12 AMAZING musical acts you must see at this year’s Java Jazz Festival (March 3-5)

Presented by JAKARTA INTERNATIONAL JAVA JAZZ FESTIVAL

The world famous Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival is coming back for the 13th time from March 3-5 . As the biggest jazz festival in Asia and one of the biggest in the world, it always features a stellar lineup of incredibly talented musicians from Indonesia and around the world. This year is certainly no exception, with global music legends and Grammy award winners gracing the stages at JIEXPO Kemayoran.

One welcome change at this year Java Jazz is that there will not be any special shows requiring audience members to pay extra on top of the regular entrance fee. Which means every performance is open to all!

But with so many incredible acts to check out, which ones are most deserving of your attention? Here are a few of our suggestions, including the legends you can’t miss as well as a few under-the-radar entertainers that might become your new obsession.

Ne-Yo




One of the smoothest acts in the world of R&B, Ne-Yo has sold over 10 million albums and won three Grammys Awards. His chart-topping hits include his breakout “So Sick,” “Because of You”, “Mad” and “Beautiful Monster”.

Dira Sugandi




Dira is known as one of Indonesia’s most powerful female singers, with a voice that can be strikingly soulful yet surprisingly delicate within the same song. Over the years she has shared the stage with such world renowned performers such as David Foster, Jason Mraz and Andrea Bocelli.

She’ll be performing this year with both the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam as well as the Sri Hanuraga Trio led by acclaimed jazz pianist Sri “Aga” Hanuraga.




Naughty by Nature

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFTBG1sae0M

The trio of Treach, Vin Rock and DJ Kay Gee helped define 90s East Coast hip-hop as Naughty By Nature, producing such instantly recognizable hits as “OPP”, “Feel Me Flow” and “Hip Hop Hooray”. Tensions caused the group to break up and reform multiple times since the late 90s, but they’re back together now and just celebrated the group’s 25th anniversary.

Margie Segers




Widely considered the grand dame of jazz in Indonesia. Margie Segers is often credited as one of the instrumental forces behind the genre’s explosive popularity in Indonesia starting in the 1970s. Sometimes compared to Eva Cassidy and Dinah Washington, Segers’ original compositions and interpretations of pop and jazz standards have entranced audiences for decades.

Sérgio Mendes




Sérgio Mendes is one of Brazil’s most beloved and legendary musicians, with a career spanning over 50 years. He’s also one of the most internationally successful as evidenced by his three Grammy Award wins. While performing as Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 he produced such global hits as “The Look of Love”, “The Fool on the Hill” and “Scarborough Fair” all becoming cultural touchstones. Mendes was among the first to mix soul and funk with jazz and pop, but the passionate beat of Brazilian rhythms always shines through.

Chick Corea Elektric Band




Chick Corea truly is a jazz icon. In addition to being the fourth-most nominated artist in Grammy Awards history with 63 nominations and 22 wins, Correa is also a DownBeat Hall of Famer and NEA Jazz Master. His pieces span numerous jazz genres, from straight-ahead to avant-garde, bebop to jazz-rock fusion, children’s songs to symphonic works, Chick has touched an astonishing number of musical bases in his career since playing with the genre-shattering bands of Miles Davis in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

Zap Mama




Grammy-nominated Zap Mama started in 1989 after Marie Daulne returned from visiting her native Congo-Kinshasa to explore her roots and train in pygmy onomatopoeic vocal techniques. Since then, she has become a worldwide success, performing with an ensemble of female polyphonic singers and creating World Music inspired by American Hip Hop, Nu-Soul, Jazz and elements of Pop.

Afgan




One of Indonesia’s most celebrated male vocalists, Afgansyah Reza, better known as Afgan, is known for captivating listeners with his soulful, heartfelt performances (he’s also acted in several films). Lately. he’s been branching out with more English language songs with the goal of extending his popularity beyond Indonesia.

Goodluck Heiwa




A super cool jazz duo from Japan, Goodluck Heiwa is made up of former high school classmates Takuji Nomura (keyboards, lots of keyboards) and Daichi Ito (drums and whistle). Their unique sound combines elements of New Orleans, R&B, Minimal, Exotic, Fusion, Stride piano, and Breakbeats, even mixed with some element of Bittunes. Their entrancing performances have earned them a spot in many of Japan’s biggest rock festivals.

Krystyna Durys & Durys Band




This incredible jazz vocalist from Poland channels the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Patti Austin but also reinterprets the classics with her own charming twists, adding in elements of samba and bossa nova to match her sultry style.

Incognito




For nearly 40 years, the pioneering acid jazz band Incognito have been bringing the funk from the the UK, constantly innovating their sound and never resting on their many laurels. Although the band’s style and roster has changed numerous times over the years, there are two constants in Incognito; the presence of guitarist and band leader Bluey Maunick and energetic live shows that get audiences everywhere to stand up and dance.

 

Nik West




She’s been referred to as the female Lenny Kravitz and has played with legends such as Prince and John Mayer, but Nik West has become a force to be reckoned with all on her own. A badass electric bassist as well as a singer-songwriter, West rocks with a style all her own.




Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival

March 3-5, 2017

JIExpo Kemayoran [Map]

For more info and tickets: www.javajazzfestival.com


*Coconuts Jakarta is official media partners with the Jakarta International Java Jazz *



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