Vincent Ding

Steeped in the lineage of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, Vincent Ding is a Taiwanese-American singer who blends that rich tradition with autobiographical honesty, a velvety baritone, and a deep love of jazz ballads with strings. Born into a family where music abounded, Vincent grew up on piano, saxophone, flute, and bassoon before being steered, like so many, toward a more "practical" path. He built a successful traditional career, but in 2020, yearning for something more, he began studying voice with acclaimed vocalist Sirintip. That reawakening became his debut album, "Incredible Views From Above," recorded with an all-star big band and string section in the depths of the pandemic, a record about the liberating joy of pursuing one's passion. His sophomore album, "Close to You," was recorded in New York City, where he co-hosted the Brooklyn Jazz Loft concert series, and completed as he returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area. Produced by saxophonist Tim Lin and pianist Charles Chen and featuring a Grammy-winning rhythm section, the album traces a journey that opens with "I'm Lost" and lands on "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Vincent has toured internationally, including an appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and continues to sing about finding one's way, wherever the path leads.