I have been active in the "Lao Wai Gig" (a gig that only hires foreigners) scene since arriving in Chengdu almost a year ago. These corporate shows have always been particularly high paying, yet the music can be embarrassingly bad at times. Agents will take anyone who can hit a bongo or a tambourine as long as he or she has a foreign face. In some instances foreigners are hired to open doors, pour wine, or even just stand around and do absolutely nothing other than smile.
Lately I have felt a shift in this strange phenomenon. These days I have been getting calls specifically asking for jazz musicians. In some instances the agents are willing to bend the rules and hire Chinese if it means filling out the group with a pianist or drummer. When I first arrived here most people did not really know what jazz was, now it feels like there is a serious buzz in the air about it.
Although this development is very promising and exciting, a disturbing trend has been taking hold as well. Some of the agents calling for these gigs are now specifically asking for 'white only.' Through the grapevine I have heard that one particular group of black performers left a bad impression at several venues. Prejudices were quickly stoked throughout the corporate music scene and anyone with darker skin is suddenly finding it difficult to find work in this field. While this has not affected my band, it has affected some of my peers here in Chengdu. Some are beginning to make plans to head out and find work elsewhere.
Has anyone felt the affects of racism or other biases in different parts of China?
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