Java Jazz draws best performers, fans<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman and Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It was not the typical scene that greets people at venues where
\njazz is played. If jazz lovers usually savored jazz in a small
\nclub with a cozy atmosphere, concertgoers at the Java Jazz
\nFestival had to elbow their way into the separate halls as their
\nfavorite performers the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire, Incognito
\nand Deodato took to the stage.<\/p>\n
A large crowd turned out on Saturday evening, the second day
\nof the Java Jazz Festival, crowding into all nooks and crannies
\nthat were left at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan,
\nCentral Jakarta, where dozens of international and local artists
\ncongregated to perform in a once-in-a-lifetime event.<\/p>\n
All the performance halls in the JCC booked for Java Jazz gigs
\nwere filled to full-house, with some concertgoers even sitting
\nand standing in the vicinity of the stages.<\/p>\n
The crowd thronged to the Assembly Hall, with a great number
\nof them standing right below the stage and in the aisles --
\nwhether or not they had an assigned seat there -- when veteran
\nguitarist and founding member of local jazz band Krakatau Donny
\nSuhendra came onstage.<\/p>\n
Suhendra gave true meaning to the virtuosity and improvisation
\nthat constitutes the heart of all great jazz. Every extended and
\nmeandering solo from the musicians, including keyboardist Dwiki
\nDharmawan and drummer Budi Haryono, roused an obligatory -- yet
\nno less enthusiastic -- applause from the audience.<\/p>\n
And when the show was over, the pleased concertgoers wasted no
\ntime in scurrying and scrambling their way out of the hall to
\nanother venue for a different performance.<\/p>\n
Contrary to the widely held belief that jazz music is confined
\nto a small, intimate audience, specifically mature ones, the
\nyounger generation made up the bulk of the crowd who came to see
\nthe jazz maestros.<\/p>\n
Young men and women in the latest fashion trends and hairdos
\nshuffled around the venues, hurriedly making their way to see
\nvarious artists, some of whom they had never heard of before.<\/p>\n
\"I know Deodato, and I came to his concert because I wanted to
\nsee how he performed live,\" a young jazz fan told The Jakarta
\nPost when asked if he knew of the Brazilian musician who was
\nperforming as a headline act in the Saturday line-up.<\/p>\n
A number of teen idols ranging from television soap opera
\nactresses to music channel presenters also put in an appearance
\nat the festival, mingling with other like-minded concertgoers.<\/p>\n
Deodato's, however, also revealed a grave flaw the festival
\norganizers had failed to mend from the day before: several
\nconcert halls had substandard sound systems with the bass turned
\nup so high that it drowned out entire shows. Delayed performances
\nwere thus a norm of the festival.<\/p>\n
The organizers were lucky that the audience was polite and
\npatient -- unlike those die-hard rock fans notorious for their
\npenchant for throwing stones and breaking glass.<\/p>\n
The audience for the Deodato gig were willing to wait over an
\nhour before the stage was finally ready for his evening
\nperformance. They sat idly on the stage, made no rowdy
\nprovocations, and only booed half-heartedly, when several people
\nspoke aloud about their impatience and frustration.<\/p>\n
When the Brazilian group finally appeared with a spontaneous
\nbeat of thunderous percussion, the crowd broke out immediately
\ninto an applause of appreciation and welcome.<\/p>\n
Deodato's Latin origin was not obvious during the show, except
\nfor the energetic percussionist, who danced vigorously in between
\nhis rhythmic pounding on the drums.<\/p>\n
Despite the shortcomings, the audience, who had been deprived
\nof noteworthy music festivals in the past few years, seemed to be
\ngrateful -- and gracious -- anyway.<\/p>\n
\"The festival is great. We've enjoyed it so far. And I think
\nwe should have this annually,\" concertgoer Affan told the Post.<\/p>\n
The best thing about the festival is that the performers and
\nthe audience forged an excellent bond, as happens naturally when
\nentertainers and fans come together over a shared love.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/java-jazz-draws-best-performers-fans-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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