The Book of Changes: Jazz in China | David Moser | Talks at Google

TL;DR

American linguist and jazz musician David Moser discusses the emergence and development of jazz in China, highlighting its popularity in the 1920s and '30s and its current growth among young Chinese musicians.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER 1: Welcome, everybody, and welcome to the Google Talks. My name's [INAUDIBLE]. I'm the [INAUDIBLE] lead of Shanghai. I'm very excited to kick off this talk events at Google. In Shanghai, in this Google Talks, we are very excited to invite world famous influential talkers and thinkers. They come here. They talk about their li... Read More

Key Insights

• ♿ Jazz was introduced to China in the 1920s and '30s and gained popularity due to its danceability, foreign influences, and accessibility through gramophones.
• 🍊 The availability of da kou, slightly damaged CDs, played a significant role in the growth of musicianship among young Chinese musicians by exposing them to a wide range of jazz recordings.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did jazz become popular in China, and what was its significance in Shanghai in the 1920s and '30s?

Jazz became popular in China due to its association with foreign influences and its danceability. Shanghai, in particular, had a thriving jazz scene in the 1920s and '30s that attracted a large Chinese middle class curious about the outside world.

Q: What impact did gramophones and the introduction of the gramophone have on the popularity of jazz in China?

Gramophones revolutionized the way Chinese people consumed music. For the first time, they could enjoy jazz or any other music in their homes rather than going out to concerts. This accessibility contributed to the popularity and love for jazz among the Chinese middle class.

Q: How did the availability of da kou (slightly damaged CDs) contribute to the development of jazz musicianship in China?

The availability of da kou, which were damaged CDs imported to China, led to an increase in jazz musicianship. Musicians could finally access a vast collection of jazz recordings, which greatly influenced their playing style and helped them develop their skills.

Q: How did the evolving jazz scene in China impact the creativity and improvisation of young Chinese musicians?

The evolving jazz scene in China has provided young musicians with exposure to different styles and techniques. This exposure has helped them develop their creativity and improvisation skills, leading to the growth of a talented pool of young Chinese jazz musicians.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Jazz emerged in China in the 1920s and '30s, gaining popularity due to its association with foreign influences, danceability, and access to gramophones.

• Jazz in China faced challenges, such as limited access to recordings, which hindered its development until the introduction of da kou, which revolutionized the Chinese music scene.

• Over the years, jazz has been gradually embraced by Chinese musicians and audiences, leading to a growing jazz scene with talented young musicians.