The Edgar Snow Memorial Foundation (ESMF) sent four Kansas City jazz musicians to China as a part of their bi-annual symposium in October. Saxophonist Bobby Watson, pianist Charles Williams, bassist James Ward and drummer Jaylan Ward performed in three Chinese cities and held a jazz masterclass.
“They love jazz, and we were over there to share our knowledge and have fun. It was just fantastic. We actually had a jam session, I think we were in Xinjiang,” Williams said. “A lady played [on] the piano, ‘Don’t Mean A Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing.’ We had another Chinese lady come up and sing and scat. ”
Watson said the jazz musicians in China showed an appreciation for the genre’s history and understood the meaning it has for Kansas City. During the masterclass, Williams said their group emphasized jazz’s self-expression and soul…