Japanese jazz comes to town

JAKARTA (JP): Clarinet and saxophone musician Kazutoki Umezu will visit Jakarta for the third time since performing at 1994's Jakjazz festival, and in his "Asian Fantasy Orchestra" which played at Taman Ismail Arts Center in 1995.

This time Umezu has formed a group called "Asian Tour '97", which will play for free here on Feb. 19 at the Graha Bhakti Budaya Arts Center at 8 p.m., on Jl. Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta.

Indonesia is their last stop after Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines, Inami Kazumi, assistant director of the Japan Foundation said yesterday.

"They are still in Laos," he said.

The group will then leave for Denpasar for a show on Feb. 22.

Umezu will perform with Kozo Niida on drums, Keisuke Ota on violins, Isao Miyoshi on acoustic and electric guitars and Yasuhiko Tachibana on electric bass. (anr)