"CONNECTED” was formed in 2020.  During the COVID-19 lockdown, Richie Goods and Chien Chien had frequent conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement and the unwarranted hate crimes against Asians. They decided to do a project that would unify people and invoke imagery of love and peace. Not only was the music they produced awesome, but their friendship grew as they explored the stereotypical discord that often exists between the African American and Asian communities.  As often happens, music was the catalyst that bridged the gap and resulted in a rare collaboration; a partnership that produced “The Path” Sep. 2020, “We Three Kings” Nov. 2020, and “Rain” Dec. 2021. Chien Chien's foundation in classical music provides a rich and textured canvas that allowed their collaborative work to flourish. Her intricate knowledge of classical nuances intertwines seamlessly with Richie's R&B and funk background, creating an enchanting juxtaposition of genres that breathes life into their compositions. They decided to cement their musical relationship by creating “CONNECTED”, their band featuring Richie Goods on bass and Chien Chien on vibraphone, Miki Hayama on keys, Quintin Zoto-guitar and Smithsonion-drums. CONNECTED won the 2023 Golden Melody award in Chien Chien's native Taiwan for Best Instrumental Album. Their new release,“Richie Goods & Chien Chien – CONNECTED” was released in January, 2023, followed by a holiday album, "A Connected Holiday" in November. 

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RICHIE GOODS - NY bassist Richie Goods, one of the most versatile and accomplished bass players in the industry and the youngest person ever inducted into the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame, came to prominence while touring and recording with the late Mulgrew Miller and credits him for much of his success. Richie went on to make a name for himself through recording and touring with a variety of jazz and popular artists including Sting, The Headhunters, Louis Hayes and the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, Lenny White, Milt Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lisa Fischer, The Manhattan Transfer and Christina Aguilera. His lengthy discography also includes Grammy award-winning and platinum albums of Alicia Keys and Common. Richie also toured with popular jazz trumpeter, Chris Botti for over 5 years. He tours the US and internationally extensively, including notable performances at the Monterrey, Montreal, Mendocino, Atlanta, Detroit, San Jose, Rochester, and Jakarta Java Jazz Festivals as well as the Punta del Este International Jazz Festival. Richie, a native Pittsburgher, graduated from the prestigious jazz program at Berklee College in Boston and studied with such luminaries as Ron Carter and Ray Brown. Richie received critical acclaim for his multiple recordings including his 2019 release “My Left Hand Man”, recorded with THE GOODS PROJECT, a self- produced tribute to his mentor Mulgrew Miller, which spent 36 weeks on the JazzWeek charts in 2020. 

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CHIEN-CHIEN - Chien Chien (Lu) is a vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer whose Taiwanese upbringing, classical music education, and passion for R&B grooves crystallize into a fresh and distinctive approach to contemporary jazz. Chien Chien’s fierce authenticity and jazz mastery shine bright on her September 2020 debut solo project, The Path, which spent 20 weeks on the Jazz Week Charts Top 20, earned Best Jazz Song in the Golden Indie Music Awards and three Golden Melody Award nominations, four Golden Indie Music Award nominations and led to her being named the “vibraphone rising star” in Downbeat Magazine’s 69th Annual Critics Poll. Her band has also played many prestigious festivals including the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and toured extensively in Europe, Asia, and the United States.  Chien Chien obtained a master’s degree in classical music from Taipei National University of the Arts. After coming to the US she received a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. In 2017, she attended the prestigious Banff Jazz Residency under the direction of jazz pianist, Vijay Iye, where she met jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. From there, she began to perform regularly in the U.S. and was invited to join the esteemed Jeremey Pelt Quintet where she met and began collaborating with Richie Goods. In April 2023, Chien Chien was named to the Grammy’s 10 Emerging Jazz Artists to Watch list.