporary music, renowned for his genre-defying virtuosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice through music. A 6-time GRAMMY and 2-time Latin GRAMMY winner, O'Farrill is a celebrated composer whose work has been performed by Dr. Cornel West, pianist Lara Downes, The San Francisco Ballet, and others. Hailed by DownBeat as "one of our greatest living pianists,” O’Farrill bridges the gap between traditional Latin rhythms, modern jazz, and contemporary composition, continually pushing the boundaries of the art form while maintaining a profound connection to his roots. Beyond performing worldwide, O'Farrill is a passionate educator and advocate for political and social justice, using his platform to champion diversity and unity. As founder and director of both the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) and Belongó (formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance), O'Farrill plays a pivotal role in nurturing cultural dialogue through the transformative power of music. Belongó is building a Culture Hub called Casa Belongó in an affordable housing tower called Timbale Terrace under construction in East Harlem, tentatively scheduled to open in the summer of 2028.

Vincent Hsu
Vincent Hsu is an award-winning bassist and composer who fuses jazz and Afro-Cuban music with his Taiwanese roots. Born in Changhua, Taiwan, and raised in Kaohsiung, he launched his musical career in New York City, where his debut album, Homeland, won "Best Jazz Album" at the 2014 Golden Indie Music Awards. His composition "Dreamer's Blues," from the album In Our Blood, won "Best Jazz Single of the Year" at the 2018 Golden Indie Music Awards and later earned a Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement from the Global Music Awards. Hsu is the Founder and Music Director of Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band and the Jazz Supreme Orchestra, bringing together African polyrhythms, Latin and jazz improvisation, and Taiwanese compositional elements to create vivid, original storytelling.

For more upcoming events at Flushing Town Hall, visit:

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents

This concert is, in part, made possible through the generous support of the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Ministry of Culture, R.O.C. (Taiwan)

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH) is a nonprofit cultural institution that presents and celebrates global arts in the heart of one of the world’s most diverse communities. As a Smithsonian Affiliate and a member of the New York City Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), FTH is dedicated to fostering mutual appreciation through multi-disciplinary programming, arts education, and hands-on learning. Housed in the historic 1862 landmark, FTH honors its legacy as the “home of Jazz” while championing immigrant, local, and international artists. We serve all New Yorkers by upholding a tradition of inclusiveness that dates back to the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

About Belongó

Belongó, formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was founded by Arturo O’Farrill in 2007. The non-profit institution is dedicated to performing, educating about, and preserving the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. The organization produces The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's annual performance season in New York and worldwide. Its educational programs include The Afro Latin Jazz Academy of Music (ALJAM), an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction; The Fat Cats, a pre-professional youth orchestra that prepares the next generation of musicians; and The Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.), a music program that connects youth with rhythms and storytelling from global cultures as a way to engage them in anti-violence activities. In addition, it holds a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings.

Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to social justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. For additional information, visit belongo.org.