Musical medley: Super Bund Music Festival opens in Shanghai

​The inaugural Super Bund Music Festival opens on the Bund in Shanghai's Huangpu district on Oct 17. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The inaugural Super Bund Music Festival was held in Shanghai's Huangpu district on Oct 17-19, offering audiences a fusion of global sounds, including global jazz legends, Chinese musical stars and popular bands.

The festival features about 70 musicians from across the globe. Transcending national and cultural boundaries, a diverse group of artists took the stage set on the Bund, using music as a universal language.

"This music festival is not exclusive to any specific music genres, but more about the fusion that blends the popular genres in Shanghai together, such as jazz, musical and pop," Huang Ye, saxophone player and music director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai said.

Among the big names performing at the festival is Jon Faddis, one of the most celebrated jazz trumpeters worldwide. Born in 1953, Faddis began playing at age seven, and his distinctive trumpet appears on hundreds of records and numerous soundtracks for film and television.

​The celebrated jazz trumpeter, Jon Faddis (second from the right), and jazz bassist Mikey Migliore (second from the left) perform at the Super Bund Music Festival in Shanghai on Oct 17. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Describing jazz music as "spontaneous, historical and emotional", Faddis believes the genre can break down barriers and help build connections among global audiences.

The 28-year-old Mikey Migliore, joining the Jon Faddis Quartet on bass at the festival.

"Whatever mood you are in, you can find music that suits that mood," Migliore said. "Jazz is free, broad and inclusive, and is for everyone. Playing jazz is like making friendships with people on the stage musically."

Rising musical performer Fang Shujian, alongside Huang, presented the theme song of the festival that blended jazz and musical elements.