A Bu in Paris

A Bu is a rising star of the new generation of jazz pianists. Born in Beijing in 1999, it was a sense for improvisation that drew Bu away from his classical training and towards jazz as a child. By the time he was a teenager, he was touring festivals and winning competitions, including the prestigious Montreux Jazz Solo Piano prize. All this amounts to grabbing the jazz world by storm and the proof is in the fact that Herbie Hancock has invited him, on several occasions, to share his stage along with Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller, Brian Blade and more for the International Jazz Day global concert. Acclaim doesn't get much better than that. 

Here, at the beautiful Louis Vuitton foundation in Paris, he demonstrates just how special his voice is. There is an extreme delicacy balanced with blistering speed and lyricism at the center of Bu's playing style. For those wondering where this exquisite clarity comes from, he mentions Michel Petrucciani as an important influence, the miraculous French pianist who battled through the pain of brittle bone disease in the pursuit of musical excellence. Bu plays two of Petrucianni's compositions and a selection of his own, including a gorgeous dedication to his girlfriend who sits in the audience.