DownBeat
A four-and-a-half-star review of Time Chamber, praising the individuality and imagination of Chao’s writing for her 18-piece orchestra.
Read the review ↗ - DownBeat
Da Vinci Jazz
Physical and Digital Release: 12 July 2024
Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra presents Time Chamber, bringing the composer’s musical imagination into the interplay of orchestral colours, improvisation and the individual voices of a large jazz ensemble.
13.76€
Digital programme · 8 tracks
Track timings refer to the digital edition.
Producer: Monique Chao
Saxophones: Andrea Ciceri, Gianluca Zanello, Davide Intini, Vincent Dupuy, Iris Galibariggi
Trumpets: Alessandro Patafio, Paolo De Ceglie, Tiziano Codoro, Valentina Cappello
Trombones: Giulio Amerigo GAlibariggi, Oliseh F. Obiarinze, Carmelo Rizzo, Simone Capitaneo
Rhtum Section: Giuseppe Blanco(pn), Dario Spezia(gt), Michele Sannelli(Vibes), Giacomo Marzi(bs), Marcello Repola(dr)
Monique Chao is a Taiwanese pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader based in Italy. Her music brings jazz into dialogue with classical training, contemporary large-ensemble writing and Asian cultural references. She leads the Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra and works with Subconscious Trio. Her orchestral album Time Chamber presents eight original compositions, combining extended forms, layered ensemble colours and space for improvisation.
Time Chamber brings together eight original compositions by Monique Chao for her jazz orchestra. The composer’s programme notes connect the pieces with images of isolation, transformation, urban life, youthful imagination and personal remembrance. Hollow. The opening piece reflects on the stage as an essential part of a jazz musician’s life. Without the possibility of performance, that life can feel empty, like the resonating space inside a drum. Hyperbolic Time Chamber. The title refers to the training chamber in Dragon Ball, where time and gravity work differently. Written during the pandemic,…
Time Chamber brings together eight original compositions by Monique Chao for her jazz orchestra. The composer’s programme notes connect the pieces with images of isolation, transformation, urban life, youthful imagination and personal remembrance.
Hollow. The opening piece reflects on the stage as an essential part of a jazz musician’s life. Without the possibility of performance, that life can feel empty, like the resonating space inside a drum.
Hyperbolic Time Chamber. The title refers to the training chamber in Dragon Ball, where time and gravity work differently. Written during the pandemic, the piece evokes musicians isolated at home, using an altered experience of time to practise and develop their abilities.
Women and Gravity. An imaginative reflection on gravity and its absence, the piece plays with the possibility of familiar things, including numbers, floating free of their usual order.
Melting City. The modern city becomes a bubbling pot of encounters and contradictions. Contrasting energies and colours coexist in a crowded musical landscape.
Whale Fall. When a whale dies and sinks to the ocean floor, its remains sustain a new ecosystem. This image of one life giving nourishment to others inspires a meditation on transformation and the continuity of life.
Trophy. Youth, adventure and the experience of losing and winning shape this piece. Its title suggests that the experience of being young can itself become a lasting prize.
Chakra Marching. The Sanskrit word chakra, meaning wheel, and its associations with centres of energy meet the imaginative world of Naruto, where chakra is essential to the practice of ninjutsu.
Chester Is Boss. A tribute to Chester Bennington (1976-2017), the singer of Linkin Park, remembering the expressive force of his voice and music.
Recorded on 12 and 13 July 2023 at Officine Meccaniche Recording Studios, Milan, Italy. Recording engineer: Giuseppe Salvadori. Mixing and mastering: Jason Huang. Producer: Monique Chao. Cover design: Lilia Kirilova.
Selected awards, reviews and interviews. Radio broadcasts and podcasts are listed separately below.
DownBeat
A four-and-a-half-star review of Time Chamber, praising the individuality and imagination of Chao’s writing for her 18-piece orchestra.
Read the review ↗ - DownBeatKathodik
An enthusiastic assessment of this orchestral debut, praising Chao’s writing, rich instrumental colours and the balance between exuberant expression and formal clarity. Rated 8.5/10.
Read the review ↗ - KathodikMusica Jazz
A warmly appreciative account of the orchestra’s performance at the Blue Note in Milan on 14 September 2025, discussing Chao’s writing and the ensemble’s expressive range.
Read the reference ↗ - Musica JazzMusica Jazz
A feature on Chao’s large-ensemble work, reflecting on Time Chamber and looking ahead to Firefly Gazing.
Read the reference ↗ - Musica JazzTom Hull
A brief review rating Time Chamber B+(**). Hull finds the opening exceptional but feels that the album continues beyond the point at which it sustains his interest.
Read the review ↗ - Tom HullThe Urban Music Scene
A release feature introducing Monique Chao, her jazz orchestra and the programme of Time Chamber, with notes on the individual compositions and the project’s background. This is a release announcement rather than an independent critical review.
Explore the coverage ↗ - The Urban Music Scene
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