Get ready for a high-speed jazz adventure with Ultrasonic Journey: Colors of the World, led by jazz pianist and composer Sunny Yang. Blending classic jazz with soul, Latin grooves, and global rhythms, this all-star lineup—including Alec Haavik on sax, Toby Mak on trumpet, and more—takes the audience on a sonic trip across continents. Expect rich textures, deep emotions, and top-tier musicianship.

Lineup & Artist Profiles

Keyboard/Composer: Yang Guang (Sunny Yang)

Jazz pianist and JZ Music artist, Yang Guang has been at the forefront of the jazz scene in recent years. He has performed at major venues such as the Shanghai Concert Hall with his "When Classical Meets Jazz" piano trio concert and led his Lightspeed Band at the JZ Shanghai Jazz Festival and Aranya Jazz Festival. He has also been invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Taichung Jazz Festival, and the Taihu Jazz Festival at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Queens College in New York, and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Yang Guang explores the boundaries of jazz, blending it with soul music while maintaining a deep appreciation for traditional jazz. In 2015, he collaborated with Grammy winner Alan Ferber to release the jazz album From Broadway to Paramount. In 2021, he released Tideline Vol.1, an electronic jazz album, with the single Nightspin making it to the "Modern Sky Music Channel" annual Top 10 list. His latest release, Lightspeed Live, is a live-recorded jazz album from 2024.

Yang Guang has collaborated with artists such as Theo Croker, John Daversa, Saunders Sermons, Gu Zhongshan & Red Groove, Shunza, Tia Ray, A Si, Mandarin, and Little Tiger.

Saxophone: Alec Haavik

New York native Alec Haavik is one of China’s top soprano/tenor saxophonists and composers. He leads Alec Haavik & The Shanghai Shindiggers, a band dedicated to modern jazz and rock fusion. Known for his explosive original compositions, Alec creates a "frictional universe" that redefines jazz.

Beyond jazz festivals in China and abroad, Alec has also performed classical works by Messiaen, Schoenberg, and Bach at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. He has shared the stage with Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, drummer Han Bennink, jazz-rock guitar legend Mike Stern, and saxophone master Antonio Hart. He has also collaborated with renowned Chinese erhu player Ma Xiaohui, who recorded for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and jazz legend Liu Yuan. His work has been widely featured on international media, including Discovery Channel’s Lonely Planet series and Shanghai’s foreign language television network.

Trumpet: Toby Mak

Australian electronic jazz trumpeter and producer Toby Mak is renowned for his deeply expressive and elegant playing. Since moving to Shanghai in 2005, he has been featured on over 40 albums spanning various musical genres.

In 2016, Mak collaborated with Chinese electronic music producer Soulspeak on the album Love in the Land of Robots. That same year, his quintet album 07 Sessions with guitarist Lawrence Ku won the 2017 JZ Awards for Best Jazz Album and was nominated for Best Album at the 2017 Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.

In 2014, Toby Mak launched his electronic jazz project TTechmak (Mr. Mak’s Electric Company), pushing the boundaries of jazz with experimental sonic textures. His first album, TTechmak Vol.1: Unnecessary Update, was followed by Uncertain Worlds in 2017, featuring China’s top jazz musicians. This album was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album at the 2018 CMA Music Awards.

Flute: He Jingqian

Born in Shanghai in 1989, He Jingqian began studying piano at the age of five and flute at nine under Professor Park Mihyang. He was admitted to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music at twelve and later pursued further studies in Germany, attending the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. He earned his master’s degree with top honors and went on to complete a doctoral-level diploma in flute performance.

His achievements include winning second prize at the Elise Meyer Stiftung International Competition and performing as a soloist with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. He also served as principal flutist for the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra under conductor Tang Muhai.

Bass: Fred

Originally from Mauritius, bassist Fred is a composer and key band member known for his natural rhythmic instinct and genre-spanning expertise in funk, soul, jazz, R&B, pop, reggae, and traditional Sega music. Since moving to China in 2007, he has become a prominent figure in the country’s live music scene, participating in shows such as Rap of China, The Big Band, and Time Concert.

Since 2023, Fred has collaborated with artists including Liu Yuxin, Dou Jingtong, Tia Ray, Shunza, and NaraBara.

Drums: Xue Xiaolun

Xue Xiaolun is a jazz drummer and educator, currently teaching at the Nanjing University of the Arts. He is the first and only Chinese drummer to win first place in the professional jazz drum category at an international percussion competition.

He has performed at prestigious events such as the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Krakow International Jazz Festival, JZ Shanghai Jazz Festival, and Taichung Music Festival. His collaborations include working with artists such as Chris Potter, Antonio Hart, Nils Landgren, Eric Marienthal, Karen Mok, Li Quan, Della Ding, and Ping An.

Xue has also won numerous awards, including first place in the Shanghai Jazz Drum Competition and the Italy Percussive Arts Society International Competition.

Lineup

• Keyboard/Composer: Yang Guang (Sunny Yang)
• Saxophone: Alec Haavik
• Trumpet: Toby Mak
• Flute: He Jingqian
• Bass: Fred
• Drums: Xue Xiaolun

• Jazz & Concerts
• JZ Festival