Blue Note Records China released its first compilation, Now’s The Time: An Anthology Of Contemporary Chinese Jazz, Vol. 1, on October 23. According to the label’s press release, the six-track collection was made by three producers: Blue Note Records president and Grammy-winning producer Don Was, Chinese music producer Zhang Yadong, and JZ Music founder Ren Yuqing.
Recording Sessions from Beijing to Shanghai
The press release says Don Was traveled from the United States to China for the project, meeting the participating musicians in Shanghai and Beijing and taking part in every recording session—from Red Hand’s improvisation in a Beijing studio to the more detail-focused performances by Shanghai musicians. Zhang Yadong and Ren Yuqing brought a local perspective, shaping the production around each musician’s individual voice. Their shared aim was to connect the sound of Chinese jazz with international production standards.
Six Tracks
- Red Hand, “Arc Light,” composed by the band’s pianist Xia Jia, opens the compilation.
- Zhang Xiongguan, “One Is Too Many,” a lyrical piece balancing pop melody with jazz harmony.
- Li Xiaochuan, “Harvest,” drawing on folk art from Jinshan District in Shanghai.
- Xu Zhihan, Xu Zhitong and electronic musician Gooooose, “Haven of the Wandering Desert,” with Eastern aesthetics and a cinematic sense of imagery.
- Wang Chenhuai and Italian pianist Moreno Donadel, “Song For My Family,” a bass-and-piano duet.
- Eugene Sun, “Where It All Began,” an exploration of intuition and self-discovery.
The Opening Track and Red Hand
Red Hand made their debut at Beijing’s D22 club in 2006 and have since become a defining force in contemporary Chinese jazz. In 2025, they completed a national tour marking their twentieth anniversary. The opening track, “Arc Light,” was written by the band’s core member and pianist Xia Jia. The press release quotes critic Nate Chinen describing Xia’s improvisation as “soulful, harmonically forward, and painterly in its restraint.”
What the Three Producers Say
Ren Yuqing said in the press release that, more than a century after jazz began, the music is blooming again, and the sound of Chinese jazz is part of that renewal. He hopes the world will hear both the music and the creativity behind it. Zhang Yadong described the collaboration as a rare meeting and exchange of ideas, and said the compilation preserves the emotional world and artistic exploration of today’s musicians.
Now’s the Time is the first compilation released by Blue Note Records China. Its six tracks span avant-garde improvisation, folk narratives, cultural exchange and personal expression.