MOCA PERFORMS - Over Hills and Valleys

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is pleased to welcome back resident artist Benjamin “saxofshaolin” Chin for a special concert of Over Hills and Valleys: An Imagination of the Shared History of Hakka Chinese and Jamaican Music.

Over Hills and Valleys is a musical imagination of the shared history of Hakka Chinese and Jamaican music and its people. Accompanied by Grammy-nominated Reggae producer, Andre "Dretegs" Hawthorne, the duo will perform a set of original music and covers that will trace the migration patterns of the Hakka Chinese from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean to New York City. In addition, the pair will discuss and share behind-the-scenes footage of the writing and recording process of the project. Join us for this unique afternoon concert that brings together the resonant traditions of Hakka Chinese and Jamaican music in a one-of-a-kind cultural encounter.

"Over Hills and Valleys" is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Ben Chin, aka saxofshaolin, is the confluence between East and West. As a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, he seeks to merge the musical lineages of his upbringing. He fuses American, South East Asian, and Afro-Caribbean music and creates music that sounds like a dance between the ancestors of the three traditions. This is not only an effort to experiment with music but also to find common ground between far-flung cultures. It's an approach that has developed, instinctually, from his experience as an immigrant and a Hakka Chinese, a nomad by blood. His music is simultaneously traditional and contemporary. Equally aggressive and tasteful. Always danceable and spiritual.

Outside of saxofshaolin, Ben is a part of a handful of music and food startups in New York City. Whether it’s via Resonator, QNA, Moonlite, or Bagel Joint, he integrates his love of culture into every project, product, or piece of food.

Ben Chin is a 2024 Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of Chinese in America, and Google Next Gen Policy Leader.

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