Willow's residency resulted in new works, including the arrangement of the traditional Guqin piece "Jiu Kuang" (which can be heard in the Watch Video section) and regular performances in clubs such as JZ Club and Blues Room.
Shanghai, China's largest city, situated on the mouth of the Yangtze River, is a busy cosmopolitan centre for finance and trade, as well as an important cultural centre. It is known especially for its contemporary and historical architectural values, with examples of heritage, early 20th Century and modern classical buildings. Shanghai is also an important centre for Chinese cinema and theatre. There is a colourful history of jazz music in Shanghai, especially in the 1930s, in the nightclubs and dance halls of Old Shanghai. More recently there has been a revival of interest in jazz music and venues.
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Willow Neilson was born in the small town of Nimbin, New South Wales. He began playing the saxophone at the age of fourteen when living in Armidale, NSW, where he studied with altoist Paul Andrews.
Moving to Melbourne in 1994, Willow studied with Jim Glasson and Ian Chaplin. At that time he attended the well-known music school, Blackburn High, and in 1996 won first place in the Wangaratta 'Generations in Jazz' competition with his school band. Willow was also selected for the competition's "Super Band".
Moving to Sydney in 1997 to attend the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz course, Willow studied with Mike Nock, Paul McNamara and US saxophonist Gordon Brisker. Willow graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium with 1st Class Honours in 2000.
Since graduating Willow has taken his band on to win third place at the Jazz Hoelaart International Competition in Brussels in 2001 and to win third place as a soloist in both the Montreux Jazz Festival Saxophone Competition 2003 and London Jazz Festival Saxophone Competition 2004, both held by the White Foundation.
In Australia, Willow has worked with many of Australia's great musicians such as Mike Nock, Dave Panichi, Danielle Gaha, Darren Paul, Kristen Cornwall, Lily Dior, Nick McBride, Mark Isaacs and many others.
In 2001 Willow released 'The Willow Neilson Quartet', an album of original music, and is due to release another album in 2008.
Willow moved to Shanghai, China, in 2008 where he currently plays in clubs such as JZ Club and Blues Room.
Willow was based in Melbourne, Victoria before he received his Asialink/Australia-China Council funding for his residency. In November 2007 he travelled to Shanghai, China to start his residency and moved there permanently in early 2008. Willow currently lives in the Luwan district (French Concession) and plays regularly at the JZ Club and Blues Room.
  Willow applied for a performing arts residency with Asialink and the Australia-China Council, to work with the JZ jazz club and music school in Shanghai, China. His intention was to use the funding to collaborate with Chinese jazz and traditional musicians associated with the club to co-compose and perform new works blending modern and traditional Chinese music with contemporary influences.
  During his residency Willow achieved many things including:
- teaching a well-attended series of improvisation workshops at the JZ school;
- teaching a jazz small ensemble class;
- beginning studies in ethnic minority music of Yunnan, XinJiang and Mongolian music with Huang Bai, head of ethnomusicology at Shanghai Conservatory;
- meeting with Uighur musicians from XinJiang currently living in Shanghai;
- commencing work on a major project that involved the creation of a tour, documentary series and accompanying CD. This involved Willow and a jazz group collaborating with Chinese ethnic minority musicians as they toured through different provinces within China;
- appearing regularly at the JZ jazz club with Chinese and international musicians, performing both his own compositions as well as those composed by Chinese musicians;
- beginning pre-production of a collaborative CD;
- composing arrangements of Chinese songs for a jazz ensemble;
- recording a performance for International Channel Shanghai’s TV network of his own compositions; and
- arranging for a further residency in LiJiang, Yunnan to interact and perform with local ethnic minority musicians.
  By promoting the name of Asialink and The Australia-China council throughout his residency (and beyond), Willow created awareness of the Australian organisation’s commitment to fostering effective cross-cultural relationships.
During his residency, Willow also deepened artistic relationships between Chinese musicians and himself. This will allow him to further collaborate with musicians in the future, in order to produce pieces which should lead to an album featuring a mix of modern and traditional, Chinese and Western musical aspects.
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