When Coco Zhao started singing jazz standards in Shanghai in the mid ’90s, there were few experienced musicians to accompany him. But things have changed dramatically since that time, and the Chinese megacity boasts one of Asia’s fastest-growing jazz scenes-with Zhao as its brightest star.

"The music here has a long history but a short development," says the high- and sweet-voiced singer, on the line from his Shanghai home. "Jazz thrived in the ’20s and ’30s but was banned during the Cultural Revolution [1966–76], and only started coming back about 15 years ago. Now there are many musicians, both from China and overseas, and you can find many different styles and genres."

Zhao grew up in the province of Hunan, where both his parents were Chinese-opera artists. While studying oboe and composition as a teenager at the Shanghai Conservatory, he discovered jazz and began supporting himself by performing in clubs and bars around town. Zhao proved so successful that he eventually left school and turned professional.

His big break came in 1997, when he sang with Betty Carter, one of his icons, at the Shanghai International Jazz Festival. Later that year, he was invited to play in Paris, where critics hailed the then 19-year-old prodigy as "the boy Billie Holiday from China".

By listening and talking to musician friends, Zhao taught himself English, and he possesses a remarkable command of pronunciation and diction on compositions by the likes of Cole Porter and Duke Ellington. But most of the material he performs today is in Mandarin. "Although it’s a tonal language, I don’t find it particularly challenging to sing jazz in Chinese. It’s fun to use different tones and syllables that I can play with."

Whether Zhao is interpreting ’20s jazz ballads from Shanghai or more contemporary pieces such as the ethereal title track of his current release, Dream Situation, his voice is always beautifully nuanced, with impressive control of volume and tremolo. Produced by musical partner and violinist Peng Fei, the recording came out in 2006 on Montreal’s Effendi label.

Zhao’s close artistic links with this country continue to grow. "In Vancouver I’ll be playing with Jazzlab, an eight-piece outfit based in Quebec. It will be the first time we’ve performed together. I heard them at last year’s VIJF and really dug what they were doing. We’ll have just one afternoon rehearsal and perform the next day. The set will be a mix of songs from my album and classic standards. I’m really looking forward to being back in Canada-it’s a strong connection for me."

Coco Zhao performs with Jazzlab on Tuesday and Wednesday (June 24 and 25) at Performance Works.