Emy Tseng

Bridging Worlds Through Jazz

Seattle-based Emy Tseng is a rising star in the world of modern and Brazilian jazz. Her critically-acclaimed debut album, Sonho ("dream" in Portuguese), established her as a formidable interpreter of these rich musical traditions. She's currently collaborating with some of New York's finest jazz musicians on her sophomore album, Love Fool. This innovative project reimagines 80s and 90s pop classics through the lens of jazz and Brazilian arrangements.

A Musician at Age Four

Emy was born in Taiwan and grew up in Seattle. Starting at age four, she learned classical piano and then began singing in choirs during high school.  Even while pursuing degrees in math and physics at Brown University, Emy continued to sing. While in graduate school  for Technology and Policy at MIT, she studied classical voice at the nearby Longy School of Music and sang in early music ensembles.

A Move That Ignited a Love for Jazz

It was a move to New York in 2001 that caused Emy to “discover” jazz. While working for the Ford Foundation, she went out regularly to hear jazz at the clubs in the Village. Inspired by hearing artists like Luciana Souza and Paula Morelenbaum, she decided to learn Brazilian music. 

After moving to Washington, DC for a job with the U.S. Department of Commerce, she started to perform at local clubs and events. With the encouragement of and collaboration with DC-area musicians, Emy recorded and released her debut album Sonho in 2013, a collection of bossa nova and jazz standards. Sonho earned praise from national publications and reached #23 on the CMJ Jazz Chart.

Since then, Emy has lived in the Boston and San Francisco Bay Areas before moving to Seattle in 2021 to be closer to family. She had a unique opportunity to do a summer fellowship at the Institute de Tecnologia e Sociedade in Rio de Janeiro, combining her public policy interests with her love for Brazilian culture.

Musical Journey and Influences

Emy's artistry has been shaped by an impressive roster of teachers and mentors:

• Bassist Nilson Matta (Trio da Paz, Joe Henderson)
• Pianist Marcos Silva (Flora Purim & Airto)
• Drummer Vanderlei Pereira
• Jazz vocalists Greta Matassa, Laurie Antonioli, Sandy Cressman and Aubrey Johnson

Her musical influences include include Paula Morelenbaum, Luciana Souza, Elis Regina, Kate McGarry, Gretchen Parlato, and Tracey Thorn from Everything But the Girl. 

Emy has performed in Seattle, New York, Washington D.C., Boston and the Bay Area.  She has sung at some of the country's top jazz venues including the Metropolitan Room (New York), Ryles Jazz (Boston), Blues Alley (Washington D.C.), Twins Jazz (Washington D.C.), An Die Musik (Baltimore), and music festivals such as the Boston Jazz Fest,  the Strathmore Center's Sounds of Brazil and Seattle Center's Brasilfest.

Expanding Her Musical Horizons

After a fulfilling public service career promoting digital inclusion in underserved communities, Emy retired in 2024 from the U.S. Department of Commerce.  After initiating her degree at the California Jazz Conservatory in 2007, she transferred to Berklee Online in 2022, and in the fall of 2024, attended Berklee College at the Valencia, Spain campus. This spring, Emy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Music Studies from the Berklee College of Music.