JWM - Volume 3, Issue 1 - (Page 38)

essenTials Fellow traveler As he travels the world, jazz singer Coco Zhao takes a little bit of his home country with him and relishes returning back. A s the son of a Peking opera star and a composer, coco Zhao always knew he was destined for a life on the stage. But when the singer discovered jazz as a teenager and began performing in Shanghai nightclubs, he had no idea this would lead to a life of globetrotting. one of china’s most celebrated jazz singers, Zhao spends weeks at a time on tour in Europe and the U.S. He was the first chinese singer to perform at the montreal jazz Festival and has also appeared at the Kennedy center in washington. Zhao is currently at work on a new album with his own original compositions. and as much as he loves being on the road, he’s always happy to get home to Shanghai. JWM: What do you do in a new city? CZ: i like to walk around the neighborhood when i get somewhere new and watch the people on the streets passing by. walking around is the best way to learn about the city i’m in. i just love to absorb everything around me, any way i can. i was in Zagreb in may and walked through the beautiful old city every morning. there was so much to look at: a colorful flower market, a lively flea market, people attending mass in old churches, amazing castles, kids riding bikes, the blue sky. Every sight was like a drop of new blood, making me feel more alive. JW: How do you pack for a long trip? CZ: i never travel with a small suitcase for long trips. i usually start to pack three days or even a week before my departure. i know that sounds a bit crazy, but it’s because i always forget things. Every night before a trip, i think of something that i’ve forgotten to put it in my suitcase. i never have problems with clothes; i forget things like adaptors, battery chargers and toothpaste. JWM: The one thing you always pack? CZ: i always bring gifts for friends. i like to bring chinese things: chopsticks, stamps with chinese names i’ve had made for them, silk fans, tea, little porcelain plates or bowls and old chinese paintbrushes. JWM: Favorite cities? CZ: my favorites are amsterdam, Zurich, Berlin, New York, San Francisco and Bangkok. Don’t ask me why. i guess i just feel at home when i am in these places. But there are still a lot of places in this world i haven’t seen yet. i’d really like to go to Peru because i want to try ayahuasca tea! JWM: What do you love about travel? CZ: traveling for me is a great way to learn about the world and learn about myself. the further you go, the better you understand the place where you are standing. — jUStiN BErgmaN J WM MAGAZINE 38 j w m a r r i o t t. c o m photo credit photo credit photo credit http://www.JWMARRIOTT.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JWM - Volume 3, Issue 1

JWM - Volume 3, Issue 1
Table of Contents
Contributors
JW Experts
Editor's Letter
Distinctive Products, People, Ideas & Style
A Quiet Place
Our Clutter, Ourselves
A Taste of Heaven
Art Everywhere
The Portal
Player's Paradise
Melting Pot
Take Me to the River
Breaking the Rules
JW Experience
My Passion

JWM - Volume 3, Issue 1