China: Jazz Bridges Western China

Jazz Bridges project in May with Uighur traditional musicians in Urumchi, China

The Mike Del Ferro trio (with Scott Amendola, drums and Paul Berner, Bass) toured Uighur Western China for one week in May 2007. Under the auspices of the US Embassy in Beijing and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American Voices artists were teamed up with a remarkable Uighur traditional music duo comprised of Ejek and vocalist. Highlights of the program included Ellington’s ‘Caravan’ with an enthusiastic Ejek improvisation and Uighur Makkams sung by Mr. AbdulKerim. Also remarkable was our performances at the Teacher’s College in Urumchi where over 500 students crammed into a space seating 200 and stood on each other’s shoulders for two hours to get a closer glimpse of their first jazz concert!

Links to videos of this project in You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p13-gegbva8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62dvjmznV14
https://youtube.com/watch?v=8pVhNsW2sh8