Comfort Girl - New Album 2027
“A stunning work that not only shines light on a dark chapter of history but also feels inspirational for contemporary listeners.”
— DownBeat
“A Mighty, Harrowing New Suite... a phanstasmagorical song cycle...”
— New York Music Daily
Stephanie Chou is a composer, saxophonist, and singer who seamlessly blends influences from her Chinese heritage with Western jazz and pop to create a strikingly original sound. She’s performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, and in international festivals, where her music creates powerful cross-cultural connections.
Her signature sound combines traditional Chinese music and classical influences with American jazz and pop. Chou's albums include Prime Knot and Asymptote, a
resonant and harmonious project which focused on jazz reinventions of traditional Chinese folk songs. Her ballet CforG was commissioned by ABT ballerina Susan Jaffe. Chou's working quintet features saxophone and vocals in Mandarin/English, Chinese violin(erhu), viola, and a piano-bass-drums jazz rhythm section.
Comfort Girl is Chou’s bold, innovative song-cycle inspired by true stories of Asian women abducted into sexual slavery during WWII. It is not only a groundbreaking fusion of East-West musical traditions, but has also sparked public dialogue on a formerly taboo subject that still resonates globally for women today. With this trailblazing piece, she explores the lives of 'comfort women’, a cruel euphemism for the women who were abducted into sexual slavery by the Japanese army. The work is a tribute to these young women’s incandescent courage and indomitable spirit, not only while in captivity during the War but also—in a cruel irony—when they returned home to their families, who didn’t always welcome them back with open arms. Of the 200,000+ victims, more than half were Chinese girls, imprisoned in their own homeland for months or years, as war raged throughout occupied China. Most died or were killed during the war. The few who survived stayed silent about their horrifying ordeal, because it was seen as shameful, even treasonous.
The music highlights an often-overlooked, dark chapter in history that still has echoes today, as survivors continue to fight for justice, historical revisionism threatens progress, and trafficking remains a global issue. The music is inspired by true stories survivors have told.
With projects spanning recordings, film, dance, and new commissions, Chou continues to push musical boundaries, bridging traditions while telling urgent, deeply human stories through her music.
ComfortGirl EPK Trailer:
“A stunning work that not only shines light on a dark chapter of history but also feels inspirational for contemporary listeners.”
“A Mighty, Harrowing New Suite... a phanstasmagorical song cycle...What was most striking about the show was not only Chou’s ability to shift between musical styles, but her prowess as a lyricist.”
“A seamless blend of styles...creative and mesmerizing throughout, as it traverses sounds both old and new....Chou’s performance never wavers, and is a delight…Her body of work is far more than its diverse inspirations. Chou as an artist is wholly original, forging a distinct and innovative style.”
"A genuine talent...She created the work, book, lyrics, and music; sang the lead role; and played alto sax in the ensemble. She is a beautiful woman to look at, listen to, and appreciate on all these different levels.”
“A singular equation fashioned out of an idiosyncratic array of influences...A beguiling body of tunes shaped by her Chinese American heritage and deep engagement with various jazz, folk and pop idioms…as she explores new musical territory, Chou continues to expand her far-ranging repertoire.”
MUSIC VIDEOS (2 of 4)
Live show is 90 minutes, and includes narration, projections, & historical images. They are included in the album liner notes. It is 1/3 instrumental, 1/3 songs for female voice, 1/3 for male voice.
Inspiration behind ComfortGirl:
CBS2NY Interview:
Personnel:
Stephanie Chou – voice, alto saxophone, compositions, arrangements
Orville Mendoza – voice (3, 7, 8, 10, 14, 16, 20, 25)
Andy Lin – erhu, viola, violin
Kelly Lin – piano
Matt Aronoff – acoustic bass, electric bass
Kenny Wollesen – drums, percussion
Or Matias – piano (7) // Jason Yeager – piano (23) // Doug Yowell - drums (1) // Neil Jason - electric bass (7) // Roy Hendrickson - drum programming, string programming (7)
Produced, Engineered, and Mixed by Roy Hendrickson
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian
Recorded at Avatar Studios, Powerstation, and Spin Recording Studios, NYC
More info, lyrics, translations, & historical info: www.stephaniechoumusic.com/about-comfort-girl
The Comfort Girl recording was funded by Chamber Music America’s Artistic Projects program, funded through the generosity of The Howard Gilman Foundation.
Comfort Girl was originally commissioned by the American Composers Forum with funds provided by the Jerome Foundation. Additional funding received from Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Puffin Foundation, OPERA America, New York State Council on the Arts, The MAP Fund, and individual donors.
Live performance history: Joe’s Pub at the Public, Museum of Chinese in America, the cell, OPERA America (NYC); Burlington PAC (Ontario Canada); Smith College, Adams Theater, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MA); Comfort Women Justice Coalition (CA); Stand at Yale (CT); Vermont State Univ. Castleton
Booking: info@stephaniechoumusic.com or Marsalis Mansion Artists info@marsalismansionartists.com
Press Requests: info@stephaniechoumusic.com
2027 Show Dates:
Mar 22 - Flato Markham Theater, Toronto
April 8 - Myrna Loy Theater, Montana
Spring tour - Jazz Road Rural tour supported by South Arts
May 8 - Kennedy Center, DC
NYC shows TBA
Comfort Girl is currently development into a chamber opera, Jade Star Hotel
Writing “Lines”
Arranging folk songs