Music

Richard Bona is a GRAMMY Award-winning singer, bassist, composer, arranger, & producer who has played with artists such as John Legend, George Benson, Chaka Khan, Branford Marsalis, Pat Metheny & Bobby McFerrin. He was the musical director for Harry Belafonte before starting his solo career & receiving a nomination in the category of Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 49th GRAMMY Awards. Exploring different music genres, he released an Afro-Cuban album, Heritage, in 2016, which went #1 in 5 countries on the World Music charts & #2 in the US.
Fans call him “The African Sting,” critics call him a pro, but it’s his unique and electrifying style of connecting with his audience that titles him what he really is—a true musician. Richard Bona’s seemingly effortless voice, fierce skills on the bass, unique songwriting/arranging expertise and ability to learn just about any instrument simply from watching, position him as a rare African artist to have established an unscalable reputation on an international platform.

See him at Blue Note on November 3rd and 4th. For more information or for tickets, visit: http://www.bluenotebeijing.com/ticketdetail/155fbbce-db85-446c-ab55-da87311391a1

American guitarist has played with a long list of rock royalty over his long career, including Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell. The artist, who returned to his jazz roots with his bands The Crusaders and Fourplay, appears at Blue Note Beijing on November 8th and 9th with his backing band.

For more information or for tickets, visit: http://www.bluenotebeijing.com/ticketdetail/609f009d-0c51-42e1-ab5f-0bad8d0a9fac

The buoyant melodies, joyful rhythms, and unmistakable voice of Basia returns in May 2018 with ‘Butterflies’, her first new album in nine years. The lead single, “Matteo,” is a classic Basia track: a breezy samba with a flowing melody carried by layers of percussion and Spanish guitar. Songs like the swinging “Bubble” and cool “Butterfly” pair Basia’s lyrical optimism with Danny White’s crisp piano. The speedy, Brazil ‘66 style samba of “No Heartache” takes a sudden funk turn that builds into a horn-driven peak. “Where’s Your Pride” recalls early ‘60s rock with a catchy, soul-flavoured chorus. “Be.Pop” spices-up a favourite swing style with sassy lyrics of creative independence. The simple beauty of the ballad “Liang and Zhu” is deeply emotional. “Show Time” and her sultry cha-cha duet with Mark Reilly is reminiscent of the best of their work with Matt Bianco. The drum-driven groove of “Like Crazy” is followed by a brief interlude, “Rachel’s Waltz,” featuring contrabassoon. Jazzy samba “Pandora’s Box” reaffirms the upbeat themes of Basia’s best songs, with a gorgeous musical backing full of spirited percussion and Basia’s distinct harmonies. Classic piano, dazzling guitar, and top-notch drumming flow throughout ‘Butterflies’, which may be Basia’s jazziest album to date. Basia’s lyrics are grounded in real life and honest emotion, and themes of lightness, inner freedom, and openness resonate throughout. Basia and Danny White continue to create a singular sound from their wide- ranging inspirations, making each album a carefully crafted, highly anticipated event.

For more information or for tickets, visit: http://www.bluenotebeijing.com/ticketdetail/3809a918-33d7-4e35-bdbc-01ef4a16ef1c

Tenor saxophonist Lawrence Clark has entrenched himself into the restive jazz scene in New York City. Driven by persistence and passion, Lawrence embarks on a journey into the spiritual realm of music. Inspired by the John Coltrane quartet the Miles Davis quintet and a 10-year apprenticeship in the Rashied Ali quintet Lawrence strives to reach new horizons.

Currently living in New York, Lawrence leads his own Quintet, which consists of bass, drums, piano, trumpet and saxophone. Lawrence works to shape the sound and developing the harmonic and rhythmic concepts of this Quintet. Lawrence plans to release a CD that best represents the concept of his Quintet. Lawrence can be heard on the following CD’s “Judgment Day Vol. 1” “Judgment Day Vol. 2” with Rashied Ali, “Orientation” with Greg Murphy, “Make it Happen” with Winard Harper, “Live in Europe” with Rashied Ali, “Supa Lowery Bros Vol. 1” “Supa Lowery Bros Vol. 2” with Supa Lowery Bros, “Rashied Ali tribute band” at the Zinc Bar, “Inner City Hero” with Johhny Mez, “Dreams Beyond” with George Spanos, “Portrait” with Josh Evans, “Lux Hermetica” with Brandon Lewis, “Hope and Despair” Josh Evans and “Forward Motion” Lawrence Clark’s Debut Album.

Lawrence strives to be sincere and expressive throughout his music, employing creativity to its fullest and making an emotional attachment which is necessary to convey true purpose and intent.

For more information or tickets, visit: http://www.bluenotebeijing.com/ticketdetail/d44493f4-e5f7-4943-9b53-b48c9986d12b

Lee had a formal musical education at the University of Miami. He studied French horn for a year and then switched to a bass major. After classes, he worked on bass fundamentals listening to not only the Beatles, but also Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller, The Rascals, Motown, Sly & the Family Stone, among others. He would put it all into practice six sets a night playing with various local bands, including a horn band called "Goldrush.''

Lee then went to New York City. Trumpeter Randy Brecker called Lee out of class one day and invited him to audition for Dreams. In New York, Lee's career as a session musician flourished, and he toured with many artists. Lee played in the New York "24th Street Band" which had great success in Japan, giving him a solo artist career that yielded him a top 5 single. Most recently, his solo CD entitled OH! reached the #1 position on the "Jazz Beyond" chart there. On January 20, 2016 Lee played bass with Christopher Cross at the Moody Theater in Austin, TX at a taping for Austin City Limits.

In 1982, Lee became one of the original members of The World's Most Dangerous Band, the house band on NBC's Late Night with David Letterman. He holds the distinction of playing with Paul Shaffer, on both Late Night and the Late Show, longer than any other member of the CBS Orchestra.Before the Late Show begins taping, he often tosses out guitar picks to the audience as souvenirs. On the May 13, 2015 episode of the Late Show with David Letterman, as Letterman was interviewing Paul Shaffer, Shaffer gave recognition to the members of his band, and lastly mentioned Lee as the "man has been with us on bass since the first night we were on Late Night, Will Lee."

For more information or for tickets to his Blue Note Show, visit: http://www.bluenotebeijing.com/ticketdetail/70324b7a-b0ad-4752-9247-c14cbd659bf4

The Stradivari Quartet team up with the National Centre for Performing Arts Orchestra for two nights of Schubert. On November 6th, hear a Polonaise for Violin in Orchestra in B-flat Major, his Quartet in G Major and his string Quintet in C Major, and on November 12th, hear the Rosamunde Overture, a String Quartet in A Minor, and his Octet in F Major.

For more information or for tickets, visit: http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201808/t20180814_189416.shtml

Just 22, Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki has won acclaim for his extraordinary interpretive maturity, distinctive sound, and poetic sensibility. The New York Times has called him "a pianist who makes every note count". Lisiecki's insightful interpretations, refined technique, and natural affinity for art give him a musical voice that belies his age.

See him at the NCPA on November 11th. For more information or to buy tickets, visit: http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201808/t20180813_189371.shtml

The Staatskapelle Berlin appears under the direction of famed conductor Daniel Barenboim. They appear at the NCPA’s Pure Classical festival, playing several programmes which will include major works by Brahms, Schubert and Beethoven.

For more information or for tickets, visit: http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201807/t20180711_188164.shtml

From September 13th to November 28th, world-renowned symphony orchestras and in-demand maestros will ehchant the audiences at the “NCPA Pure Classical 2018”, a NCPA series that presents absolute essentials of classical music in the autumn. The star-studded classical music feast invites orchestras Berliner Philharmoniker, the Staatskapelle Dresden, Das Orchester Der Staatsoper Berlin, Orchestra dell´Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conductors Gustavo Dudamel, Christian Thielemann, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Antonio Pappano, artists Lang Lang, Annie-Sophie Mutter and Emmanuel Pahud, to name just a few.

Gustavo Dudamel appears to conduct the Berliner Philharmoniker on November 22nd and 23rd. For more information, visit: http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201807/t20180726_188751.shtml

Try something a little different at the NCPA on November 19th, when they present works for the accordion as part of the 2018 China Art Schools Week. There’s something for everyone with works from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Bernstein’s West Side Story and Chinese classical and folk.

For more information or for tickets, visit: http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201809/t20180928_191494.shtml