Jazz guitar, modern & traditional in one line.
Zhanpeng Yang is a jazz guitarist and composer from Shanghai, now living in Tilburg, where he studies, writes and plays. His music is rooted in the jazz tradition, but he likes to push it somewhere new.
Photo by Julie Miao
About
01 — BioZhanpeng studies jazz guitar at the Conservatorium Tilburg. Before that he lived in Shanghai, where he taught for three years. His playing moves between tightly written heads and long, open improvisation, and always stays connected to the tradition.
Since moving to the Netherlands he has performed a lot: leading a session at Paradox, playing Brandpunt with the Global Rhythm Ensemble, trading lines in a guitar-and-saxophone duo, and holding a chair in the Fontys Bigband. Every stage is a chance to treat the last tune as an invitation to whatever comes next.
Live
02 — PerformancesDuo with Rob Coers (guitar) at Jazz Works Eindhoven
Zhanpeng and Rob Coers met at a jam session in Eindhoven in 2025 and found they share a love for similar playing styles and genres. After Zhanpeng's guest appearance with The Mellowtones in August, they set themselves the challenge of a duo programme of some of their favourite tunes, and shared it with the audience.
Guest appearance with The Mellowtones at Genneper Hoeve
Part of the summer concert series at the Genneper Hoeve, a farm setting. The Mellowtones Jazz Trio welcomed Zhanpeng Yang (guitar) and Manfred Dikkers (drums) as their guests.
Electronic Groove Ensemble at Breda Jazz Festival
Back at Breda Jazz Festival with the Electronic Groove Ensemble, a collaboration between Conservatorium Tilburg and the Rockacademie playing groove-driven music at the crossing of jazz, pop and rock.
Fontys Bigband — Lunchpauzeconcert
Playing guitar in the Fontys Bigband, the 18-piece training ensemble that's "the beating heart" of the conservatory's jazz programme, under conductor Maino Remmers, covering jazz standards past and present alongside swing, salsa, fusion and rock.
Global Rhythm Ensemble at Breda Jazz Festival
Played the Sound of Europe programme with the Global Rhythm Ensemble, a five-piece Tilburg Conservatorium group taking the stage through rhythms and jazz fusions from Brazil, Cuba, India and beyond.
Zhanpeng Yang & Donato Di Lorenzo
A duo set described on the bill as "a musical dialogue between China and Italy, guitar and saxophone in perfect harmony": simple, soulful, and built entirely on the conversation between the two instruments.
Jazzsessie o.l.v. Zhanpeng Yang (gitaar)
Zhanpeng led a group through a set combining modern and traditional jazz-guitar language, followed by an open session for the room.
AMPA Ensembles uitvoeringen
First appearance at Paradox, playing the 20:20 slot with the AMPA Jazz Collective under pianist Bumjun Yim, on an evening of ensembles from Fontys' jazz department.
FAA Jazz Collective — Lunchpauzeconcert
An early outing with pianist Bumjun Yim's FAA Jazz Collective, running a lunchtime set from Johnny Green and Jerome Kern through to Coltrane and Herbie Hancock.