Jazz guitarist Zhang Xiongguan on His Shanghai Sound
Three years after graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the guitarist unveils his debut album, New Sound from the Past. Zhang will be playing three shows in Beijing, hitting up Jianghu (July 21), East Shore (July 23) and Modernista (July 24). Before the shows, we chat inspiration and Shanghai jazz.
Congratulations on your new album, New Sound from the Past. How would you describe the way it sounds?
The root of my music comes from the hardbop, postbop era in the 50s and 60s. Both of my playing and writing are greatly influenced by music from that time. That's how everything got started - from the past. However, I also feel it's to important to incorporate the contemporary sound into the 'sound from the past' as well. So the music on this album is more of a combination of the two.
Was it a difficult album to write?
The writing was spread out over two years. I finished some of the tunes really fast, but most tunes are changed and rearranged throughout these years. I don't think it's hard to write but I just kept hearing new elements to add in the compositions so it took a lot of time to make them sound 'right' to me.
What were some of your inspirations for the album?
The inspirations are from the music that I listened to and the music people around me played. Also a lot of them were inspired by what was happening around me. For instance I wrote 'Winter Winter Winter Winter' after experiencing the longest winter in Boston.
What was the biggest lesson you learned from recording the album?
It's one thing to know what you want your music to sound like, but another thing telling other people how to make it sound like the way you wanted. I learned so much just by explaining this to my bandmembers. Sometimes I have to refer to the music people are more familiar with, so they have something to associate to, which 'forced' me to check out a lot of different music.
Was it always your goal to become a jazz guitarist?
I knew I wanted to become a professional jazz guitarist after attending Shanghai Conservatory of Music. I was fortunate to learn a lot about jazz there and became more and more convinced that this was the goal when I understood more about this kind of music.
Who are some of your influences?
The influences keep changing. When I first started learning jazz my influences were mostly guitar players such as Wes Montgomery, Joe Pas and Jim Hall. Then after a while I became more attracted to horn players; Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and Joe Henderson are my favorites. Composition-wise I'm influenced a lot by Joe Hendenson, Dave Holland, Ornette Coleman and Bill Evans.
You graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music just a couple of years ago. Was it always a goal of yours to put out an album so soon?
The album is more of a outcome of spending two years at the New England Conservatory in Boston. All the compositions were written during my years in Boston. I wasn't setting a goal at the beginning to make a record when I graduated, but I felt like it's necessary to be done to showcase where I am in my musical career.
Were there any big contrasts from what you learned there compared to what you learned in Shanghai?
In Shanghai I learned a lot about the basic theory and history of jazz which are essential to the music and it helped me get started. This is the sound 'from the past'. Whereas at New England Conservatory I was introduced to more advanced harmonic and rhythmic ideas which lead to the 'new sound' in the album.
Are there any Shanghai musicians that you'd like to recommend to our readers?
Li Xiaochuan is one of the best jazz trumpeters in China and he also just published his new album,which is definitely one worth checking out. I went to school with saxophonist Li Shihai in both Shanghai and Boston and I like his playing and writing very much.You can hear him on the record as well. He took one of the best solo I've ever heard on 'Lights Out'. Pianist Mark Bai is a veteran in the Shanghai jazz scene. His playing is creative and fun to listen to anytime. Also he is leading an all-Chinese jazz group 'The Currents'.
July 21, 9.30-11pm, RMB50. Jianghu, 7 Dongmianhua Hutong, Jiaodaokou South Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区交道口南大街东棉花胡同7号（6401 5269）
July 23, 9.30pm, free entry. East Shore, 2F, 2 Qianhai Nanyanlu, Di'anmenwai Dajie, Xicheng 西城区地安门外大街 前海南沿路2号楼2楼 (邮局西侧)（8403 2131）
July 24, 8.30pm, free entry. Modernista, 44 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街宝钞胡同44号（136 9142 5744）
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