Jazz in China: Documentary Screening & Discussion

“Jazz in China: The Documentary” chronicles the 100-year story of how jazz—a democratic form of music through improvisation—exists and thrives in China, a country with a long tradition of adherence to authoritarianism.

The 60-minute documentary reveals the significant influence of African-American jazz musicians and twentieth century technologies on the spread of jazz in China. Dr. Eugene Marlow, MBA, Ph.D., is an award-winning composer/arranger, producer, presenter, performer, author, journalist, educator and director/producer of the documentary. Through interviews with leading indigenous jazz musicians, sinologists, historians, and jazz club patrons in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, Dr. Marlow creates a compelling history of jazz, an improvisational, democratic form of music in a country with a 5,000 year history of adherence to a central authority.

Dr. Marlow will be in attendance and participate in a discussion after the film.