Hardly any other composer combines elegance and lightness as naturally as Claude Bolling—and in doing so builds a convincing bridge between classical music and jazz. His music combines clear forms with swinging rhythms and infectious joy—accessible, refined, and timeless at the same time.
It is in this spirit that the Bolling Quintet dedicates itself to the crossover works of French composer Claude Bolling (1930–2020) – under the artistic direction of pianist Weijie Li. He is a pianist and professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and studied in Lübeck and Hamburg. The other members of the quintet also have international training and concert experience and move confidently between classical chamber music and jazz as soloists, orchestral musicians, and ensemble leaders.
In different sound constellations, baroque echoes, French elegance, and jazz-typical groove unfold into a colorful soundscape. Excerpts from Bolling's famous suites – including Baroque and Blue and the Picnic Suite – have long been considered milestones in a music that does not emphasize genre boundaries, but playfully sets them in motion.
What makes Bolling's compositions so special is their immediate impact: they require no prior knowledge of style, but invite listeners to listen, go along, and enjoy. Classical instruments lose their austerity, jazz gains structure—and that is precisely what makes this music so appealing.
The Bolling Quintet presents a concert evening full of rhythmic energy, tonal transparency, and musical openness at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg – an evening that shows how effortlessly classical music and jazz can enrich each other. The fact that the concert is taking place in the year of the 40th anniversary of the Hamburg–Shanghai city partnership adds an extra dimension – very much in the spirit of an open musical dialogue.
PERFORMERS
Bolling Quintett quintet
Suyan Zhao flute
Ye Fan guitar
Shaolei Wang double bass
Bochao Xiong drums
Weijie Li piano and director
PROGRAM
Crossover works by Claude Bolling
