About 20 bands from the United States, Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Cuba, Poland and Azerbaijan have added fanfares to the seven-day Labour Day holiday festivities in Beijing's Chaoyang Park.

Under the banner of this year's "Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival, the bands are participating in the Chaoyang International Pop Music Festival.

Usually, five live shows take place at the same time, so fans were able to just walk around the park to watch one after the other as the mood took them. The bands will continue to perform after the week-long holiday at Gulou Square, Nangong Square and Haidian Park every Saturday throughout May.

"The open-air shows are the best way for people from across the world to meet in Beijing," said Zhang Shurong, director of the Big Cultural Events Office of the Beijing municipal government.

Among the bands, Mumiy Troll is one of the top on the Russian rock and pop scene and has really made its mark with startling albums and live performances that are bursting with energy and warmth.

Its history goes back to 1983, when vocalist and songwriter Ilia Lagoutenko formed Mumiy Troll, experimenting with different musical styles.

But it was not until 1996 that it was offered a modest record deal in Russia. It enabled the band to start their first proper studio project in London, with their debut album Morskaya. The album won for Mumiy Troll the status of "Best Band of the Millennium."

The band is now a household name in Russia and in an increasing number of other countries. They have successfully played concerts in Britain, the United States, Israel and Japan. And Channel V Hong Kong has broadcast television documentaries about them.

The band from Denmark is New Jungle Orchestra headed by Danish guitarist Pierre Dorge. It was founded in 1980 and is acclaimed one of the most sophisticated jazz bands in Europe.

Dorge and his band do not simply reverently imitate the Ellington sound, but ironically and humorously carry that sound to its logical musical conclusion.

With influences from Asian, African, Afro-American and European music, their live concerts give the audience a unique and extraordinary experience.

Last November Yu Jun, a guzheng (table harp) player from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, met Dorge and his orchestra in Shanghai and joined them for a few performances. She has brought to the band Chinese folk music to enrich their repertoire. Yu will also perform with the orchestra in Beijing.

Another band from Denmark is Saybia. It was started in 1993 with vocalist Soren Huss, bassist Jeppe Knudsen and drummer Palle Sorensen, in the little central Danish port of Nyborg. Since then they have been working intensely to make the outside world aware of its talent potential.

In 1998, guitarist Sebastian Sandstrom and keyboard player Jess Jensen completed the band.

Now based in Copenhagen, it has played about 100 gigs in the past two years in Europe. The two singles Fools Corner and The Day After Tomorrow are trademark songs of Saybia.

Although called the Don Johnson Big Band, the Finnish band from Helsinki has only four members. Its music is a unique blend of diverse influences including hip-hop as one of the main ingredients and jazz, house, dub and country.

The band has achieved success by leaving a powerful impression with its hugely successful and riveting live shows.

Israeli musician Eyal Sela was originally trained in a classical music academy, but he dramatically shifted to ethnic music from the Balkans to India a decade ago. He plays instruments such as the Indian bamboo flute, the kangira, the Iranian zarb, the Turkish jumbush and many other oriental violins. In their music, Eyal and the ensemble take the wind, string and percussion instruments to new horizons, where past and present merge and ancient traditions are revived.

Founded in 1994, Blou is a group of six musicians who have a vast repertoire of original, contemporary and traditional music. Originating from Nova Scotia, their creative sound is largely inspired by their Acadian roots. The band's trademark mix of ancient and new eclectic music, spiced with powerful rhythms, have made it hugely popular on the local and international festival scene.

(China Daily May 9, 2005)