Douglas Williams/Shanghai Daily news

Just when it seemed that the shortage of jazz venues in Shanghai was so acute that a delegation pleading deprivation would have to be dispatched to the United Nations, along comes Number Five to rescue the situation.
Previously there were five exclusively jazz oriented bars, now with Five there are six. That’s not including the innumerable hotel lobby bands cranking out “Fly me to the Moon” day in day out, night after night.
The conclusion therefore must be that when it comes to the battle of the bands, in this fair city, the losers are rock, country and western, punk, hip hop, folk etc. The undisputed heavy weight champion of live music here in Shanghai is, without doubt, jazz. Gee!
Number Five at 20 Guangdong Road, the basement of the building that houses M on the Bund luckily does, however, offer something a little different and a little edgier than the rest.
The setting could easily be mistaken for a downtown Chicago joint, especially on a dark and rainy night with cabs splashing past on the street outside. There’s a wholesome integrity to the venue even before the musicians start up.
It could be due to the snug fit between jazz and basements, especially basements like the one occupied by Number Five.
The low ceiling is ribbed by deep protruding cross beams, the supporting columns break up the area and both features add value. Head height windows look out onto the pavement and between sets by the band modern dirty dub funk and acid jazz drifts through the comfortable, casual and cavernous space. Free pool on a quality table and darts keep the troops entertained at the far end of the space.
It’s Number Five’s opening night on Saturday, that’s opening night in the basement’s new incarnation as jazz bar; the guise co-owners and founders Stephen Banks and Charles Ferguson are most happy with.
Brit Banks said: “Saturday will be our official launch as a jazz bar. This is what we have been aiming for since we opened in 2002 and we are very pleased with the way it has turned out. We are particularly pleased that we have managed to secure JQ and his band Five Below to play Wednesday to Sunday nights.”
“There has been a pervasive perception in Shanghai that the Bund is just simply too far to go for an evening out or that if you do make the effort; you must be prepared for a high end and expensive night,” Ferguson, from the States said: “ What we wanted to do with Number Five was to disprove that notion, offering a relaxed room, with familiar staff and entertainment that exceeds expectations.”
The management back this with the promise of covering the cost of customers’ taxi fares there — present the taxi receipt after six, within an hour of arrival, and have the price of a drink reduced accordingly.
JQ Whitcomb is the musical director at Number Five, one of the founding fathers of the current Shanghai jazz scene, phenomenal trumpet player and all round good guy.
He said: “I’m excited about this new type of jazz venue and the opportunity that it presents to play more original jazz.” Much of the music being played by Below Five is written by the band members themselves. “Whilst the standards are important, it’s good for a band to be as creative as possible and I think the audiences will enjoy our modern jazz.” It certainly is a different kind of jazz, with free timings and discordant moods — not the sort of tunes to get folks dancing. The sets are shorter than in some places and this increases the feeling of a real performance, added to that, the guys don suits and ties to great affect.
When Five Below play, people listen.
Whitcomb has been in Shanghai for three years and has played at most of the city’s jazz venues. Five Below consists of Whitcomb on trumpet; Marc Neihof on bass; Barry Wedgle on guitar; Alec Haarvik on saxophone and Adam Sorensen on drums.
Happy hour is from four till eight each night, two for one, Mondays are Education night when students and teachers can have happy hour prices all night on production of ID. Tasty simple bar food is served until 1am.
The Saturday night Shanghai Daily was out and about the absence of taxis was compounded by the prevalence of clingy beggars, even squawking in the windows of Number Five. This is an issue fit to twist the melon of the most liberal, socially minded person and one this humble scribe unfortunately has no solution for.
The lessening of this phenomenon, preferably through some organized, humanitarian method, would greatly improve the city’s night time environment.