Black sea blue

Li Xiaochuan Quartet presents the first performance by a Chinese band in the music festival. [Photo by Chen Jie/China Daily]

Now, eight out of 10 conservatories in China have jazz courses, and the genre is slowly gaining fans in the big cities.

"Many Chinese jazz musicians and bands regularly tour the world. As one of the best Chinese trumpeters, Li has won acclaim in the West," says Huang.

Their band performed five original pieces at the festival－all composed by Li.

Born in 1982 in Northeast China's Liaoning province, Li enjoyed painting as a child. But he couldn't stay away from music for long since his father is a trumpeter.

"It was a good way to prepare my ears for music, and it is important that you listen to music, keep it in your head and compose new music," he says of a time when he played the trumpet by just listening to his father.

At age 15, he joined the Chinese Armed Police Band where he played for three years. Then he was admitted by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to learn classical trumpet. In university from 2001 to 2005, he started to learn jazz, the genre he found the most interesting and diverse.

His talent soon made him one of the most sought-after jazz musicians in China.

From 2007 to 2011, he furthered his studies and earned a master's degree from the University of North Texas.

In the US, he performed with such famous jazz musicians as Eddie Gomez and Billy Drummond. In 2011, he made it to the jazz finals of the US National Trumpet Competition.

Now, he teaches jazz at the Shanghai conservatory, and his quartet often tours abroad.

The music he performed at the Koktebel Jazz Party is part of his new album, Initial, which will be released by Sony Music in November.

"Jazz has a wide range and is creative music. I'm trying to blend Chinese musical elements into my compositions," says Li.

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