Podcast Summary: All Of It – “Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs Live”

Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Yuhan Su (vibraphonist), with Matt Mitchell (piano)
Date: December 12, 2023

Overview

This episode of All Of It dives into the artistry and creative journey of Taiwanese vibraphonist Yuhan Su. Invited into WNYC’s Studio 5 with pianist Matt Mitchell, Su discusses her musical roots, the expressive capabilities of the vibraphone, and the inspirations behind her latest album, Liberated Gestures. The conversation, interspersed with live performances, weaves together musical demonstration, insight into jazz improvisation, and reflections on cultural transition, making this episode a vibrant exploration of contemporary jazz and creative process.

Key Discussion Points & Performances

1. Introduction & Performances

• Yuhan Su and Matt Mitchell open with a live piece (05:43).
• Piece Name: "She Goes to a Silent War" (06:24).
  • Stewart notes she's captured video for social media to showcase the vibraphone visually for listeners.

2. The Vibraphone: Unique Qualities and Differences (06:25-07:21)

• Alison Stewart initiates a discussion about the differences between vibraphone, xylophone, and marimba.
• Yuhan Su:

  “The vibraphone is made by the metal, so you can hear. It's a metal sound. And the special part is the—there is an electric—it triggers a fan below the keys, so it will, like, create an interesting sound. And then like marimba and xylophone, all like wooden keys... xylophone, the register is higher; marimba has a lower register.” (06:49-07:21)

3. Yuhan Su’s Musical Background and Influences (07:21-09:13)

• Discovery of the Vibraphone:

  • Su discusses her early life in Taiwan, where she studied percussion and piano before being inspired to learn jazz vibraphone after a concert by Gary Burton and Chick Corea.
  • Quote:

  “I played in orchestra and classical percussion a lot...until college I got into jazz, and then Gary Burton and Chick Corea was on tour in Taiwan at the time. So I was like, 'Wow, vibraphone.' Like, I also want to learn how to improvise everything. So I started to get into more like a vibraphone playing.” (07:21-08:01)

• Role of the Vibraphone in Jazz Ensembles:

  “In a jazz ensemble, it can function like a horn instrument, play melody, and you can also join the rhythm section, play chords. Like, I hold four mallets, so I can actually play the harmony... And then at the same time... it's a percussion instrument, so you also have a rhythm to it.” (08:16-08:42)

• Composing Process:

  “A lot of time [I compose] on piano ... but sometimes I write on the vibraphone just to feature certain technique…” (08:48–09:06)

• Influence of Classical Percussion:

  “For classical percussion study... I play a lot of 20th century composers, new music. So it’s a lot about dissonant sound and complicated rhythm...that really applied to my composition.” (09:13-09:39)

4. Liberated Gestures: Concept and Inspiration (09:49-10:31)

• Inspiration from Painter Hans Hartung:

  “The title is actually coming from the exhibition I saw in Paris of the painter Hans Hartung. So his works, it's well known with dramatic lines, bold color, intuitive decision... he overcome a lot of difficulties in his life, and then he transformed that into his art... So I was very inspired. And then I started to create the music and then this whole album, like, around this idea.” (09:49-10:31)

5. On the Composition “Character” & Improvisation (10:31-11:08)

• “Character has no backstory”—how constraints become creative opportunities:

  “This song...there’s a lot of interesting meters, rhythm. We, as an improviser, have to try to find the freedom inside of that. So how to improvise in certain limitations and find freedom inside of it.” (10:46-11:08)

• Live performance: “Character” (11:08–12:59)

6. Musical Journey: Moving to the U.S. and New York City (15:32-16:30)

• What brought Su to the U.S.:

  “I came here for studying jazz... in Taiwan, there was not enough education of jazz. Nowadays it's much better...but my time, I really need to come here to learn jazz, also to learn the culture and everything.” (15:49-16:14)

• Why New York:

  “After I graduated from Berklee, actually, I didn't think so much. I just feel like New York is the—everybody knows it's a city of jazz. So I was like, 'Yeah, I'm gonna try out that.'” (16:16-16:30)

7. Collaboration with Pianist Matt Mitchell (16:30–18:24)

• Mitchell on working with Su and the vibraphone:

  “I've always loved the vibes… It’s kind of a cousin of the piano...its ability to play chords, its percussion nature. I just like the way—its ability to sustain too. You can get a nice wash of sound, you can also play, you know, short...sharp textures... I like playing with people who do interesting things with it, which Johan is definitely one of those.” (16:41–17:26)

  “She’s a really interesting improviser. I always feel like what she plays is the right combination of surprising, but also something familiar that kind of hits a familiar spot for me that I want to always hear...hits the perfect sort of ratio of things that I value in an improvising musician.” (17:31–18:24)

8. Su on Improvisation (18:24–18:49)

• How she approaches improvisation:

  “In a more abstract way, it's like combining with memories and the present. Like the moment, like I feel at the time.” (18:32-18:49)

9. Composing from Everyday Life: “High Tech Pros and Cons” (18:49–19:51)

• Inspiration from a frustrating phone experience:

  “It’s like a funny story. Like, I always feel like a lot of my songs, it’s about me losing money… There’s a period I was still paying monthly for this old phone and it already died, so I needed to get a new one. And then I was paying for the dead phone and the new phone at the same time. So I was like, this is really ridiculous. Like, I have to write a song about that.” (19:09–19:51)

10. Closing Performance: “She Goes to a Silent War” (19:58–25:09)

• Su and Mitchell end with another live performance from the new album.

Notable Quotes

• On the vibraphone’s range:

  “Vibraphone is an instrument full of possibilities. It can be used in different positions of a band and create diverse effects for the music.” — Alison Stewart quoting Yuhan Su (08:01-08:08)

• On improvising:

  “It’s like combining with memories and the present...like the moment, like I feel at the time.” — Yuhan Su (18:32–18:49)

• On creative inspiration from life:

  “A lot of my song... it’s about me losing money.” — Yuhan Su, joking about writing “High Tech Pros and Cons” (19:09–19:51)

• On collaboration:

  “What she plays is the right combination of surprising, but also something familiar...hits the perfect ratio of things that I value in an improvising musician.” — Matt Mitchell (17:31–18:24)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Set up: 01:43
• First performance (“She Goes to a Silent War”): 05:43
• Instrument discussion (vibraphone vs. others): 06:25–07:21
• Yuhan Su’s background and influences: 07:21–09:39
• Inspirations behind Liberated Gestures: 09:49–10:31
• Discussing “Character” & Improvisation: 10:31–11:08
• Performance: “Character”: 11:08–12:59
• Coming to the U.S. & NY: 15:32–16:30
• Mitchell on the vibraphone & Su: 16:30–18:24
• Improvisation insights: 18:24–18:49
• Song inspired by broken iPhone (“High Tech Pros and Cons”): 18:49–19:51
• Closing performance (“She Goes to a Silent War” reprise): 19:58–25:09

Memorable Moments

• Yuhan Su’s playful explanation of her song inspirations coming from misfortune.
• Matt Mitchell’s admiration for Su’s unique improvisational sensibility and chemistry as a duo.
• Alison Stewart’s efforts to demystify the vibraphone for the audience, filming and posting the instrument in action.

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, enthusiastic, and deeply respectful—Stewart seeks to reveal the thoughtful artistry behind Su’s music, while both Su and Mitchell display humility, humor, and passion for their craft. Live performances punctuate the interview, illustrating their chemistry and the complexities discussed.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is an ideal window into the world of contemporary jazz, vibraphone artistry, and cross-cultural musical journeys. With thoughtful discussion and dynamic live music, even listeners unfamiliar with jazz or the vibraphone will find the conversation accessible, inspiring, and richly informative.

For more, check out Yuhan Su’s album, Liberated Gestures, and follow her upcoming performances.