SongAh Chae Trio - The Sacred Text Trilogy
SongAh Chae Trio creates narrative-driven jazz where composition and improvisation unfold like chapters in a story.
SongAh Chae Trio
Formed in 2023, the SongAh Chae Trio brings together SongAh Chae (piano), Manos Stratis (double bass), and Joshua Wheatley (drums).
The trio’s music is built on conceptual compositions— narrative-driven frameworks that guide improvisation — creating performances that feel both structured and free.
Eschewing the traditional soloist-with-accompaniment model, the trio functions as a collective voice, where melody, rhythm, and texture evolve organically through attentive listening.
Their sound moves fluidly between spacious, reflective passages and energetic, groove-driven moments, with each performance a unique interpretation of a shared musical idea.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The SongAh Chae Trio presents a three-album project inspired by sacred texts.
Each album explores a different source of inspiration:
• In the Beginning (2024)— inspired by the Genesis, exploring origin and creation.
•Calling in the Wilderness (2025)— inspired by the Gospels, reflecting themes of calling and transformation.
• All Day Long (July, 2026) — inspired by the Psalms, meditative and narrative-driven. Coming soon.
Through this trilogy, the trio creates narrative-driven contemporary jazz where composition and improvisation unfold as one evolving musical conversation.
SELECTED PERFORMANCES
London Jazz Festival
Madrid Jazz Festival
FeminaJazz
UPV Jazz Festival
Fifty-Fifty Jazz Festival
Residency
Since 2023, Trio has been a resident performer at Jimmy Glass Jazz Club, Valencia.
SongAh Chae Trio — where European jazz tradition meets hypnotic, collective improvisation.
SongAh Chae
Piano, Composer
Manos Stratis
Double Bass
Joshua Wheatley
DrumsCalling in the Wilderness at UPV Jazz Festival 2025
“With a distinctive style rapidly gaining recognition in Valencia and worldwide,
SongAh Chae Trio delivers lyrical, hypnotic music — spacious, intimate, and richly textured.”
– UPV Jazz Festival
“Her musical identity blends refined lyricism with rhythmic vitality
— moving fluently between delicate, introspective passages and energetic improvisation.”
– 24/7 Valencia