JakJazz packs punch with big names, cheap tickets
By Stevie Emilia
JAKARTA (JP): Fears have been voiced that with the eleventh- hour withdrawals of R&B legend Earth, Wind and Fire and noted singer Michael Franks, this year's Jakarta International Jazz Festival (JakJazz) may have lost its major drawing cards.
Organizers refute this by saying they are sticking to their pledge to bring first-rate entertainers to the event, held Nov. 7 to Nov. 9 at the Soemantri Brodjonegoro Sport Complex in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Britain's popular Incognito is tipped as the star this year.
Founded by Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick and Paul "Tubbs" Williams in the 1980s, Incognito made its mark with the 1992 jazz funk album, Tribes, Vibes and Scribes.
The album remained on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Top 25 chart for 16 weeks.
Their following album, Positivity, released two years later, featured the hits Deep Waters and Still a Friend of Mine reached number two on the Contemporary Jazz chart, where it stayed for over a year.
In its latest album, Beneath the Surface, Incognito recalled lead vocal Maysa Leak, who left the group after Positivity.
"This is the first time Incognito will perform in JakJazz," the festival's public relations manager, Chiquita Paramita, told The Jakarta Post.
Dutch band Total Touch is ready to entertain Jakartans with its unique and special hybrid of R&B, soul and European dance music on the second and third days of JakJazz.
In its homeland, Total Touch captivated music lovers with its first single Touch Me There and gained its first gold record with Somebody Else's Lover. Organizers say the group was special guest at Michael Jackson's shows in Amsterdam.
Credit for its success, including platinum single One Moment Your Mind, is attributed to the rapport of funky singer Trintje Oosterhuis and her brother, keyboardist Tjeerd P. Oosterhuis.
Jakjazz founder Ireng Maulana confirmed both groups' attendance.
"These groups are expected to lure thousands to the festival," Ireng said -- referring to the estimated 40,000 audience for 200 musicians, both local and foreign.
Smoke
With ticket prices ranging from Rp 50,000 (US$13.7) for a one- day performance and Rp 125,000 for three straight days, the festival is a good bargain for those with time and spare cash.
Earth, Wind and Fire -- who backed out for unspecified reasons -- is to be replaced by LA All Stars.
Organizers hope R&B fans will not be disappointed as most of the All Star members were formerly with Earth, Wind and Fire.
Franks, Ireng said, pulled out because of his antismoking stance. Although there are presently no tobacco sponsors of JakJazz, Franks is known for walking off stage if he sees anyone in the audience lighting a cigarette.
Sponsors for the Rp 2.5 billion event include Indovision, private television station RCTI and Bir Bintang.
Phil Perry will be on hand to enthrall his Indonesian fans.
Musician Jeff Lorber, best known for first two albums Jeff Lorber Fusion and Soft Space, plays on the first and second days.
Nominated for the Grammy for Best R&B instrumental for the song Pacific Coast Highway, Lorber has done arrangements for artists such as Franks and Karyn White.
Saxophone maestro Dave Koz, no stranger to Indonesia since playing Oddie Agam's composition Sinaran, is also on the list of performers. Koz is scheduled to play the second and third days.
Top Indonesian groups Elfa's Big Band, Java Jazz, Groove, Dewa Bujana, Krakatau band, Tamam Husein, and Dewa 19, will entertain are not being left out of the party.
For the first time, JakJazz will be part of Trakebah, Gado- 0Gado Ngetop, a show from private television station SCTV which combines jazz and local dangdut music.
There will also be a jam session -- but it is not clear what organizers have in mind as the motley list of performers include comedian Bagito, dangdut queen Camelia Malik, businessman- musician Setiawan Djodi and veteran singer Titiek Puspa.
"The theme of this year's festival, More Than Jazz, is reflected by its participants, who are not only jazz musicians, or jazz groups," Ireng explained.