Krakatau, French quartet hold joint concert

JAKARTA (JP): Top French jazz musicians Michel Portal, Louis Clavis, Daniel Humair and Bruno Chevillon are to perform with Krakatau, a local jazz group, in a series of joint concerts in Bandung, Jakarta and Surabaya.

They will kick off a three-day tour on Nov. 25 with a performance in the Hotel Hyatt Regency, Bandung. They will then travel to Jakarta to play at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta on Nov. 26. On the following day, jazz lovers in Surabaya will get the chance to watch their show in the Hotel Sheraton.

The 45-year-old Portal (composer, clarinet, saxophone, accordion) can switch with ease between his classic and contemporary repertoires. He, along with several other musicians, is credited with launching the "freedom" movement in France.

Clavis (clarinet), who was named best French jazz musician in 1988, is also 45 years old. Humair, 60, has recorded around 200 albums and more than 15 CDs. He also paints and some of his works are held in the collections of the City of Paris gallery and the Swiss government. The final French musician who will perform here is the 49-year-old Chevillon, who plays the contrabass.

Krakatau, led by Dwiki Darmawan, are famous for their exploration of Sundanese music. They will launch a new album entitled Magical Match at the end of the year. (sim)