Jazz, a lively and original musical form, later appeared in works of outstanding American musicians such as Gershwin and Bernstein, illustrating the rhythm of modern urban life.

A concert of American symphonic jazz will be staged in Shanghai this Saturday. The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will co-operate with the pianist, American musician Willis Delony.

Delony has earned praise as a classical and jazz pianist, conductor, chamber musician, commercial instrumentalist, composer and arranger throughout the United States, Europe and Mexico, during a performing career spanning almost 25 years.

His newest recording, entitled "A New World A' Comin'," a programme of jazz-inspired concert piano works, was recently released. In a review published in the March/April 2001 issue of Fanfare magazine, Peter Burwasser writes: "(Delony) plays with gusto and finesse, and with an especially nimble rhythmic sensibility, a proper combination of attributes for jazz, or any other kind of music-making, for that matter."

Conductor Cai Jindong is a Chinese musician working in the United States. Besides conducting classical pieces, he is also an active promoter of modern American music, conducting serial concerts of works by Varese and contemporary symphony pieces.

Bernstein will be the featured composer in the first part of the concert. Three dance episodes from his musical work "On the Town" and symphonic dances from "West Side Story" will be played.

The second half of the concert will consist of assorted performances of pieces from leading figures in the modern US music scene, from Gershwin to Duke Ellington and Anderson.

December 7

Yihai Theatre

466 Jiangning Lu

Tel: 6256-0606, 6256-8282

30-120 yuan

Yvonne Zhang

(Shanghai Star December 6, 2002)