Independent band's debut is all about the jazz

Rising independent jazz band Neo-Cicada held their first concert on May 25 at the Dahua City Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The event marked the band's official debut and the release of their first album First Emergence.

The concert First Emergence of Neo-Cicada exhibited artistic expression full of freedom and symbolized the meaning of life. It also marked the band's official entry onto China's independent jazz stage.

The band performed seven original pieces over an hour, including Mt. Vernon, Echo, Redwoods, and Set You Free. With their rare, diverse musical style, the band created an organic and rich sonic universe for the Chinese audience.

Neo-Cicada was formed in 2024 as an independent jazz band under the Dahua City Center for the Performing Arts. The five members come from top domestic and international institutions, such as the Central Conservatory of Music. They are skilled in various fields including composition, literature, percussion, and more.

Guitarist Rao Pengcheng holds a master's degree in composition from the Central Conservatory of Music and works as the music director of the Dahua City Center for the Performing Arts; keyboardist Wu Tiange, a master's graduate in composition from the Central Conservatory of Music, specializes in jazz piano; drummer Yan Jiayi holds a master's degree in Western percussion from the Central Conservatory of Music; bassist Wang Chaojie is a master's graduate in composition from the Central Conservatory of Music; and lead vocalist Yi Shuishi graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, the United States, majoring in literature, art history, and drama. She has years of experience in drama translation and adaptation, providing the band with a unique literary perspective.