Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai Hosts Master Workshop

Here's a rare chance to sit inside a real jazz band and see how the music comes alive. On February 1, Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai invites you for an intimate, hands-on workshop that goes far beyond listening – this is about feeling how jazz works from the inside.

Led by legendary saxophonist Walter Blanding, the workshop brings decades of global performance experience directly to the room. As a long-time member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and leader of the JALCSH Big Band, he shares not just technique, but the mindset and instincts that shape world-class musicianship.

Rather than a lecture, this session unfolds as a live band experience. Joined by core musicians on guitar, piano, bass, drums, saxophone, and brass, Blanding forms a "Big Band-6" ensemble to demonstrate how rhythm, harmony, and melody interact in real time. Participants observe how pieces are built, how musicians listen and respond to one another, and how improvisation grows from structure rather than chaos.

Whether you're an advancing player looking to break through ensemble challenges, or a jazz lover eager to understand what really happens inside a professional band, this 60-minute workshop offers clear insights, inspiration and a deeper connection to the music – at a price that makes learning from a master remarkably accessible.

Date: February 1, 3pm-4pm

Tickets: 30 yuan (US$4.3)

Venue: Jazz at Lincoln Center

林肯爵士乐上海中心

Address: 4F, 139 Nanjing Rd E.

南京东路139号4楼