The JZ Festival is set to return to Shanghai's Expo Park on October 17-18 for the 11th straight year with a star-studded line-up that features Joss Stone, Earth, Wind & Fire Experience! with Al Mackay All-Stars, Victor Wooten and more. Not content with just being the center of Shanghai's jazz world, JZ is expanding across the nation bringing the festival to Guangzhou for the first time from October 24-30. We chat with JZ founder and former bassist to Cui Jian, Ren Yuqing, about how he started JZ and his plans to expand his empire nationwide.
Why did you decide to start the JZ Club and could you have imagined it growing to its size?
I went to the Beijing Jazz Festival in 1994. At the time, Beijing was the center of the music scene in China. I felt that Shanghai was a city that could support its own music community. The vision for JZ Club was to provide a home for musicians and music lovers. The goal was to establish and develop a jazz community in Shanghai. I am proud that the JZ Club grew to its current size but I have always imagined big things for the venue and the scene.
No VPN? Watch Kurt Rosenwickel live at JZ Club on Tudou.
Shanghai has a long history with jazz and the scene is thriving right now. What was the state of the jazz music scene when JZ Club started?
There were not many people in Shanghai who would call themselves jazz fans when we first started. Ten years ago, the average young person in the city would have a hard time telling you what jazz was. I would like to think that we are in a different place now and that knowledge and appreciation of jazz has grown.
The JZ Club have a number of local and expat regulars. Was this mixed community something that happened right away when JZ started or was this something that had to develop over time?
In the beginning, the club was about half expats and half locals. Over the years, we have noticed an increasing percentage of locals. It wasn't a conscious effort on our part but by word of mouth, locals have become increasingly interested in the Shanghai jazz scene.
No VPN? Watch video of JZ Festival 2014 on Tudou.
What was the first JZ Festival like?
The first JZ Festival took place on a single stage at our club on Fuxing Lu. Over five nights, about 1,000 people showed up. We expanded to two stages in Jing'an Park so more people could share this experience. We the expanded to three stages at Century park and eventually, over five different stages at Expo Park. I think the biggest challenge of having a festival that now hosts tens of thousands of people is keeping the original vision of creating an event where music lovers could share a unique experience. I still remember how it all started and try to stay true to my roots.
How has the outdoor music festival market changed since JZ Festival started?
When JZ Festival began, there were only two or three outdoor music festivals in all of China but now there are hundreds. Most of the early outdoor festival promoters took on the challenge out of a love for music. I think the government has recognized these festivals as a positive experience so they have been supportive of more and more outdoor festivals over the years.
What do you think of the growth of China's outdoor music festival market?
I want to see the outdoor festival market in China support more musical diversity and believe that organizing a music festival means more than just creating entertainment. China does not have as many domestic music artists compared to other countries so we make a conscious effort so support and develop the local music community. The local infrastructure to hold large scale music festivals is also less established so our goal is to continue to improve production and professional standards to the level of the top international jazz festivals.
No VPN? Watch Pat Metheney and Chris Potter live at JZ Festival on Youku.
The last few years, JZ Festival has had some stellar headliners like Bootsy Collins and Pat Metheny. How have you been able to get JZ Festival noticed outside of China?
The international music scene in Shanghai is much different than when we organized the first JZ Festival over ten years ago. As the festival grew, so did our ability to attract bigger and bigger headliners. I regularly travel to international festivals like Antibes, Montreax, North Sea, Cape Town, and Java and have established many friendships with festival directors, producers, and artists.
More and more international artists are interested in playing in China and contact us about performing at JZ Festival. We organized JZ Festival events in Beijing last year and have even more JZ Festival events planned for this October in Guangzhou, Dalian, and Shenzhen.
We are proud to bring internationally acclaimed artists Dee Dee Bridgewater and Victor Wooten to Guangzhou. The festival will also feature several Guangzhou-born artists like Jonas Seetoh and Jade Lee, along with special guests Chang Shilei and Maria Wang. My hopes are that people in Guangzhou will be proud of their local talent and inspired by the lineup that we have put together.
The JZ operation has been a major force in spreading jazz across China and Shanghai. How does the JZ Festival help domestic artists?
We have arrangements with other international festivals that allow domestic artists to perform abroad. We just sent Coco Zhao to play the Antibes Festival in France this July and the Antibes Festival will fly Charles Pasi over to play JZ Festival in Shanghai this October. JZ Music has had a long history of creating opportunities for cultural exchange.
JZ Club is opening up venues in Wuhan, Guangzhou and Shenzhen this year. What type of long-term expansion do you envision for JZ across China in terms of festivals and venues?
The vision for JZ's expansion is "One jazz world in China." With more venues across the country, it is more feasible to bring over high level artists. This network would also provide more performance opportunities for domestic artists and elevate China's jazz scene on a national scale. Eventually, we hope to have between 20-30 venues across the country and introduce our festivals to more and more cities.
No VPN? Watch a JZ Club live jam on Youku.
JZ has opened up a couple clubs in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Why did you decide to open up there first?
I have always thought that Shenzhen and Guangzhou as fertile ground for musical talent. Jonas Seetoh, Jade Lee, Erica Lee, and Joey Lu are all originally from the PRD region and regularly play at JZ Club in Shanghai. Establishing clubs in Shenzhen and Guangzhou is a logical way to further develop local talent and give back to the music community.
What is the difference between JZ Club and On Stage?
JZ Club can be described as a jazz concert hall with a bar inside. On Stage is a venue for all kinds of creative output including music, dance, and visual exhibitions.
Who are some of the artists that will performing at these venues in Guangzhou and Shenzhen?
We have booked Dave Kikoski who is a Grammy-winning pianist from the United States. Nathaniel Gao, a very talented saxophonist from Beijing is also scheduled to perform.
The JZ Club has a long history in Shanghai. Why has it been so successful and do you think this will be replicable in Shenzhen and Guangzhou?
To me, the reason for our success is that we have stayed true to our vision and high standards for our performances and events. I believes this formula can lead to success anywhere there are people who can appreciate quality music.
No VPN? Watch Ren Yuqing perform with The Knutz on Youku.
You play the bass. Do you still play JZ?
I only play at JZ when our booking manager approves.
Who are some of your favorite newer acts that are playing JZ Shanghai these days?
There is plenty of talent at the club nowadays but Toby Mak and Jonas Seetoh come to mind. Toby is a world-class trumpet player whose style spans from standard to groovy to modern. Jonas has a commanding stage presence and to me, represents a new direction for male jazz singers.
Are there any local Shenzhen and Guangzhou jazz artists that you can recommend?
I was very impressed by a band from Guangzhou called Maple. Their lead singer studied music in the UK and the musicians in the group are quite accomplished.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I want to personally thank everyone who has supported the JZ Festival. This October will be our 11th annual festival and we aim to put on a quality event as always. We have a diverse lineup of international and domestic musicians and a new festival layout that I believe will create an even better outdoor festival experience.
For me, jazz is not only for musicians or the privileged. It belongs to everyone who is touched by the music. This is the heart of JZ's message and our passion is providing places and events where people can come together and share the love.
JZ Festival Shanghai: // Oct 17-18, 2-11pm, RMB180-230 per day. Expo Park, tickets. See event listing here.
Guangzhou Jazz Festival: // Oct 24-30. 3pm (matinee shows) and 8pm (evening concerts), RMB80-380 (matinee shows) RMB80-800 (evening concerts). Xinghai Concert Hall.
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