Sponsored by Chevrolet, the World Music Asia opens in Shanghai on Sept 15.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shanghai Hongqiao CBD staged a grand music feast from Sept 15 to Sept 24 offering local residents a chance to enjoy the charms of music from across the world.

A total of 29 top bands from 23 countries gathered to showcase crossover performances integrating jazz, classical, popular and folk music.

On Sept 15, Fanna-Fi-Allah from the Qawwali Orchestra presented traditional music of Sufism with full passion. Sugar Blue, the Grammy winner and American Harmonica player, Theodosi, the world-class Turkish flute performer and Gochag Askarov, master of Azerbaijan's Mukamm vocal music also marked their event debut.

This year's event featured younger musicians and boasted some renowned electronic bands like Yat - kha, dubbed a "Nomadic group with electric guitars" by western media, Roksonaki from Kazakhstan and Tibble Transiibiriska, which features Nordic folk.

Shanghai has held the event, which is free to the public, for seven consecutive years. The festival will also be staged in Chongqing, Foshan in Guangdong province and Wuhan in Hubei province.

Players stages a world-class music performance in Shanghai Hongqiao CBD [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Audience members take in a stunning performance at World Music Asia in Hongqiao CBD. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]