The improvised life of Xia Jia

Born and raised in Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, 50-year-old Xia was introduced to music by his parents — his mother is a pianist and his father plays French horn.

He was first taught to play piano by his mother as a child and in 1986, began attending the primary school affiliated to Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music, receiving classical music training and studying classical piano and conducting.

He first realized that he enjoyed playing freestyle piano after an encounter with one of the other children at the school.

"I remember that I enjoyed improvising with a student who was a year older than me. We met in the piano room and after he played a phrase, which was totally spontaneous, I followed up with another musical phrase. I really enjoyed the free playing, although I had no idea what improvisation was back then," Xia says.

An album given to him by his primary school piano teacher also encouraged him to pursue a career as a jazz pianist.

"It was an album by a piano trio, featuring interpretations of Bach's music in jazz style. I cannot remember the trio's name. It was probably the first jazz recording I heard," he says.

Between 1999 and 2004, Xia studied jazz piano at the Eastman School of Music.

In 2001, he and his classmates performed in the 18th New York JVC Jazz Festival, which marked his debut on the international stage.

Since the 1990s, jazz has taken root in Beijing with a number of homegrown musicians performing at clubs and bars, resulting in a vibrant and fast developing scene. After returning to China, Xia frequently played at well-known venues, like East Shore Live Jazz Cafe, which was founded by veteran jazz saxophonist, Liu Yuan.

He also formed Beijing's first large jazz band, the Beijing City Jazz Orchestra.

"Back then, we jammed with musicians from all over the world. It was a time that inspired me and expanded my vision as a jazz musician," says Xia.

In 2005, along with Chinese-American saxophonist Nathaniel Gao, trumpet player Wen Zhiyong, double bass player Wang Chenhuai and drummer Liu Xingyu, Xia formed a quintet called Redhand. They played at live venues, concert halls, and jazz bars around Beijing, gaining a fan base with their compositions.

As the members of Redhand pursued their studies abroad — Xia moved to Netherlands where he earned a master's degree at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam — the quintet was put on pause.

In the summer of 2023, Redhand reunited with a performance in Beijing.

"I once had a dream about the members all going abroad to study, which became reality. Now, we have come back and performed together again. We are still the same Redhand playing our own music, but our skill and perspective of music has changed," Xia says.

In 2025, Redhand will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a new album and a tour.