Identity Peter Lin & AAPI Jazz Collective

• 1 Emperor's Stride 04:37
• 2 Alishan Girl 06:06
• 3 A Town With an Ocean View 04:57
• 4 City of Sadness 07:48
• 5 Anh Đâu Em Đó 04:14
• 6 Dahil Sa Iyo 06:28
• 7 Magpie’s New Year’s Day 03:03
• 8 Ringo Oiwake 04:37
• 9 Moonlight Densestu 03:27
• 10 Tank! 06:41
• 11 Bèo Dạt Mây Trôi 05:16
• Total Runtime 57:14

Info for Identity

The AAPI Jazz Collective is an all-star ensemble featuring up-and-coming AAPI jazz artists throughout the tri-state area. For this group, proper AAPI (which stands for Asian American Pacific Islanders) representation in the jazz landscape is important to achieve a deeper understanding of their respective cultures, especially in response to the repeated hate crimes that arose from the pandemic. Formed in 2019 by Taiwanese-American trombonist, Peter Lin, this ensemble strives to promote empathy through passionate musical expression. The AAPI Jazz Collective performs jazz-infused arrangements of classic and traditional Asian songs, as well as exciting originals they appropriately label as “The New Asian Songbook”. Their debut album releasing on Origin Records, titled “Identity”, is not only a proper representation of their long relationship together, but also a guiding light for many other young AAPI artists looking for inspiration.

"...thrilling variety of musical influences ... I'm already hooked on 'Alishan Girl' which is simply too easy to groove with and transports me..." (Hot House, NYC)

“Trombonist Peter Lin is one of the 21st century’s young jazz lions, blending the freshness of the future with the robust jazz tradition. He often plays the classics with veteran saxophonists such as Don Braden and Jerry Weldon, but he really shines as Director of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Jazz Collective. The AAPI Jazz Collective showcases some of the top Asian and Asian-American jazz artists, creating and performing jazz interpretations of Asian pop and folk tunes but also putting their own spin on American Songbook and Jazz standards. The new AAPI Jazz Collective album on Origin Records brings this wonderful music to a wider audience.” (Sandy Josephson, Editor, Jersey Jazz Magazine)

"Traditions in transformation! This is an incredibly moving collection of works that contributes to the unique voice and intersectional identity of AAPI’s as well as the dynamic cultural force that jazz represents." (Francis Wong, saxophonist, co-founder of Asian Improv Records, Asian American Studies lecturer)

"AAPI Jazz Collective's album release come July will surely give us something to celebrate. I expect not only a cultural nod from many in the AAPI community, but a horde of new listeners drawn to the thrilling variety of musical influences spanning pan-Asia in this album. I'm already hooked on "Alishan Girl" which is simply too easy to groove with and transports me to a time only the imagination can take me to, and yet, it rings with a modern cool. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for this album release." (Sarah Belle Lin, contributing writer for Hot House Magazine)

Peter Lin, trombone, producer
Erena Terakubo, alto saxophone, flute
Mike Bond, piano
Daseul Kim, bass
Wen-Ting Wu, drums
Special guests:
Mỹ Tâm Huynh, vocals
Brandon Choi, trumpet

Peter Lin
is a Taiwanese-American trombonist, producer, and educator based in New Jersey & New York City. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and raised in northern New Jersey, Peter played violin and piano before picking up the trombone at 10 years old. His love for music continued, motivating him to pursue a jazz studies degree at the esteemed music programs of William Paterson University (undergraduate) and Rutgers University (graduate). Since then, he has become an integral part of the music scene, performing and sharing the stage with renowned artists including Ron Carter, Slide Hampton, Winard Harper, Charli Persip, Jerry Weldon, George Cables, Valerie Ponomarev, JD Allen, Josh Evans, and Radam Schwartz. He also spent a considerable amount of time studying with his influences, including trombone masters Slide Hampton, Steve Turre, Conrad Herwig, Robin Eubanks, Steve Davis, and Frank Lacy. He continues to perform prolifically as both a leader and sideman at established venues in the tri-state area such as Carnegie Hall, NJPAC, Blue Note, Dizzy's, Birdland, Smalls, and Zinc Bar.

In 2018, Peter released his first album, With Respect, which included his arrangements on classic Chinese and Taiwanese folk songs. Featuring Winard Harper on drums as well as James Zollar on trumpet, this album topped at #3 on the NACC Charts and #4 on the RMR Charts. In 2019, he released his second album, New Age Old Ways, which included eight original compositions and features JD Allen on tenor saxophone. Additionally, the album included an original comic book illustrated by Kelly Lin.

Peter Lin leads the AAPI Jazz Collective, which features some of the best up-and-coming AAPI musicians in the NYC area. The group performs arrangements of classic songs from various Asian countries re-imagined in a new modern way as well as exciting originals. This group has performed at various festivals and venues, but also continues to play every year for the Met Museum's Lunar New Year celebration.

In addition to Peter's prolific musical career, he continues to promote jazz education, holding a prestigious faculty position at Melissa Walker & Christian McBride's non-profit organization, Jazz House Kids, as well as NJYS in New Providence, NJ. He teaches lessons, masterclasses, and provides tech consultations on a regular basis. Valuing entrepreneurship, Peter founded Yardbird Entertainment, along with his partner Abel Mireles, which has become a leading music production company. Peter produced the first AAPI Jazz Fest back in 2022 held at Rutgers Newark, which continues to this day.

This album contains no booklet.