200 JakJazz musicians to rock Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): About 200 well-known foreign and local jazz musicians are expected to perform at the annual Jakarta International Jazz Festival (JakJazz) from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9.

JakJazz's creator Ireng Maulana said yesterday that foreign participants in the city's festival include saxophone player Dave Koz, known for his rendition of Oddie Agam's composition Sinaran, and singer Phil Perry.

The British band Incognito and the L.A. All Stars -- which incorporates the seven original members of the legendary U.S. R&B group Earth, Wind and Fire -- are the stars of the three-day festival, he said.

Noted jazz singer Michael Frank, however, was unable to be a part of this year's festival.

"We have contacted him because he (Frank) has many fans in Indonesia. But it's difficult for him to come here because he is antismoking. When he spots a guest smoking during his performance he will stop singing," Ireng said, adding that the festival is partly sponsored by a cigarette company.

"The participation of local musicians at this year's festival, however, is extraordinary," Ireng said.

Among the local groups performing at the festival are Elfa's Big Band, Java Jazz, Krakatau, Dewa Budjana, Groove, Jamz All Stars and Dewa 19, he said.

JakJazz '97 will take place at the same venue as last year's, namely the Sumantri Brojonegoro Sport Complex in Kuningan, South Jakarta. It will start at 6 p.m. and continue until 1:45 a.m.

With one-day and three-day tickets selling for Rp 50,000 (US$13.7) and Rp 150,000 respectively, the festival is financially worth waiting for, Ireng said.

During the festival, jazz lovers can enjoy performances on three stages erected at the football stadium, hockey field and Hall A of the basketball indoor stadium in Kuningan.

"So far, we have sold around 2,000 tickets, most of them for the three days of performances," the festival's public relations manager, Chiquita Paramita, said.

Despite its popularity, the festival -- which started in 1988 -- is still a financial gamble for the organizers.

Ireng said: "Our plan is to make this year's festival a bit more commercial than the previous ones."

For instance, there will not only be jazz musicians and groups but also pop music bands, such as Dewa 19.

"Dewa 19 is expected to attract more youths to the festival," he said.

The organizers have also rented stands in the festival arena to the public for up to Rp 2.5 million.

The currency crisis and the depreciation of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar has increased the cost of staging the festival from earlier estimates of Rp 2 billion to almost Rp 2.5 billion.

Unlike jazz performances in other countries, which can depend on ticket sales, the Indonesia organizers have to rely on sponsors, he said. (ste)