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The Journey on Earth Vol.2 "Stories of Time"

Top International Collaboration:

In order to express her thoughts completely, she plays many roles, such as producer/composer/ lyricist/ arranger/ vocal/ piano/ cover design and stylist in the EP. Moreover, she went to Berlin twice to do the mixing with the producer of a famous European Band, Jazzanova!

Introduction of the EP:

“The Journey on Earth” is the original music series of Amanda Wu. After Vol.1 “Unknown” which has gained a lot of fans and reputation, she released Vol.2 “Stories of Time” with delicate methods and creative approaches. Amanda said: “When soul is placed in the human body, we start a journey on Earth. Time tells us so much stories and we consciously or unconsciously write lots of stories correspondent to timeline”. The 4 songs of this EP are the experiences and the observations of human behavior that have imprinted in her mind. Therefore, the 4 songs have very individual musical personalities.

Introduction of Songs:

1. The Chaos Of The Snow:
Classical flavor blended with Jazz chords, she expresses the complicated feeling when it snows constantly almost every day in the winter Montreal.

2. How To Live: It is an oriental pop style. She performed extremely difficult skills along with singing. For sure, it will open your imagination to the next level of singing along with the piano.

3. Listen To The Story Of Time: Funk style which describes the ambiguous status between urban men and women. However, it is after all, controlled by Timing!

4. Does Tradition Exist In The 21st Century? : It is a relaxing Bossa Nova style, but beyond that, it arises people to think: Do all the tradition make sense? Do they fit the modern societies? How many of them that we have to keep, and how many of them that we have to delete?

最匠心獨具的文創音樂 - 地球旅程第二輯:時間故事

高雅的創作風格、精湛的演奏技巧、溫柔且堅毅的歌聲,從小就讀音樂班、在古典音樂界獲獎無數的吳苡嫣,大學就讀加拿大名校McGill University 轉戰爵士樂,她的作品融合深厚正統的古典與爵士文化,再加入行跡世界的創意巧思,開創了無可取代的文創跨界音樂風格。

為了將想法完整表達,吳苡嫣身兼數職,擔任製作人、作曲、作詞、編曲、演唱、鋼琴演奏、封面設計、企劃統籌、造型穿搭。並兩度遠赴柏林,與歐洲天團 Jazzanova製作人合作後製混音。

地球旅程是吳苡嫣的原創音樂系列。繼第一輯:“未知” 後,再度以細膩的手法、敏銳的感受,推出精選作品第二輯:”時間故事”。苡嫣說:“當靈魂投入了肉身,我們就展開了一場地球旅程。時間不斷地告訴我們許多故事,而我們也順應著時間,有意無意地,寫下許許多多的故事。”

這張EP共四首歌,是苡嫣體驗各種事件所留在心裡的印記,以及對於人類行為及周遭現象的觀察。四首皆為不同曲風,都有自己的音樂性格:

  1. 紛亂 雪 :濃濃的古典風格,混搭爵士和弦,唱出大雪紛飛中、五味雜陳的成長心境。
  2. 怎麼活 :東方味流行曲風。搭配超高難度的自彈自唱技巧,一邊歌唱、一邊演奏出獨奏曲般的快速音群!兩個樂器間精彩的交錯與完美的交融,絕對令人驚艷!
  3. 聽時間在說 :Funk風格,描繪男女間捉摸不定的關係,看似眼花撩亂,但終究還是時間在掌控。
  4. 21世紀有沒有傳統? :輕鬆的 Bossa Nova 下,隱含呼籲人們省思舊有的傳統,有多少值得沿用?有多少必須因應世代的變動而淘汰?

獻給渴望用跳脫框架的思維來洞悉地球的你,與吳苡嫣一起感受地球旅程的內外在風景!

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The Journey On Earth, Vol. 1 “Unknown”

Top International Collaboration:

In producing this album, Amanda collaborated with New York's top jazz band “Village Vanguard”: and musician “David Wong”, putting the song “The Secret Transition” together. Furthermore, the sound mixing and mastering were conducted by “Paul Wickliff” who was the post-engineering producer of the world-class pop queen “Mariah Carey”.

Introduction of the EP:

Amanda Wu, a creative musician with a profound classical and jazz background, started writing songs at the age of seven and represented Taiwan to perform her music creation abroad at eight. Every stage of her life was all wonderful. Her music is full of cultural connotations and innovative creativity that makes her a cultural-creative musician with an exquisite style.

Apart from being the producer of her album and completing the production in New York, for the first time, Amanda also worked as a designer, designing every page of the album. In this way, her ever-growing and outstanding aesthetics could then be fully presented to the audience on both visual and audio aspects.

In this debut EP of her compositions The Journey On Earth / Vol.1: Unknown, Amanda uses beautiful melodies that entrained great tension and features with inspiring lyrics, vividly depicting soliloquy of an unknown stage, and encourages everyone to cherish our precious journey on earth.

Introduction of Songs:

1. Morning, I Wake Up: It was a song written in early 2003 when she moved to Montreal. Starting from elementary school, she has won countless music awards with remarkable scores in piano, oboe, music composition, and singing. When she took the college entrance examination, Amanda was the only one accepted by the National Taipei University of Arts. Meanwhile, her unparalleled piano talent also brought her an admission ticket to Fu-Jen University. She is no doubt a shining star in classical music. However, she believed that she should step out of the comfort zone since she saw tremendous possibilities in herself, shuttling back and forth within Jazz, EDM, classical, and her own music creation. Therefore she took courage and studied Jazz at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Since then, the experience has opened up a broad and rich international perspective! As for the hesitation and uneasiness of the unknown did not defeat her confidence, because she knew she was soon to become a better version of herself. The arrangement of the song was finished after she moved to New York at the end of 2013. In the crystal-sounding voice, one could hear a strong sense of perseverance. Amanda arranged the song with classical techniques. The incredible sound of the piano complemented with the string and lastly dotted with the moving melody which successfully generated into her unique pop style.

2. Life Is A Journey: It was completed in 2013 after living in New York. Amanda, a successful jazz musician, used her sweet voice and exciting melodies backed with the romantic rhythm of the jazz waltz, proudly sung: "We are all unique creations of God. We have come to the earth, and one shall enjoy the journey on earth.

3. The Secret Transition: is a song recounting that when facing anxiety, uncertainty, and lacking a sense of belonging in the unknown stage, we all need the purest love to rejoice us and help us get through those difficulties. Her deep family affection with her cousin has become her "secret transition" while having some emotions. Amanda truly wishes everyone could find their secret transition to fight against the inevitable worries and solicitude.

最激勵人心的爵士跨界音樂 - 地球旅程第一輯:未知

才華洋溢的全方位創作音樂家,吳苡嫣,用直達人心的溫暖創作,配上甜美而堅毅的歌聲, 再加入完美精湛的琴聲,她將帶領你踏出安全區,勇敢地進入無限可能的未知!!! 高雅又極富創意的創作風格,純熟精湛的演奏技巧,性感溫柔且透露堅毅性格的歌聲,吳苡嫣創造了獨一無二的風格!

跨國頂級合作 與紐約頂尖爵士樂團 Village Vanguard 音樂家 “David Wong” 合作錄製 The Secret Transition 並由世界級流行天后 “瑪麗雅凱莉” 後製工程師 “Paul Wickliff” 親自操刀混音/成音。

專輯介紹:

擁有深厚學院派古典與爵士樂背景的全方位創作音樂家吳苡嫣,七歲開始創作,八歲即代表台灣出國演出創作曲。她的人生,在每著階段都精彩萬分,她的音樂充滿了文化內涵與匠心獨具的創意,是個風格獨具的文化創意音樂家。苡嫣擔任專輯製作人,於紐約完成製作,除了音樂之外,也首次擔任設計師,設計專輯封面封底內頁,為的就是要把源源不絕的創意美學,用聽覺加視覺的方式,完整地呈現給大家。

在這張全創作EP“地球旅程”第一集:“未知”中,苡嫣用優美且夾帶極大張力的旋律和激勵人心的歌詞,生動描寫處於未知階段時的內心戲,以及鼓勵大家正向地面對這段珍貴的地球旅程。

曲目介紹:

  1. Morning, I Wake Up: 於2003年初,剛搬到蒙特婁時所寫。從小就展現跨領域的長才,她獲得鋼琴/雙簧管/歌唱/電子琴各大比賽中的冠軍。不斷展現令人驚豔的輝煌成績。考大學時,更以雙簧管主修唯一錄取者,高分考上國立臺北藝術大學。同時也以推薦甄試第一名的優秀成績,考取輔仁大學。在古典音樂界的表現相當亮眼!但這個頂尖的音樂人才,認為不該只活在古典音樂的舒適圈,因為她看見未來的自己應該是自由穿梭於爵士/電子音樂/古典和創作之間。於是她勇敢跨出安全區,前往蒙特婁名校 McGill 大學,學習爵士樂,從此打開了寬廣豐富的國際視野!至於未知階段所必需承受的彷徨與不安,並不能擊潰她的信心,因為他看見那個豐盛的自己,就在不遠處! 編曲部分是她搬到紐約後,於2013年底編完。晶透性感的歌聲中,挾帶一股強大的堅毅。苡嫣用古典手法編曲,精彩的鋼琴與弦樂交相輝映,配上動人旋律,成功地開創了屬於她獨特風格的流行歌。
  2. Life Is A Journey: 是旅居紐約後,於2013年完成的。已成為爵士音樂家的她,用甜美的歌聲和扣人心弦的旋律,加上爵士華爾茲的浪漫節奏,唱出“我們都是上帝獨特的創造物,既然來了地球,就要享受地球旅程”。
  3. The Secret Transition: 秘密轉移”面對未知階段的焦慮/不確定/沒歸屬感...我們需要最純淨的愛,散發最強大力量,來當作最穩固的心靈支柱。她與表弟之間深厚的親情,成了她情緒的「秘密轉移物」。苡嫣希望大家都能找到自己的情緒秘密轉移物,對抗不可避免的憂慮與不安。

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Jazz without time zones

The perfect switch from a classical musician to  jazz musician!

Starting from elementary school, Amanda - a musical genius, has won countless music awards in piano, oboe, music composition, and even singing. In a variety of major music competitions, her name’s always engraved on the championship.

At the age of eighteen, with relatively high scores in oboe performance, Amanda was the only one accepted by the National Taipei University of Arts. Meanwhile, her unparalleled piano talent also brought her an admission ticket to Fu-Jen University.

To the surprise of many, in the face of two prestigious universities, brave as she was and reluctant to be kidnapped by secular visions, she chose to study at Fu-Jen University which soundly fitted her diverse personality over the sanctuary of Arts, the National Taipei University of Arts.

During her freshman year, she let herself wildly extend and explore various territories, where she fell in love with the mystical and charming Jazz. A year later, she decided to develop her dream in Montreal, Canada, and studied Jazz at McGill University which was often ranked as the Harvard of music. With excellent techniques and gifted intuition in music, she finished her entire 4-year education in just 2 amazed everyone and set up a whole new record. After graduation, she put her words into practice and collaborated with her schoolmate, a Sax performer. The first time ever, the two had produced a magnificent Jazz album, including Amanda’s own music creation and other classic hits. This delicate album is undoubtedly an Official shout-out of her transformation to a Jazz musician!

Original tune: Beautiful Tears

This was Amanda’s music creation in 2006. She adapted the style of Jazz Ballad, slowly depicting the journey of the heart in this transformation!

There were the loneliness of nostalgia, the fulfillment of the absorption of different cultures, and moments of mixed feelings. Sorrow did once fill the process, however, after all the challenges had been conquered and you looked back, the tears had been turned into beautiful shining pearls!

首張專輯:爵士零時差 吳苡嫣爵士二重奏

Amanda 吳苡嫣,一個天賦異稟的音樂天才,這張專輯是她從古典音樂家轉型為爵士音樂家的宣言專輯!

從小學開始即獲獎無數,不論鋼琴、雙簧管、作曲、歌唱,皆得過各大音樂比賽冠軍。

十八歲時,以雙簧管主修高分考取國立臺北藝術大學音樂系,成為雙簧管組唯一錄取者。同時也以鋼琴主修第一名推薦甄試上輔仁大學音樂系。面對這兩大榮譽,她不顧世俗眼光,放棄藝術的最高殿堂北藝大,不按牌理出牌地選擇適合她多元個性的輔仁大學就讀。

在大一生活中,她讓自己觸角往外延伸,便愛上了神秘又迷人的爵士樂!一年後,她便毅然決然地,遠赴加拿大蒙特婁,進入與哈佛齊名之名校 McGill (麥基爾)大學學習爵士樂。他以精湛的演奏技巧和渾然天成的音樂性,驚艷所有教授,並以兩年的期間完成四年的大學學業!這更是打破紀錄、讓所有人讚嘆不已!

畢業後,她實現對自己的承諾,把在加拿大的所學所聞,與同樣是 McGill大學畢業的加拿大 Sax 演奏家合作,製作個人首張爵士專輯,收錄她的創作以及爵士經典樂曲,正式跨界轉型為爵士音樂家。

個人創作:Beautiful Tears

這是Amanda 2006年的作品。他用Jazz Ballad 風格,緩緩訴說在轉型的過程中的心路歷程... 有身處異鄉的寂寞、有吸收不同文化的充實、也有百感交集的瞬間。過程中曾流下許多眼淚,但等克服挑戰後回頭一看... 這些眼淚,竟是如此地美麗!


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