Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs Live

Summary

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

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

Transcript

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Huh, that sounds easier than I thought.

[Interviewer]

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[Nephew]

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[Yuhan Su]

Welcome to McDonald's.

[Alison Stewart]

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart and I'm about five feet from a vibraphone. Yuhan Su's musical career began in her native Taiwan, followed by a degree at Berklee College of Music in 2008, and eventually brought her to New York City, where she's become a leading player on her chosen instrument, the vibraphone. Her last album, 2018's City Animals, drew inspiration from the sounds and heartbeat of New York City. Her latest album is Liberated Gestures, a collection of songs that celebrate freedom from constraints, whose centerpiece suite was inspired by the mid 20th century abstractionist Hans Hartung. Yuhan Su will be at the Jazz gallery this Saturday, December 16th, but first she joins me here in WNYC's Studio 5. Welcome to the studio. Thank you for coming in with it with joining her is pianist Matt Mitchell. Matt, thank you for being here as well. And you're going to begin with a performance, right? All right, let's hear.

[Yuhan Su]

That.

[Alison Stewart]

Was Yuhan Su with Matt Mitchell on piano.

[Interviewer]

The name of the piece is she.

[Alison Stewart]

Goes to a Silent War. So while you were playing Johan, I took a little video and I put it on our Instagram at all of it WNYC and the Story. So people want to see what the vibraphone looks like so we have a sense of it. And if you wouldn't mind sharing, I know it sounds like a very basic question, but what is the difference between a xylophone and a vibraphone? What's. Can you explain the. Or mamba. Can you. Marimba. Can you explain the difference?

[Yuhan Su]

Yeah, I mean, the vibraphone is made by the metal, so you can hear. It's a metal sound. And the special part is the. There is a electric. It trigger the. There's a fan below the keys, so it will, like, create, like, an interesting sound. Yeah. And then, like, marimba and xylophone, all, like, wooden keys.

[Interviewer]

Wooden keys, yeah.

[Yuhan Su]

And xylophone. The register is higher. Marimba has, like, a lower register. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you first discover and begin to play the vibraphone?

[Yuhan Su]

Oh, I mean, because I studied percussion since I was a kid and piano as well. And then. So I. So I played in, like. Like, orchestra and classical percussion a lot. And until, like, I was in college, I got into jazz, and then so Gary Vernon 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.

[Alison Stewart]

You said in an interview a couple years ago, this is a beautiful quote. Vibraphone is an instrument full of possibilities. It can be used in different positions.

[Interviewer]

Of a band and create diverse effects for the music. What are some of the different roles a vibraphone can play in a band?

[Yuhan Su]

Yeah, I mean, for example, like, in a jazz ensemble, it can kind of function like a home instrument. Play melody, and you can also join the rhythm section, play chords. Like, I, for example, like, I hold four mallets, so I can actually play the harmony. Yeah. So. And then at the same time, you know, it's a percussion instrument, so you also has a rhythm to it. So. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Do you compose on the vibraphone or do you compose on the piano? When you're creating a piece, where do you go to make it?

[Yuhan Su]

Both, actually. So, I mean, a lot of time on piano just because there's more. More things I can cover on the piano. But sometimes I write on the vibraphone just to feature certain technique, like, so I can try out on the vibraphone first.

[Interviewer]

Are you able to use anything you learned from those early days of studying percussion? Classical percussion?

[Yuhan Su]

Yes. Like, a lot, actually. Because for the classical percussion study, there's a lot of, like, I play a lot of 20th century composers, new music. So it's a lot about, like dissonant sound and complicated rhythm. And then I think this kind of sound is always, like inside of my brain. And then that really like, applied to my composition, I think my guess is Yuhun Su.

[Interviewer]

The name of her album is Liberated Gestures. What is a Liberated Gesture? Where did you get the name of the album from?

[Yuhan Su]

So the title is actually coming from the exhibition I saw in Paris of the painter Hansa Tong. Yeah. So his works, it's well known with like very dramatic lines, very bold color, intuitive decision. So, yeah. And then also he overcome, like, a lot of difficulties in his life, and then he transformed that into his art. There's different period of time. He was creating different things because of, like, some limits that he has. So. So, yeah, so I was very inspired. And then I. I started to create the music. And then this whole album, like, around this idea.

[Interviewer]

You're gonna play another piece for us, a song called Character. And you wrote on the liner notes of the album that character has no backstory. How does it fit into the rest of the work? Or is it just its own thing?

[Yuhan Su]

I mean, for example, this song you will hear there's a lot of very interesting meters, rhythm. And then like, you have to like, for example, we, as an improviser, we have to try to find the freedom inside of that. So how to improvise in certain limitations and then to find freedom inside of it. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

This is Yuhon Su, this character, Matt Mitchell on piano.

[Yuhan Su]

Sa.

[Interviewer]

That was Yuhan Su on vibraphone and Matt Mitchell on piano. Joohan Su has a show at jazz gallery on December 16th. Johan, this is a really basic question. What brought you to the United States to play jazz?

[Yuhan Su]

I mean, I came here for studying jazz. Yeah. Because I mean, back the time in Taiwan, there was not enough education of jazz. I mean, nowadays it's much better. And then the jazz is in the college. There's department for that. But I mean, my time, I really need to come here to learn jazz, also to learn the culture and everything.

[Interviewer]

And then how did you get to New York?

[Yuhan Su]

Oh, so after I graduated from Berkeley, 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.

[Interviewer]

Hey, Matt, can I bring you into the conversation?

[Uncle]

Sure.

[Interviewer]

All right. For you, as a pianist, what's interesting about collaborating with someone playing the vibraphone?

[Uncle]

Oh, I actually have always loved the vibes. I got into Playing jazz when I was sort of a young teenager and I. One of my favorite albums was Eric Dolphy's out to Lunch, which is. Has Bobby Hutcherson playing vibes on it. And I've kind of always just loved the sound and probably because of its sort of. It's kind of a cousin of the piano and its ability to play chords. It's sort of percussion nature. And I just like the way its ability to sustain too. You can kind of get a nice wash of sound going, but you can also play, you know, kind of short, kind of. You can kind of get some sharp textures going too. It's just. I like the sound. I like playing with people who have interest, do interesting things with it, which is definitely. Johan is definitely one of those people.

[Interviewer]

I was gonna ask what does Johan do that's unique? We're gonna talk about you like you're not.

[Yuhan Su]

I think.

[Uncle]

Yeah. So we. We had been in touch for several years and then it only in about three, four years ago, we started playing. I just. Our schedules never quite lined up. I was always just kind of super busy. But she had been hitting me up to play. And then we finally did and I was like, oh, well, I'm kind of felt stupid for having taken that long to actually make. Help make it happen. Because I think she's a really. To me, she's actually. She's a really interesting improviser. I always feel like what she plays is the right. For me, the right combination of like, surprising, but also something. Something familiar that kind of hits a familiar spot for me that I want to always hear. When I hear people improvise, there's just. It's very. It's kind of like. It's kind of like hits the perfect sort of ratio of things that I value in an improvising musician.

[Interviewer]

Johan, what is going through your. Your mind when you're improvising? What's going through your mind? Or is nothing? Is it just a feel? A feeling?

[Yuhan Su]

What? Let me see. I think, I mean, in a more like abstract way. It's like combining with memories and the present. Like the moment, like I feel at the time. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

There's a song that tells us that high tech pros and cons was inspired by a premature death of an iPhone. One of your songs.

[Yuhan Su]

That actually was the first song we played.

[Interviewer]

That was the first song you played. How did that experience turn into a song, though? That's so interesting.

[Yuhan Su]

It's like a funny story. Like, I always feel like a lot of my song. It's about me losing money. So this one is because, you know, like now stay. We all need a phone iPhone. And then I figure like, for example, like iPhone, they have like certain amount of years it stay alive. So anyway, there's a period of time I was still paying monthly for this old phone and it already died, so I need to get a new one. And then I was paying like for the dead phone and the new new phone like at the same time. So I was like, this is really ridiculous. Like, I have to write a song about that.

[Interviewer]

Inspiration comes from unusual places. You're going to perform one more song for us as we end the show today. What are we going to hear?

[Yuhan Su]

Yes. So we're going to play she goes to a silent war.

[Interviewer]

This is Yuhan Soon.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much.

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[Nephew]

I'm gonna put you on nephew.

[Uncle]

All right, unc.

[Yuhan Su]

Welcome to McDonald's.

[Alison Stewart]

Can I take your order, miss?

[Nephew]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years. Now it's back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back.