Joy of sax

Italy has no shortage of serious and accomplished jazz players, even though the sounds heard in Beijing's clubs and small venues tend to be the avant-garde variety.

That the Italians can play straight-ahead jazz as well as anybody else was amply demonstrated at the Italy Jazz Weekend Opening Concert, held at The Imperial Granary on Thursday. It marked the opening concert for Italy Jazz Week as also for the whole jazz series in Beijing.

The concert had four jazz ensembles, 3quietmen, Ivan Valentini's Slanting Quintet, Manomanouche and Q, involving 18 artists in all.