The journey to Java Jazz

Novia D Rulistia, The Jakarta Post - Publication Date : 01-03-2013

It's taken time, but Jakarta's Java Jazz fest has earned a much-deserved spot on the international jazz register

The big names in jazz and other genres visible in the line-up of the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival guarantee a good time for music lovers in the upcoming three-day festival.

Jazz quartet Fourplay, Raisa, Balawan, Andien, Indra Lesmana, Yannick Bovy, Roy Hargrove and Joss Stone are among the musicians who will perform on the first day of the fiesta on Friday.

The festival was first organised in 2005, initiated by businessman Peter F Gontha with the idea of helping improve the image of Indonesia on the international stage through music, after being hit by disasters and terrorist acts. 

From the beginning, Java Jazz was designed to be big in terms of the number of performers, the names and the audiences. 

“We did not create it as a small event - we intentionally made it big with 16 stages and many international names,” Java Jazz programme coordinator Eki Puradiredja told The Jakarta Post. 

In its first year, the festival featured big names like Earth Wind and Fire Experience, Incognito and James Brown and was able to attract more than 40,000 people to the then Jakarta Convention Centre in Senayan, Central Jakarta. 

Despite the success, it was not an easy path, Eki said. 

“The first three years were the hardest. Because we wanted it to be a music event that could last for a long time we needed to gain trust first from everyone - sponsors, musicians, audience and media,” he said.

Read more: http://www.asianewsnet.net/The-journey-to-Java-Jazz-43424.html