Taiwan Grooves

Today's episode of Taiwan Grooves will feature two talented musicians who bring us a special combination - sitar and erhu. The duo, T.S. Lo and Yo, will teach us about their instruments of choice, story how they got to playing them, and the origins of the band.

Wooonta is a Taiwanese world music ensemble renowned for their innovative fusion of traditional Eastern instruments and diverse musical genres. Formed in 2015, the band is led by erhu virtuoso Lo Chang Chin and features Japanese sitarist Ryohei Kanemitsu, affectionately known as "Yo." Their music seamlessly blends elements of classical, jazz, and global sounds, creating a unique auditory experience that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Their debut album, Wooontaful, garnered critical acclaim, earning multiple nominations at the Taiwan Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music, and winning the prestigious Best Composition Award. Following this success, they released Borderless Realm, which was also featured on the French radio program JAZZ ATTITUDE in 2023.

Wooonta's live performances have captivated audiences at renowned international festivals, including the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the 2018 Taiwan World Music Festival, and the 2022 Asia-Pacific Traditional Arts Festival. In 2023, they had the honor of performing as the special opening act for the globally broadcast Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert. Their music has also been featured on French radio, further expanding their global reach.

The band's adaptability is evident in their diverse stage setups, ranging from intimate duos to expansive ensembles, allowing them to tailor their performances to various venues and audiences. This versatility, combined with their mastery of traditional instruments, positions Wooonta as a significant force in the world music scene.

Welcome to the second part of our interview with The Church of Loops. Brian and John will take us through one of their songs, talk about jamming out songs from scratch and improvisation, and we will also brainstorm ideas for pushing music to reach new listeners.

The Church of Loops creates original music by improvising with loop stations, beatboxing, vocal harmonies, MIDI controllers, and various instruments, and they offer each audience a unique invitation to enter into the vibe of the music with them.

Welcome to the Church of Loops! On November 13th, 2021, an Englishman and an American got together for a music practice in Taipei, Taiwan. After agonizing for a few minutes over what kind of music they should be making together, they decided to release all expectations and just have some fun having a jam. One of them hit record and went to the bathroom; when he came out the music had already begun.

******* Legal Disclaimer: The Church of Loops is not a religious organization, nor are we affiliated in any way with any religion. By following us and/or listening to our music, you will (probably) not achieve enlightenment, Nirvana, or a ticket to Heaven. There are no crystals, crosses, or candles required in the enjoyment of our music. You do not need to become a vegetarian (although you should probably cut back on the donuts and crisps). We neither condone nor condemn the use of substances while listening to our music, but if you go on a nice trip, please send us a postcard.

For more information about their music, please visit:

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YouTube

For today's episode, I am joined by two creative minds from The Church of Loops, Brian and John. In part I, we will discuss how they picked the right name for the duo, evolution of their sound and how they develop improvisation skills during life performances.

The Church of Loops creates original music by improvising with loop stations, beatboxing, vocal harmonies, MIDI controllers, and various instruments, and they offer each audience a unique invitation to enter into the vibe of the music with them.

Welcome to the Church of Loops! On November 13th, 2021, an Englishman and an American got together for a music practice in Taipei, Taiwan. After agonizing for a few minutes over what kind of music they should be making together, they decided to release all expectations and just have some fun having a jam. One of them hit record and went to the bathroom; when he came out the music had already begun.

******* Legal Disclaimer: The Church of Loops is not a religious organization, nor are we affiliated in any way with any religion. By following us and/or listening to our music, you will (probably) not achieve enlightenment, Nirvana, or a ticket to Heaven. There are no crystals, crosses, or candles required in the enjoyment of our music. You do not need to become vegetarian (although you should probably cut back on the donuts and crisps). We neither condone nor condemn the use of substances while listening to our music, but if you go on a nice trip, please send us a postcard.

For more information about their music, please visit:

IG

YouTube

Welcome to the second part of our interview with Maxwell Lee, a singer, songwriter and composer from the U.S. In this episode, we will talk about some of his past performances, various projects he is involved in and his songs.

In 2022, Maxwell Lee moved to Taipei after being awarded a Gold Card from the Taiwan Ministry of Culture for excellence in the arts. He maintains a busy performing schedule, as a primary member of the punk rock band Electric Monk, the dark art rock trio Hive Mind, LoFi group Ai Mao Yuan, and his own pop rock band Project Maximus. Maxwell also frequently features as a guest performer with artists including the Church of Loops, Mr. Bamboostick, Taiwan Beer spokesperson Billy Walshaw and Hits! The Musical cast member Lili Greenberg.

With 22 years of classical training, Maxwell has enjoyed roles as a performer, educator and adjudicator. He has performed in concert halls in the US, Europe, and Asia. He also previously served as a professor of music at Florida State College in Jacksonville and as a frequent judge for the upper divisions of numerous local and state competitions.

Maxwell received a master of music degree from Northwestern University in the studio of Alan Chow. He has also studied under the tutelage of Arkady Aronov (Manhattan School of Music) Paul Schenly (Cleveland Institute of Music) and Boris Slutsky (Peabody Conservatory).

As a violinist, Maxwell served as the concertmaster of his civic youth orchestra and received certificates in string pedagogy from the University of Florida and Northwestern. He also plays guitar and bass in a few of his bands.

For more information about Max and his music, please visit:

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Spotify

Join us in today’s episode as I sit down with Max to talk about his journey from classical training to creating his own sound. We will look into his perspective on classical training, letting go of perfection, and his inspiring return to music with more freedom and joy after a hiatus.

In 2022, Maxwell Lee moved to Taipei after being awarded a Gold Card from the Taiwan Ministry of Culture for excellence in the arts. He maintains a busy performing schedule, as a primary member of the punk rock band Electric Monk, the dark art rock trio Hive Mind, LoFi group Ai Mao Yuan, and his own pop rock band Project Maximus. Maxwell also frequently features as a guest performer with artists including the Church of Loops, Mr. Bamboostick, Taiwan Beer spokesperson Billy Walshaw and Hits! The Musical cast member Lili Greenberg.

With 22 years of classical training, Maxwell has enjoyed roles as a performer, educator and adjudicator. He has performed in concert halls in the US, Europe, and Asia. He also previously served as a professor of music at Florida State College in Jacksonville and as a frequent judge for the upper divisions of numerous local and state competitions.

Maxwell received a master of music degree from Northwestern University in the studio of Alan Chow. He has also studied under the tutelage of Arkady Aronov (Manhattan School of Music) Paul Schenly (Cleveland Institute of Music) and Boris Slutsky (Peabody Conservatory).

As a violinist, Maxwell served as the concertmaster of his civic youth orchestra and received certificates in string pedagogy from the University of Florida and Northwestern. He also plays guitar and bass in a few of his bands.

For more information about Max and his music, please visit:

YouTube

Facebook

Spotify

Join in to the second episode of interesting chats with a Taiwanese singer, songwriter and producer, Everydaze. Today we will dive into topics such as his significant trip to L.A. and his most recent album - Daze.

Deeply influenced by multiple genres such as Bedroom-Pop, Indie-Pop, R&B, and so-on, Everydaze’s music is a mixture of retro and modern sound, layered by rich guitar melodies, glimmering or mellow synthesizer, along with grooves that makes you bob your head without knowing it.

For more information about his music, please visit:

Spotify

IG

YouTube

In today's episode I am joined by Everydaze, a Taiwanese singer, songwriter and producer. Together we will look at how one can pursue music career with no music education, writing songs in English. We will also briefly talk about the song Blur and also find out if Everydaze is still producing for other artists. Additionally, we will address

how self sufficient one can be when making an album and what his biggest obstacle was when putting out an album.

Deeply influenced by multiple genres such as Bedroom-Pop, Indie-Pop, R&B, and so-on, Everydaze’s music is a mixture of retro and modern sound, layered by rich guitar melodies, glimmering or mellow synthesizer, along with grooves that makes you bob your head without knowing it.

For more information about his music, please visit:

Spotify

IG

YouTube

Join into a single episode with Indonesian rapper Mario Zwinkle from Megaport Festival in Kaohsiung. We had an interview after his performance where he shared what brought him to Megaport, origin of getting into rap music, process of writing lyrics as well as what we can expect from Mario in the upcoming months. Besides this, Mario will enlighten us about his rituals and religious disciple and share samples of his work.

Prodigious rapper Mario Zwinkle kicked off his journey in 2016 with his debut single “Funk Yeah”, and his rise has been relentless ever since. Hailing from Yogyakarta, Mario has put out releases aplenty, including his

widely praised debut album, “Soul Plane”, in 2020. His path reflects a blend of traditional influences and modern musical expressions, resonating deeply within the national landscape while hinting at a potential to

touch global shores.

Mario’s versatility also shines through his collaborations with renowned artists, including Indonesian hip-hop legend Iwa K. His songs have also found a place in the soundtracks of several Indonesian feature films, including “My Generation”, “Gundala”, and “Gatotkaca”.

With the release of the captivating single “SAPU JAGAT” in 2024, Mario Zwinkle is all set to dominate 2025 and beyond.

IG

YouTube

Spotify

Welcome to the second part of meeting members of That's My Shhh at Megaport Festival. This episode wraps up the interview, including stories of how one gets in and some fan interactions.

That’s My Shhh was originally developed in 2015 as an event to break down walls between musicians and dancers, and provide Taiwanese artists a safe space where they could be creatively free, void of restriction and receive fair compensation. Over this decade, That’s My Shhh has gone on to sell 10,000+ tickets without ever spending a dollar on advertising, sharing 100% of their profits equally with all artists involved (totalling over 8 million nt).

In that time they’ve also had 100+ graduates from their That’s My Jam program, where students and young professionals get an opportunity to work closely with active professionals and see what it takes to do this full time.

However, since the pandemic, That’s My Shhh has been forced to pivot and reimagine what they were, are and could be.

So now, in 2025, while they intend to continue the work they’ve already begun, That’s My Shhh is excited to announce their own artists. A collective of like minded, award winning artists from different backgrounds and mediums, striving to create in a space void of restriction, censorship or micromanaging, and to be respected and compensated fairly for their art.

Featuring:

- Bradd

- Dac

- DCIV

- Flowstrong

- Frankie阿法

- Lazy Habits

- LEO37

- Robot Swing

- Star Wu

- Yaobai/IP Lockers

For more information about their music, please visit:

YouTube

Instagram

Linktree

In today's episode, I will be interviewing all 14 members from That's My Shhh (TMS) at one of the biggest music festivals in Taiwan - Megaport Festival. The first episode will include introduction of the members and what this collaboration is about, their view on Taiwanese music industry, their cross-collaboration, and finding balance in presenting every individual.

That’s My Shhh was originally developed in 2015 as an event to break down walls between musicians and dancers, and provide Taiwanese artists a safe space where they could be creatively free, void of restriction and receive fair compensation. Over this decade, That’s My Shhh has gone on to sell 10,000+ tickets without ever spending a dollar on advertising, sharing 100% of their profits equally with all artists involved (totalling over 8 million nt).

In that time they’ve also had 100+ graduates from their That’s My Jam program, where students and young professionals get an opportunity to work closely with active professionals and see what it takes to do this full time.

However, since the pandemic, That’s My Shhh has been forced to pivot and reimagine what they were, are and could be.

So now, in 2025, while they intend to continue the work they’ve already begun, That’s My Shhh is excited to announce their own artists. A collective of like minded, award winning artists from different backgrounds and mediums, striving to create in a space void of restriction, censorship or micromanaging, and to be respected and compensated fairly for their art.

Featuring:

- Bradd

- Dac

- DCIV

- Flowstrong

- Frankie阿法

- Lazy Habits

- LEO37

- Robot Swing

- Star Wu

- Yaobai/IP Lockers

For more information about their music, please visit:

YouTube

Instagram

Linktree