Formosan Groove - Emerging Artist Mondays

Formosan Groove is a contemporary fusion project led by Washington, D.C.–based Taiwanese artist Shin-Yi Lee, also known as Rufusion. The performance reimagines traditional Taiwanese melodies through groove-focused arrangements that combine jazz harmony, global rhythms, electronic textures, keyboards, erhu, and other traditional Asian instruments.

The project grew from Lee’s experiments during the COVID-19 lockdown and from years of collaborations and open jam sessions. While honoring the emotional history of Taiwanese music, Formosan Groove emphasizes rhythm, energy, improvisation, and cross-cultural musical exchange. Lee obtained official permission to rearrange the traditional melodies featured in the project’s album. The concert is co-presented with the Taiwan Academy and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.

When: Monday, November 2, 2026

Showtimes: 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM

Venue: Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007

Tickets: $25, plus a $7 fee

Lineup: Shin-Yi Lee, also known as Rufusion, leads Formosan Groove. The project’s instrumental sound features erhu, keyboards, rhythm-centered arrangements, electronic textures, and traditional Asian instruments.

Food and beverage minimum: A $15 food or beverage minimum per person applies and is not included in the ticket price.

Seating: Seating is first come, first served at the door. For the Monday performances, doors open at 6:00 PM for the first show and 8:45 PM for the second.

Presentation: The event is co-presented with the Taiwan Academy and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.

Additional experience: Formosan Groove connects its music to everyday Taiwanese culture, including the dish braised napa cabbage, or Pèh-Tshài-Lóo. Some performances offer audiences the chance to taste the dish and share a traditional family recipe alongside the music, though the page does not confirm that food tasting will be offered at this specific performance.

Policies: Tickets are final sale, nonrefundable, and nontransferable. Photography and recording are prohibited during the performance, and audience members are asked to keep conversation to a minimum.