Jazz lovers finally get their fill<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It was a night of delight for jazz lovers, as dozens of
\ninternational and local acts performed and interacted on the
\nfirst day of the Java Jazz Festival on Friday.<\/p>\n
Continuous performances gave jazz lovers reason to be thankful
\nthat noteworthy music acts had finally come to the capital.<\/p>\n
Performers took turns in taking to the 11 stages, erected
\ninside the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, Central
\nJakarta. Some of the stages were set up in open spaces and
\nwithout barriers so that the audience could closely watch and
\ninteract with the performers.<\/p>\n
The festival kicked off with a powerful traditional Acehnese
\ndance performance by the Dedy Luthan Dance Company accompanied by
\npercussionist Steve Reid, Adjie Rao and scores of child
\npercussion players.<\/p>\n
The child percussionists managed to outshine the dance
\nperformance with a polished knack that could put Led Zeppelin's
\nJohn Bonham to shame.<\/p>\n
No sooner had the opening performance wrapped up when lyrical
\nflamenco guitar playing was heard from the stage closest to the
\nmain hall entrance.<\/p>\n
A guitar duo of the Romero's quickly drew a crowd, and for 30
\nminutes they listened to flamenco-tinged songs.<\/p>\n
The festival came to full life later in the evening when more
\npeople swarmed the convention center for the performances of
\npiano player George Duke, female crooner Laura Fygi and
\nultimately the performance of the godfather of soul, James Brown.<\/p>\n
The air was electric with expectation, and concertgoers
\npatiently waited for the piano-playing Duke when his stage
\nappearance was delayed for more than 45 minutes. And when Duke
\nfinally appeared, the audience applauded thunderously.<\/p>\n
Some last-minute changes in the schedule irritated some who
\nhad arranged their time to fit in with a particular show.<\/p>\n
\"I had a tight schedule today but managed to keep after 8 p.m.
\nfree so I could watch Laura Fygi. She was the reason I bought the
\nticket,\" said patron Johan Kusnadi.<\/p>\n
\"But they changed the schedule to seven o'clock and I missed
\nLaura's show.\"<\/p>\n
Fygi, who got a standing ovation on Friday night, said she was
\nworried she would be confronted with an empty room because of the
\nchange in schedule.<\/p>\n
However, many people had been at JCC since performances stared
\nin the afternoon so they knew about the changed schedule. About
\n500 people packed Assembly I room at JCC to watch the Dutch
\ncrooner and her band.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jazz-lovers-finally-get-their-fill-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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