Fourplay's Bob James to perform in three cities

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Smooth jazz maestro Bob James is scheduled to perform in three major cities in Indonesia from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13 in a concert that will also feature another Fourplay member, bassist Nathan East, and seasoned Indonesian pianist Idang Rasjidi.

Bob James will play with Asianergy band members, guitarist Jack Lee and percussionist Lewis Pragasam. Asianergy performed at the Bali Jazz Festival in mid November this year.

Lee and James worked together for James' latest project early this year, called Angels of Shanghai Project, in which James collaborated with five young students of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music who played Chinese traditional instruments like guzheng and pipa.

Bob James has been in the contemporary jazz scene since the late 1960s and has released 38 solo albums as well as winning two Grammy awards.

James, who has never published his birth year, often collaborated with guitarist Earl Klugh, with whom he won a Grammy Award in 1980, and saxophone player David Sanborn, with whom he won another Grammy in 1986.

This year he released a double-CD album, Essential 24: Smooth Jazz Classic, containing 24 of his popular compositions including Angela (theme song from Taxi) and Nautilus.

"I have asked him to play his popular compositions here," Gita Wirjawan, the owner of Omega Pacific Production, which invited James, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Gita, who works as a senior country officer at JP Morgan Chase Bank in Jakarta, added that emerging Indonesian jazz singer and composer Tompi would also participate as a guest star in the concert.

Tompi has released one solo album Tompi and collaboration album Bali Lounge both under the Omega Pacific label.

On Dec. 11, Bob James will perform at the Shangri-La Hotel in Central Jakarta. For the Jakarta concert, tickets will be on sale from Rp 300,000 (US$30) to Rp 2 million (US$200).

"For the 2-million rupiah ticket, patrons will get a seat on the front row, an autographed CD, autographed T-shirt and cap, and a cocktail evening with Bob James," said Gita, who occasionally played piano.

On Monday Dec. 12, Bob James will play in Bandung at the Grand Hyatt Hotel and the next day he will perform in Denpasar at the Kartika Discovery.

Bandung concert tickets are priced from Rp 250,000 to Rp 1.4 million and for the Denpasar concert from Rp 150,000 to Rp 1 million.

Soon after leaving Indonesia, the pianist will participate in the Bangkok Jazz Festival on Dec. 17 with the Angels of Shanghai Ensemble. He will play with other Fourplay members the next day also in the Bangkok festival.

Information on tickets: Albert: 0815 922 7667 www.omegapacificproduction.com