Indonesia | Indonesian Lifestyle

| | | | | | | | |

Indonesia Events

Jun 2, 2009 | Istora Senayan Jakarta
PUSSYCAT DOLLS ON DOLL DOMINATION WORLD TOUR 2009

Humanitarian Swimmer

	www.greatindonesia.com is pleased to support humanitarian swimmer Monte Monfore. Donate to hungry children and watch swim videos at www.monteswimmer.com
	Monte Monfore - Lombok Fight Hunger Swim Video

WORLD NEWS | Mar 08, 2010

Java Jazz Hits All the Right Chords

The Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, kicked off with a bang on Friday that carried concertgoers through the weekend.

Friday night offered a savory mix of international talent, while Saturday served up a surprise sighting of the president and Sunday brought with it a chance to catch the legendary stylings of Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds.

Though the change of venue, from the JHCC building in Senayan to the JIExpo in Kemayoran, drew some criticism from regular festival visitors, organizers look to have made the right decision. To accommodate the 21 stages and 1,300 musicians — which made JIJJF the largest jazz festival in the world, according to the Indonesian Museum of Records — a larger venue was necessary.

“I’ve been running around trying to see all these bands, but the place is so big I’m getting lost,” said Fandy, a 24-year-old graphic designer.

The festival officially began at 5 p.m. on Friday with a performance by the fusion group Surabaya All Stars at the Dji Sam Soe Flavor Lounge.

But things didn’t really get under way until 6 p.m., when seven acts simultaneously took to different stages around the venue. The first night of Java Jazz was a soothing mix of international sounds, and included a performance by sultry Indonesian songstress Syahrani and her backing band, Esqi:EF, who offered a mixture of upbeat and soulful music at the Jazz & Fusion Hall.

Meanwhile, the foursome Drew took over the Dji Sam Soe Flavor Lounge with a blend of acoustic instrumentation over mellow pop melodies.

But it was revered Indonesian pianist and music-school owner Jaya Suprana who gave perhaps the best performance of the night with his fusion of virtuosic piano flourishes and ethnic Indonesian nuances. Leading his band, Punakawan Kwartet, the founder of the Indonesian Museum of Records bobbed his head furiously as his fingers danced across the piano.

The rest of Punakawan Kwartet had no problem keeping up. Heru Kusnadi provided a percussive low-end jumble with his bass, while guitarist Jubing Kristianto and drummer Junaedi Musliman also showcased their respective skills without going overboard.

The set included, among other hits, “Es Lilin” (“Candle Ice”), a well-known Indonesian traditional song.

Meanwhile, American tenor saxophonist David Murray was performing at the Pop Jazz Hall with the Black Saint quartet. Murray entertained a small but dedicated crowd.

The smaller crowd may have been due in part to New York City producer and jazz guitarist Chieli Minucci and Cuban roots guitarist Adonis Puentes performing at the same time in the LG Mobile Hall.

Idang Rasyidi’s performance on the Outdoor Stage celebrated the legendary pianist’s 40-year career in music.

At 7p.m., a large crowd gathered at the Jazz Fusion Hall stage for RAN, arguably the country’s most popular R&B group. For the next hour or so, the energetic trio took over the festival. Their performance of the hit single “Jadi Gila” (“Becoming Crazy”) sparked a massive sing-along.

Other intriguing acts were singer-songwriter Leonardo, who performed his Nick Drake-infused songs at the Acoustic Lounge, and American soul singer Eric Benet, whose good looks and smooth vocals made his show at the Jazz Fusion Hall a sea of shrieks and howls from the women in the audience.

But Friday night clearly belonged to John Legend. The “special show” ticket that was required to watch Legend sold out days prior to the event.

“I don’t really know jazz … my main goal was to watch John Legend,” said Donita, a 20-year-old college student.

Legend performed all of his hits, including “Ordinary People” and the new single “Green Light.” Although he looked a little tired at a news conference just a few hours earlier, Legend’s performance clearly showed his skills as a world-class musician.

Perhaps Legend had a leg up due to the “nourishing” nature of a local dish he had just after he got off the plane. “I had some spicy satay. Bring on the spice!” the singer said at the news conference.

Saturday’s performances were overshadowed by a surprise guest. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono slid into Hall D at the Kemoyarn Fairgrounds to catch a performance by Diane Warren. Warren, a seven-time Grammy nominee, is responsible for hits like Toni Braxton’s “Un-Break My Heart,” Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and Trisha Yearwood’s “How Do I Live.”

While the president enjoyed the early show, other festivalgoers were forced to choose between two musical mega-forces at 7 p.m.

The Manhattan Transfer and jazz legend Hubert Laws split the lively crowd in two. While most jazz lovers opted for Laws, those looking for a lighter session headed over to catch the Grammy-winning stylings of Manhattan Transfer.

Toni Braxton took the stage around midnight and wowed fans with hits like “How Could an Angel,” “Seven Whole Days,” “Breathe Again” and “Yesterday.”

The sixth installment of Java Jazz wrapped up with more than 50 shows on Sunday, including performances by Mike’s Apartment, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and a repeat performance by The Manhattan Transfer.

Source: JG

Indonesian Lifestyle 2008