Jazz Fusion Group Jonathan Scales Fourchestra to Perform in Taiwan as part of the American Music Abroad Program

PR-1702E | Date: 01/19/2017

Jazz Fusion Group Jonathan Scales Fourchestra (Photo: Jazz Fusion Group Jonathan Scales Fourchestra)

The American Institute in Taiwan is honored to announce the American Steelpan Jazz Fusion group Jonathan Scales Fourchestra tour in Taipei, New Taipei, Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung from February 9-15, 2017. Jonathan Scales Fourchestra’s visit to Taiwan is part of the 2017 American Music Abroad program, which is co-produced by American Voices, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the American Institute in Taiwan.

In partnership with the Cultural Affairs Departments of the New Taipei City Government, the Yilan County Government, and the Taitung County Government, the three talented Jonathan Scales Fourchestra members will present three free public concerts and participate in other cultural exchange activities in Taipei and on Taiwan’s East Coast. In addition to the public concerts, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra will also perform a pop-up show outside the Taipei MRT Zhongshan Station to share with Taiwan a taste of authentic American street performance. Taiwan performance groups including Voice Travelers, A Root Yilan, and the Chu-Yin Culture and Arts Troupe will join Jonathan Scales Fourchestra on stage at various concerts as they tour Taiwan.

Other local partners that will facilitate workshops, presentations, and cultural exchanges as part of the American Music Abroad Taiwan Program include MOCA Taipei, Metro Taipei, the Historical Lin An-Tai Homestead, National Dong Hua University, National Hualien School of Special Education, Gangkou Elementary School, and Tiehua Music Village.

Formed in 2002, the jazz fusion group Jonathan Scales Fourchestra explodes onto stages with an indescribable sound that is as much felt as it is heard: “a Thelonius Monk-like attitude with a Mozart creativity” (Pan on the Net). Weaving together collective and individual influences without compromise, they are as much themselves as they are a unit - a crucial trait of landmark instrumental ensembles. At center stage, steel pannist and founder Jonathan Scales’ compositional skill mixes with tasteful, avant-garde improvisations to form an unmistakably unique approach to an instrument often associated with cruise ships and tropical music.

American Music Abroad is a people-to-people cultural exchange program designed to communicate America’s rich musical contributions and diverse culture to the global music scene. Jonathan Scales Fourchestra was selected to participate in the State Department’s 2017 “American Music Abroad” program touring to China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia as cultural ambassadors.

The performance schedule for the American Music Abroad Taiwan 2017 Tour is below. Media are welcome to cover all performance events. Jonathan Scales Fourchestra and AIT staff will be available to answer press questions at the concerts. Interested media outlets should contact AIT to make arrangements.

Media are also welcome to play or rebroadcast the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra songs and videos available for download at the below link. When using these materials, media outlets should state that AIT provided them to promote the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra tour in Taiwan from February 9-15.

Songs and video samples of Jonathan Scales Fourchestra for media download and use: https://app.box.com/s/rpvk88i5y86d9ntmwfief9neny8litew

Taipei City - Pop-up Concert

• Date: Thursday, February 9 at 6:00 – 6:40 p.m.
• Venue: Taipei MRT Zhongshan Station (at the Round Square behind the Exit 4)
• Tickets: Free admission, no tickets required

New Taipei City - Public Concert

* Jonathan Scales Fourchestra will be joined by Voice Travelers

• Date: Friday, February 10, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• Venue: Taipei MRT Tamshui Station (at the Open Square behind the station/by the riverside)
• Tickets: Free admission, no tickets required

Yilan City - Public Concert

* Jonathan Scales Fourchestra will be joined by A Root Yilan Music Group

• Date: Saturday, February 11, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Venue: Yilan Performing Arts Center
• No. 482, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Yilan City
• Tickets: Free tickets available beginning February 2 at:
  • 1. Yilan Performing Arts Center Ticket Box (Address: No. 482, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Yilan City, Tel: 03-9369115 ext. 120)
  • 2. Yilan Cultural Bureau Information Counter (Address: No.101, Sec. 2, Fushin Rd., Yilan City)
  • 3. Daya Bookstore (Address: No. 8, Wenhua Rd., Yilan City)
  • 4. Jin Yin Culture Co. (Address: No.16, Sec. 1, Fushin Rd., Yilan City)
  • 5. Luodong Cultural Working House (Address: No. 96, Sec. 1, Chunjing Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County)
  • 6. KAWAI Chingsung Instrument Co. (Address: No.12, Mingchuan Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County )
  • 7. 101 Stationery Paradise (Address: No 75, Gongzhen Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County)

Taitung - Public Concert

* Jonathan Scales Fourchestra will be joined by Chu-Yin Culture and Arts Troupe

• Date: Monday, February 13, 8:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Venue: Tiehua Music Village
• Address: No. 26, Ln. 135, Hsin-shen Rd., Taitung City
• Tickets: Free tickets available beginning February 3 at:
  • 1. Taitung Cultural Bureau Library Information Counter (Address: 1F, No.25, Nanjing Rd., Taitung City; Tel: 089-320-378)
    Tuesday through Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00 (Monday off)
  • 2. Tiehua Music Village (Address: No. 26, Ln. 135, Xinsheng Rd., Taitung City; Tel: 089-343-393) Wednesday through Monday from 14:00 to 20:00 (Tuesday off)

For more information about the American Music Abroad Taiwan program please stay tuned to the AIT Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/AIT.Social.Media

Members of the media are welcome to contact AIT’s Public Diplomacy Section at 02-2162-2037 for more details.

For more information about the artists, please visit:

Official website http://www.jonscales.com/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jonathanscalesfourchestra