Time to jazz things up

Huang, a veteran bassist, is also the secretary-general of China Jazz Association under the Chinese Musicians' Association.

"We are all ready to get together again and share that special spirit that lives at a jazz festival. It's taking longer than we wanted, but we'll all have our celebration when the time comes," says Huang, adding that the festival has been postponed due the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its first year, the festival attracted audiences of more than 2,000 and this year, Huang says that the number is going to increase.

The Blue Note China Jazz Orchestra, which was launched in 2018 and gathers young jazz musicians, will open the festival on Aug 26. Chinese musicians will perform with jazz musicians from Europe, adapting folk music works from around the world, including Italy, Poland, France and China.

On Aug 27, top Chinese jazz musicians will perform throughout the day, headlined by Kong Hongwei, jazz pianist and professor at the China Conservatory of Music and his jazz band, Golden Buddha. They will bring music works featuring elements from countries along the ancient Silk Road. Jazz pianist Luo Ning will perform with his jazz quartet, featuring pieces he composed. A newly born big band, which consists of about 20 students from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, will perform on the same day.

On Aug 28, a big band, CMA, from the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy, will perform jazz pieces adapted from popular Chinese songs. Founded in 2011, CMA is one of the most successful student bands in the jazz music scene.