Golden Buddha Jazz Unit

From Rock in China Wiki

Golden Buddha Jazz Unit 金佛爵士组合, a Beijing based Jazz music group

Line up

Piano： Kong Hongwei aka Buddha 孔宏伟 (Liu Yuan Jazz Group, Zhang Ling and the Fab Four Knights)
Bass： Huang Yong (Liu Yuan Jazz Group)
Drum： Izumi Kago
Female Singer： Wan Chun

History

The band, which was founded in 2005, originated in Beijings CD JAZZ cafe. Since its inception, they have attended many jazz festivals in and around Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities of China. They are on of the most successful bands performing Jazz in China today.

Kong Hongwei (the Buddha) graduated from the China Academy of Music Composition Department and has since stayed on as a teacher. In 1990, he began playing Jjazz music, and joined the Cui Jian band in 1993 as a keyboard player. After that engagement, he formed his own band called “the Rhythm Dogs", and went to work for Sony as a music producer. His impressive professional experience ranks him as one of the music scenes most valuable assets, as he has not only developed his own talents, on such albums as “Made in China”, and “Summer Palace”, but acted as an important role-model and mentor for younger musicians here in Beijing.

In 2007 the Central Music School Publishing released his first book Modern Jazz Improvisation for Piano, a new extension of his commitment to spreading the gospel of Jazz music throughout China. He is this year joined by guest singer Wan-chun, a graduate from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and one of China’s rising young stars.