By CGTN's Sun Wei, Julian Waghann, Zhang Song
The world renowned franchise of jazz clubs, Blue Note, opened a branch in Beijing last September, bringing top notch international acts and promising opportunities for local up-and-comers.
The Blue Note Beijing is the first of its kind in China and the largest Blue Note club in the world. Located near Tian'an men square in the very heart of the Chinese capital, it offers visitors both gourmet food and top-level musical performances.
The logo of Blue Note jazz club /CGTN Photo
With the aim of combining great music and great food, the first Blue Note club opened in New York in 1981. It soon established itself as the city's premier jazz club and was eagerly frequented by both artists and aficionados. This successful business model was later transported around the world, to cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Milan.
But why was Beijing selected as the franchise's first location in China, 35 years after its original opening?
The Blue Note Beijing is located near Tian'anmen Square. /CGTN Photo
In less than a year, Blue Note Beijing has hosted more than 100 shows, including multiple Grammy award winner Chick Corea. While centering around jazz fusion, the club also provides a stage for other music genres like soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk.
It's still too early to judge how popular the modern form of jazz fusion will prove to be in this centuries-old city. But at least we've seen a solid start.
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