TV Feature on Truyền Hình Quốc Hội Việt Nam

Exciting news alert! I've just been featured on Truyền hình Quốc hội Việt Nam, where I delved into my enriching musical journey across Vietnam. It's a fantastic way to kick off the New Year, don't you think?

Not only did the feature highlight my adventures, but it also showcased my Vietnamese and American families, adding a delightful global touch to the narrative.

From the deep melodies of my beloved cello to the infectious rhythms of Vietnamese music, I shared my anecdotes and experiences with humor and warmth. It's not just about the music; it's about the connections and cultural exchanges that music fosters.

A huge shoutout to the talented team at Truyền Hình Quốc Hội for their impeccable work in bringing my story to life. Their dedication and skill truly shine through in every frame, and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to share my journey with a wider audience.

Interview on "Culture Mosaic" on VTV

I had the honor of being interviewed on "Culture Mosaic" on VTV4 about my new album Tri Âm, my collaboration with tremendous Vietnamese musicians, and our concert at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.

Many thanks to Mai Anh Do for the wonderful interview! I look forward to more collaborations in the future.

10th Anniversary Culture show at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam

🎶🏛️ Last night's concert at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi was an experience that I’ll never forget! 🇺🇸🎻 I am still overwhelmed with gratitude and honor to have shared the stage with the incredibly talented artists Pham Tra My, Ngo Tra My, and Tri. The warmth and camaraderie that filled the air during our performance were beyond words.

Collaborating with these esteemed musicians was an absolute joy, and we poured our hearts and souls into every note we played. The harmonious blend of classic Vietnamese melodies, original compositions, and the soul-stirring sound of the cello, accompanied by traditional Vietnamese instruments and modern electronics, created an enchanting and immersive musical experience. 🎵🤝

Working with these artists not only allowed us to create captivating music but also forged a bond of friendship and understanding that goes beyond language and borders. Their talent and passion are inspiring, and I couldn't have asked for better people to share this experience with. I'm genuinely hopeful that this is just the beginning of our artistic journey together. 🤗🎻

Thank you to everyone who attended the show in person and online, your energy and welcoming smiles helped to uplift our musical spirits. Thank you to all the journalists, newspapers, and television networks for helping spread the joy to a greater audience. Thank you to the U.S. Embassy and its wonderful staff for putting on this concert and working tirelessly to make the event successful. Thank you to young, Kaia, for accompanying me with your stellar dancing. Most importantly, thank you to my lovely wife, Bui Tuyet Minh, who helped to coordinate this concert. Let's keep the music alive and continue to celebrate the richness of Vietnamese culture together! 🎉🎵🇻🇳

A Year of COVID - A Musical Retrospective

I wanted to share with you a video playlist of my musical collaborations from this turbulent COVID year: A COVID Music Retrospective.

But first - a little backstory.

My birthday is March 13, which coincidentally was the last day before lockdown in my town of Teaneck, NJ in 2020.

That day I had a small jam session at my house and by the time people were leaving, I was getting notice that my town was going into quarantine.

I was supposed to be playing a wedding gig in 2 days, but called the contractor and told him I couldn't do it.

A year later and I just celebrated my birthday in Puerto Rico while hiding out here for the winter.

This ordinarily wouldn't have been possible, but given that there are no gigs to play and everything is online, we decided we could at least go to a beautiful place where we could be outside.

When the pandemic started, I decided to offer some free workshops on improvisation using my new books, String Jams, to try boost some morale.

People signed up so fast I had to add more.

I was so happy that people were genuinely interested in the topic and that I had an outlet to focus on other than the doom and gloom of the virus.

Then my wife suggested that I collaborate with some of my Vietnamese musician friends (we lived in Vietnam from 2018 - 2019).

That spawned a number of collaborations with Vietnamese, Scottish, Puerto Rican, and American artists that I'm really proud of.

For me, the music has a wide variety of feelings and moods: joy, sorrow, contemplation, anger.

What do you hear?

Not to get all sappy, but music has always given me a sense of purpose, and boy did I need it after such a difficult year.

I hope these videos inspire you to write your own music and do your own collaborations.

COVID sucks, but it did help me create some cool music, so I guess that's looking at the bright side?

Let's hope things continue to get better.