Shanghai, Oct, 25.
The foreign communities of Shang-hal probably have no inkling that a musical market-place, in its literal Sense, exists in this elly. Yet so it does." Each morning, weather perfmiltting, one to three dozens of Russian musicians gather on the cor ner of Avenue Joffre and Route des Soeurs to exchange views and get the Intest information on happenings on the local musical front, Shanghai is a great sprawling city, musicians must live near to where they Work, and places where they Work are spread far apart in every district, And so they have picked out for themselves one spot where at an appointed hour each morning they all meet, Without the Russians Some time ago the question was. ralsed—what would happen to Shanghhal If one morning it woke up to' find its Russian colony gone? Its world of musie—and especially jazzmusle—would, at any rate, suffer a crushing blow. Authoritative sources State that there are no less than 40 places where Russian musicians Dlay {to all classes of the Shanghai public. Again, one orchestra often employs from '50 to 11 Russians, and if the figures involved be multiplied by each other, the result constitutes a small army. In addition there are those unpretentious bars where, for want of better employment, one or two Russian musicians can always bbe seen playing unpretentious music.
"The mest widespread combination of Instruments for a Shanghai jazz band are; one plane, two saxophones, a trombone and a drum. Sometimes 4 band may boast three saxophonists one of whom is also a violinist— a guitarist with a Hawauan pertoire, and a crooner, Most of them are Russians.
Earnings Their earnings range on 9 wide seule, An average pianist is nowadays worth $120 to $200 month, other musicians are generally paid on the same basis, But not a few musicians earn as much as $600 0 month, Tu one local club a Tussian pianist was given $10 a day, while another establishment a foreign drummer up to this day receives a salary in American currency that does not cease to be the: topic of dally conversation among his Rus-ian colleagues. Band leaders are considered the most fortunate of the Jot, In addition to their regular salary sll musiefans reap an income from exhilarated patrons who order thelt favourite songs from the band and. dispense largesse" in return. Their hours: in hotels they play hours a day, in clubs as little as 4 oF 5, while in most, bars they play from 8 pam, to midnight.
Musical instruments are expensive: thus, @ mew saxophone costs at least G.$200, while i set of drums can be ought from $150 to $1,000 local currency. Furthermore, a pianist is on occasion expected to wield an ace cordon, and a saxophonist a violin: while the full paraphernalia, of 3 drummer is. numerous to be too this sort, most of which took place In cinemas, bore a sporadic character, but now it can be said that Russian performers have won over the Chinese audience with their variety shows, One of the most popular stars" of one of the largest theatres fon Nanking Road with a seating capacity of more than a thousand, is 'a Russian girl who to the delight of the audience, sings in the purest Chinese, The "electrical doll," 3 number depending for ils success on deceptive lighting, is frequently in-ludod in the repertoire of these roupes," and never fails to draw thunderous applause.
The "Shanghai Zaria" has printed special investigation into the work of Russians in the local automobile mart. Russians, it is stated, work not only as chauffeurs and mechanics, but also have their taxi-services and repair-garages. Most Europeans employed in foreign automobile concerns are Russians, Russian automobile salesmen are especially numerous, catering to large numbers of. customers and even having connections with Tsingtao, Tientsin and provincial cities. Several interesting facts about the changes in methods: of selling cars necessitated by the, local war of last year are recounted, proving that those salesmen who wished to continue as such had to exhibit adroit adaptability and ingeniousness. Russians are already making hazards as to the changes that will be brought about {in the automobile market when peace will be declared between China and Japan and the many transport concerns that now reap large profits will be forced into liquidation.
Charity Organizations The promptness with which the Committee of the United Foreign Charities assigned $2,000 for the contruction of winter premises for the kitchen for indigent on Rue Bourgeat is noted with gratefulness in a statement given to the Russian. press by mud the National Committee. Two more Russian organizations have joined the National Committee—the Union Russian employees of local business concerns, and the Kazan Clan. The National Committee has arranged for stipends to be granted to Indigest children studying in Russian middle schools, and will shortly commence giving out hot breakfasts to oer children. Once each week the National Committee tells the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.