The Fifth Shanghai International Jazz Week will be held from January 14 to 17 next year.

Four overseas female jazz singers will perform in Shanghai: American jazz queens Patti Austin and Salena Jones, Japanese singer Lisa Ono, and Maria Cordero from Hong Kong.

Austin will play at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center in Pudong New Area on January 14. On the next night, Jones will appear. She sang during 2006's Shanghai Jazz Week.

Ono's bossa nova jazz was last heard in China during last year's Shanghai Jazz Week. She can be seen on January 16 at the Shanghai Grand Stage.

Since recording her first album in 1989, Ono, who learnt her style in Brazil, has had eight gold and two platinum records.

"Lisa is called 'Fresh Lily' due to her combination of traditional jazz rhythms with her personal oriental style," said Ma Yingzhen, from the organizers of the Shanghai Jazz Week.

Cordero started as an actress in Hong Kong cinema. "But you are wrong if you think she is only an actress," said Ma. "Jazz is another of her talents."

Cordero will perform on January 17 at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center.

(Shanghai Daily November 3, 2008)