We are delighted to welcome drummer Wen-Ting Wu to Chat with the Cats.
What were your early experiences like in Taiwan? Do you come from a musical family? I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old growing up in Taiwan. I was also in the school bands throughout elementary and middle school, playing percussion and classical music. I started playing the drum set and formed my own band in high school. I didn’t come from a musical family, but I’ve loved music since I was little. Music has always been a part of my life, whether it was listening to the radio and records from my cousins and friends, or playing in school bands. I didn’t have that natural environment to immerse myself in music at home, but I always went out, trying to grow musically. I reached out to ask older, more experienced musicians or people around me to discover new music.
Was there a particular moment when you realized being a musician could be a full-time career? For me, there wasn’t a particular moment. The decision to become a full-time musician didn’t come easily. I didn’t grow up in an environment that had a model of how to make a career in music, so I had a lot of doubts when I was still in school. I was even afraid to say out loud that this was what I wanted to do. But deep down, I knew that I really loved it, so I just kept doing it. I started teaching in music studios and performing with several jazz and indie bands during college, trying different things and figuring out what I liked and disliked. I had a bottom line for myself: I needed to be able to support myself after I graduated. Gradually, things and opportunities started to accumulate, and I was able to support myself by performing and teaching music before I graduated. So, my path to becoming a full-time musician formed like that.
Was there a particular moment when you realized being a musician could be a full-time career? For me, there wasn’t a particular moment. The decision to become a full-time musician didn’t come easily. I didn’t grow up in an environment that had a model of how to make a career in music, so I had a lot of doubts when I was still in school. I was even afraid to say out loud that this was what I wanted to do. But deep down, I knew that I really loved it, so I just kept doing it. I started teaching in music studios and performing with several jazz and indie bands during college, trying different things and figuring out what I liked and disliked. I had a bottom line for myself: I needed to be able to support myself after I graduated. Gradually, things and opportunities started to accumulate, and I was able to support myself by performing and teaching music before I graduated. So, my path to becoming a full-time musician formed like that.
You moved to NY in 2016. What was that experience like for you? How did you find the Jazz Performance program at Queens College? It was mind-blowing, and I was super excited when I first moved to New York in 2016. Seeing and hearing legendary musicians who had only existed on my laptop screen or iPod performing live was something really special. I got to meet many of them - I was lucky enough to ask questions and remain friends with some of them today. They were the reason I moved here from Taiwan by myself to pursue music. I was really inspired by the way they played and wanted to learn their ways of living and their approach to music. I felt so much spiritually and felt connected to it, listening to what they had created, even though I didn’t quite understand what that was at that time. It’s deep. I knew about the jazz program at Queens College from the professors, Antonio Hart and Michael Mossman. I met them at the NTCH Summer Jazz Camp back in Taiwan, where they would fly every year to teach. I attended the camp for three years, and over time, they got to know me better and really looked out for me. They were kind enough to invite me to join the program after learning I wanted to further my studies in music in the States.
How would you describe the music scene in Taiwan compared to NYC? You also toured with the award-winning Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster last year in Asia. Tell us about that experience. I worked as a drummer in Taiwan for a couple of years before moving to New York. The scene in Taiwan is definitely smaller and less musically diverse. In New York, you can find musicians playing a variety of styles like free jazz, straight-ahead jazz, modern jazz, contemporary music, experimental music, and more in a lot of different venues where there are communities for each genre. In Taiwan, there aren’t as many musicians exploring so many different styles, and there are fewer opportunities to perform. In New York, you can find music happening in venues, bars, and restaurants easily everywhere. The smaller scene in Taiwan has its advantages, though. Musicians tend to know each other well and work together frequently, so it’s a pretty tight community. Besides playing jazz in different bands, I was also involved in the indie pop scene in Taiwan during my college and post-college years, working with award-winning bands like Chang Lee and Hello Nico before I moved to New York. Those days were fun, creating and performing original music around town. It helped me figure out what I wanted to do professionally as a drummer and also gave me an outlet to express myself musically in different ways. Since moving to New York in 2016, I’ve mostly played jazz with different bandleaders and my own band, but I did a tour with the Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster last year, a band I’ve known since college. Reconnecting with indie music and working with the Taiwanese team was a fun and interesting experience. It felt like being back in my college days, but this time, I was performing on much bigger stages, like music festivals with 20,000 people, and working with a professional team of 12 people. It was fun, but it also came with more responsibilities, and I learned a lot of new skills as a drummer from that tour. While jazz is what I love most of the time, I also enjoy playing different styles of music. It keeps my creative side more open and prevents me from falling into certain habits or approaches when it comes to expressing myself in musical situations.
Do you have any upcoming tours, album releases, or specific performances you’d like to promote? I’ll be performing with Frank Lacy’s band at Smalls on December 3rd, and in January, I’ll be in Michigan with the Lisa Sung Quartet (1/9 at Blue Llama and 1/10 at The Block, presented by the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra). I also perform frequently around New York City. You can follow me on Instagram @Wentingating for updates on dates and news!
What has been your experience working with KEYED UP! and the importance of keeping jazz alive? KEYED UP! is awesome! They are incredibly important and supportive when it comes to keeping jazz alive. I used to go to the legendary 10-year-run jazz jam session at Turnmill, created by Rob Duguay and The Low Key Trio, frequently during my early years in New York. I’ve also subbed for the drummer, Nadav, in the house band multiple times. The session always had a great, welcoming vibe for musicians to play, grow, learn, and connect with each other. This is vital for jazz musicians to live, get work, and develop. I have grown so much and met so many people through that session, and I’m so grateful for the environment they created. All of this was made possible thanks to the funding from KEYED UP! I also started a jam session in Crown Heights in 2022. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long because the ownership of the club changed, but during the time it was running, KEYED UP! and Rob were very willing to help. They helped in making sure the musicians were not underpaid, allowing the session to continue if the venue can’t afford the bands on its own. In this case, they also helped to attract more customers for local businesses by supporting music activities and creating an environment for people to enjoy and experience live jazz at the same time.
We are delighted to welcome drummer Wen-Ting Wu to Chat with the Cats.
What were your early experiences like in Taiwan? Do you come from a musical family?
I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old growing up in Taiwan. I was also in the school bands throughout elementary and middle school, playing percussion and classical music. I started playing the drum set and formed my own band in high school. I didn’t come from a musical family, but I’ve loved music since I was little. Music has always been a part of my life, whether it was listening to the radio and records from my cousins and friends, or playing in school bands. I didn’t have that natural environment to immerse myself in music at home, but I always went out, trying to grow musically. I reached out to ask older, more experienced musicians or people around me to discover new music.
Was there a particular moment when you realized being a musician could be a full-time career?
For me, there wasn’t a particular moment. The decision to become a full-time musician didn’t come easily. I didn’t grow up in an environment that had a model of how to make a career in music, so I had a lot of doubts when I was still in school. I was even afraid to say out loud that this was what I wanted to do. But deep down, I knew that I really loved it, so I just kept doing it. I started teaching in music studios and performing with several jazz and indie bands during college, trying different things and figuring out what I liked and disliked. I had a bottom line for myself: I needed to be able to support myself after I graduated. Gradually, things and opportunities started to accumulate, and I was able to support myself by performing and teaching music before I graduated. So, my path to becoming a full-time musician formed like that.
Was there a particular moment when you realized being a musician could be a full-time career?
For me, there wasn’t a particular moment. The decision to become a full-time musician didn’t come easily. I didn’t grow up in an environment that had a model of how to make a career in music, so I had a lot of doubts when I was still in school. I was even afraid to say out loud that this was what I wanted to do. But deep down, I knew that I really loved it, so I just kept doing it. I started teaching in music studios and performing with several jazz and indie bands during college, trying different things and figuring out what I liked and disliked. I had a bottom line for myself: I needed to be able to support myself after I graduated. Gradually, things and opportunities started to accumulate, and I was able to support myself by performing and teaching music before I graduated. So, my path to becoming a full-time musician formed like that.
You moved to NY in 2016. What was that experience like for you? How did you find the Jazz Performance program at Queens College?
It was mind-blowing, and I was super excited when I first moved to New York in 2016. Seeing and hearing legendary musicians who had only existed on my laptop screen or iPod performing live was something really special. I got to meet many of them - I was lucky enough to ask questions and remain friends with some of them today. They were the reason I moved here from Taiwan by myself to pursue music. I was really inspired by the way they played and wanted to learn their ways of living and their approach to music. I felt so much spiritually and felt connected to it, listening to what they had created, even though I didn’t quite understand what that was at that time. It’s deep.
I knew about the jazz program at Queens College from the professors, Antonio Hart and Michael Mossman. I met them at the NTCH Summer Jazz Camp back in Taiwan, where they would fly every year to teach. I attended the camp for three years, and over time, they got to know me better and really looked out for me. They were kind enough to invite me to join the program after learning I wanted to further my studies in music in the States.
How would you describe the music scene in Taiwan compared to NYC? You also toured with the award-winning Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster last year in Asia. Tell us about that experience.
I worked as a drummer in Taiwan for a couple of years before moving to New York. The scene in Taiwan is definitely smaller and less musically diverse. In New York, you can find musicians playing a variety of styles like free jazz, straight-ahead jazz, modern jazz, contemporary music, experimental music, and more in a lot of different venues where there are communities for each genre. In Taiwan, there aren’t as many musicians exploring so many different styles, and there are fewer opportunities to perform. In New York, you can find music happening in venues, bars, and restaurants easily everywhere. The smaller scene in Taiwan has its advantages, though. Musicians tend to know each other well and work together frequently, so it’s a pretty tight community. Besides playing jazz in different bands, I was also involved in the indie pop scene in Taiwan during my college and post-college years, working with award-winning bands like Chang Lee and Hello Nico before I moved to New York. Those days were fun, creating and performing original music around town. It helped me figure out what I wanted to do professionally as a drummer and also gave me an outlet to express myself musically in different ways.
Since moving to New York in 2016, I’ve mostly played jazz with different bandleaders and my own band, but I did a tour with the Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster last year, a band I’ve known since college. Reconnecting with indie music and working with the Taiwanese team was a fun and interesting experience. It felt like being back in my college days, but this time, I was performing on much bigger stages, like music festivals with 20,000 people, and working with a professional team of 12 people. It was fun, but it also came with more responsibilities, and I learned a lot of new skills as a drummer from that tour. While jazz is what I love most of the time, I also enjoy playing different styles of music. It keeps my creative side more open and prevents me from falling into certain habits or approaches when it comes to expressing myself in musical situations.
Do you have any upcoming tours, album releases, or specific performances you’d like to promote?
I’ll be performing with Frank Lacy’s band at Smalls on December 3rd, and in January, I’ll be in Michigan with the Lisa Sung Quartet (1/9 at Blue Llama and 1/10 at The Block, presented by the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra). I also perform frequently around New York City.
You can follow me on Instagram @Wentingating for updates on dates and news!
What has been your experience working with KEYED UP! and the importance of keeping jazz alive?
KEYED UP! is awesome! They are incredibly important and supportive when it comes to keeping jazz alive. I used to go to the legendary 10-year-run jazz jam session at Turnmill, created by Rob Duguay and The Low Key Trio, frequently during my early years in New York. I’ve also subbed for the drummer, Nadav, in the house band multiple times. The session always had a great, welcoming vibe for musicians to play, grow, learn, and connect with each other. This is vital for jazz musicians to live, get work, and develop. I have grown so much and met so many people through that session, and I’m so grateful for the environment they created. All of this was made possible thanks to the funding from KEYED UP!
I also started a jam session in Crown Heights in 2022. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long because the ownership of the club changed, but during the time it was running, KEYED UP! and Rob were very willing to help. They helped in making sure the musicians were not underpaid, allowing the session to continue if the venue can’t afford the bands on its own. In this case, they also helped to attract more customers for local businesses by supporting music activities and creating an environment for people to enjoy and experience live jazz at the same time.
Photo credit Eric Fernandez