The Ghibli Collection

The performance was dramatic in the best way, pulling everyone into the raw, untamed world of the story.
Broadway World

Guitarist Owen Chen introduces Eternal Wind, a dual-guitar-led ensemble that reimagines the timeless stories of the Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli through the expressive lens of modern jazz. Developed over a year of performances at Brooklyn's Red Pavilion and shaped by Chen's long-standing collaboration with guitarist Andrew Cheng, the album channels the emotional gravity, tenderness, and wonder of Joe Hisaishi's iconic film scores into a deeply personal improvisational language. Reviewers praised the performances for their dramatic weight and aching nostalgia, moments where the room seemed to hold its breath as familiar melodies resurfaced with renewed urgency and vulnerability. Anchored by the conversational interplay of two guitars and supported by a collective of rising New York jazz musicians, the arrangements move fluidly between lyricism and risk, honoring the source material while allowing space for spontaneity and discovery. For Chen, the project reflects an Asian American experience of reconciling formative influences into a voice that feels wholly his own; for listeners, it offers a chance to reconnect with beloved stories in ways that feel both unexpected and profoundly familiar. The Ghibli Collection marks a compelling debut and the emergence of Eternal Wind's distinctive sound.

Production Info:

Produced by Owen Chen & Andrew Cheng
Recorded & mixed by Edwin Huet
at Pinch Recording, New York, NY
Assistant Engineer: Chris Stefano Pace
Recorded on August 17th, 2025
Mastered by Nate Wood
at Kerseboom Mastering, Ridgewood, Queens, NYC
Band photo by Mikhail Lipyanskiy
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of The Ghibli Collection

Paris Move (Thierry De Clemensat)
Expressive Jazz Meets Timeless Animation Owen Chen is one of those quietly understated artists whose work carries a profound poetry that is immediately accessible yet remarkably intricate. A composer and guitarist, Chen's music mirrors his personality: introspective, precise, and deeply expressive. While traces of Asian influence appear througho ...

Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Guitarist/composer Owen Chen brings perfectly blends tones of Asian with modern jazz on this luminous album. His band Eternal Wind includes Andrew Cheng/g, Cy Leo/harm, Cole Palenskuy/ts, Carlin Lee/p, Sean Hannon/b and Anton Kot/dr and together create rich tapestries of tone. Some of the pieces such as "One Summer Day" and "My Neighbor Totoro" ...