tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4752472738564938430.post4007989264434251737..comments2023-09-10T00:51:20.311-07:00Comments on The Lao Wai Jazz Note: Stratification of Jazz Listeners in ChinaJosh Katzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14976127645369814109noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4752472738564938430.post-27212993469494865812009-02-28T10:25:00.000-08:002009-02-28T10:25:00.000-08:00Hey Josh. I emailed you through the address in yo...Hey Josh. I emailed you through the address in your blogger profile.G. E. Anderson ---https://www.blogger.com/profile/11194863913108812712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4752472738564938430.post-83107513082853192892009-02-27T02:08:00.000-08:002009-02-27T02:08:00.000-08:00Hey G.E., I appreciate the insight. I definitely a...Hey G.E., I appreciate the insight. I definitely agree that the foreigners here are usually not a reflection of their home country's population. Eclectic is right! <BR/><BR/>I have done both things you mentioned- we occasionally play jazz arrangements of Chinese pop and folk. Unfortunately the audience audience doesn't get too excited, especially when we get to the improvisation section. It's too bad considering we are sacrificing part of our musical integrity! <BR/><BR/>I also sometimes explain what jazz is, how the form works, what we are doing, but the crowd seems more interested in the mere fact that I can speak Chinese than what I am actually talking about. <BR/><BR/>Anyway what were you up to here in the mid-90's? Any words of wisdom to a fellow musician in China? <BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/>JoshJosh Katzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14976127645369814109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4752472738564938430.post-67189750454906265992009-02-26T12:24:00.000-08:002009-02-26T12:24:00.000-08:00Fascinating post!When I lived in Chengdu in the mi...Fascinating post!<BR/><BR/>When I lived in Chengdu in the mid-90s, I noted similar reactions. Our Chinese audiences loved our pop/rock, but they weren't sure what to make of our jazz.<BR/><BR/>As for the foreigners in your audience, I would guess that the kind of person who willingly leaves the comfort of his home to travel to Chengdu has pretty eclectic taste in music.<BR/><BR/>Your laowai audience members aren't at all typical of average Americans whose reactions to jazz would probably parallel those of the two Chinese groups you've noted.<BR/><BR/>People who have never heard jazz only hear noise. Once they figure out that jazz tunes have a recognizeable head and tail, with improvisation in the middle, they start to figure it out. At least that's how my own approach to jazz happened.<BR/><BR/>Have you tried throwing in snippets of recognizeable Chinese pop or folk songs into your improv?<BR/><BR/>Have you ever considered actually explaining the basics of jazz to your audience? Not sure how well that would go over, but it's just a thought.<BR/><BR/>I enjoy your posts. Keep up the interesting work!G. E. Anderson ---https://www.blogger.com/profile/11194863913108812712noreply@blogger.com