Jazz arrived in Shanghai in the 1920s, when the city was one of the most international ports in Asia and its ballrooms and hotel bars hired Filipino, Russian and American musicians. The tradition survived, and Shanghai today has a live music scene that is unusual in China for its depth and its age range.
The Peace Hotel jazz bar
The most famous room is the jazz bar in the Peace Hotel on the Bund, where a band of veteran Shanghai musicians has been playing since the 1980s and individual members have been performing for far longer. The repertoire is 1930s and 1940s standards and Chinese popular songs from the same era, played with the phrasing of the period. There is a cover charge and drinks are expensive, but the room and the history justify one evening.
Clubs and current scene
Beyond the hotels, the serious listening happens in dedicated clubs, mostly in the former French Concession, where touring American and European musicians play with local rhythm sections and young Shanghai players lead their own groups. Line-ups lean towards modern jazz, fusion and funk, with standing room only on weekends. Several venues also run weekly jam sessions that are open to anyone who wants to sit in.
The festival
Shanghai hosts a jazz festival each autumn, with a main stage programme plus club shows across the city, and a spring edition has been added in some years. Tickets for headline nights sell out, but the smaller club events during the same week are often better value and easier to get.
Practical notes
Shows usually start at 9 or 9:30 p.m. and run late; some clubs have a minimum spend or an entry fee that includes a drink. Book ahead for weekend headline acts, and expect to show ID. The music is best enjoyed without table-hopping, so pick one room for the night. Taxis are easy at the Bund and in the French Concession, though after midnight you may wait.
