Rock steady beat

One of the songs he is going to perform, however, is Another Space, which was featured in his 1998 album The Power of the Powerless.

Cui rarely performs it because the song, which combines electronic music and rock, is demanding and the song is heavy and philosophical.

"During the rehearsals, we rearranged the song by taking off electronic music elements, which gave the song a different dimension," says Cui.

"I am looking forward to sharing it with the audience."

The Blue Note was founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan in New York's Greenwich Village. Many legendary jazz musicians, including Ray Charles, Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock, have performed on the Blue Note stage.

Ever since Blue Note Beijing opened in the summer of 2016, Cui has watched shows there, including some of the biggest jazz names in the world.

"I am a big jazz music fan and some of the my band members are jazz musicians.

I am open to different music genres because each of them gives me unique energy," says Cui, adding how music from South Africa and Latin American has inspired him.

His longtime band members, who are jazz musicians, include saxophonist Liu Yuan and bassist Liu Yue.

Speaking about the shows, Cui says: "Rock, jazz and classical music, these three different music genres have influenced me. And I am excited to see how these music elements merge onstage and, most importantly, I want to see the reaction of the audience."