Zy The Way (Taiwan)

Join us for an evening where East meets West, ancient meets modern, multimedia meets music, and Australia meets Taiwan.

Prepare for an extraordinary musical journey as the Taipei-based jazz collective Zy The Way 中庸 embarks on its inaugural Australian tour. Founded by Australian-Taiwanese vocalist Caitlin Magee, acclaimed American composer Matt Fullen, and Taiwanese multimedia artist Bruce Tsai, this international ensemble seamlessly blends 3000-year-old ancient Chinese poetry, multimedia, and original jazz, crafting a distinctive and thought-provoking sonic experience. Their performances go beyond mere music, offering an immersive journey by taking verses from one of the oldest pieces of literature in the world – the ‘Book of Classics (Shijing 詩經)’ – and using the poems as the basis for their compositions. This makes Zy the Way 中庸 one of the only bands in the world recording primarily in an Ancient language and the only jazz ensemble to do so in Mandarin, Taiwanese (Hokkien) and English.

Zy The Way 中庸, featuring a lineup of Taiwan’s top musicians such as versatile bassist Derrick Lin, woodwind specialist Jim “J” Geddes, and accomplished jazz drummer Steven Ma, transcends the boundaries of conventional jazz. Navigating music through the lens of the Doctrine of the Mean or “Zhong-Yong 中庸”, one of the four books of classical Chinese philosophy, Zy The Way 中庸 encapsulates the balance between extremes, emphasizing a thoughtful and harmonious approach to life in the context of music.

Zy The Way 中庸’s debut EP, “A Different Destiny,” has garnered acclaim for its original compositions and creative arrangements, earning a 3.5-star review from the prestigious Downbeat Magazine. Since its founding in 2019, Zy the Way 中庸’s music has also been remixed by heavyweights in the house/electronic music industry such as Ron Trent, DJ Spinna, Mark de Clive-Lowe, and others. Their music takes the audience on a profound journey through the realms of tradition and contemporary artistry.

Vocals – Caitlin Magee
Piano – Matt Fullen
Woodwinds – Jim Geddes
Double Bass – Derrick Lin
Drums – Steven Ma
Multimedia & Poetry Reading – Tzu-Yung Tsai