Get ready to chill out with blues, Jakarta

Dian Kuswandini ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 11/07/2009 1:03 PM  |  Lifestyle

After a succession of jazz, rock and R&B festivals, the stages of Jakarta are heating up again, this time for some chilling blues tunes.

Following its debut last year, the Djarum Super Jakarta International Blues Festival will again entertain the city, bringing some 40 local and world performers, including senior Dutch musician Jan Akkerman, Mike Wilgar (Ireland), Kara Grainger (Australia) and Blues Train (Singapore) to the Istora Senayan Stadium on Nov. 7.

"The festival is part of our efforts to enliven the city, so Jakarta can really become a musical city," the festival's head of committee, Wibowo Suseno Wiryawan of the Indonesian Blues Association (InaBlues), said recently.

Although the festival is set to prove to the world Indonesia is a safe country that can host a number of world-class events, InaBlues has said the event is also meant to represent a milestone in the country's blues history.

"We want to establish a regular event for blues in Indonesia, similar to the annual jazz and rock festivals," said the festival's deputy head Frans Sunito, referring to the Java Jazz Festival and Java Rockin' Land Festival. "We also want to introduce blues to people across the country, attracting both older and younger generations."

Besides, he added, the committee seeks to bring together both junior and senior artists as well as promote local musicians to their international counterparts through the festival.

"It wasn't hard to invite those international artists," Frans said. "In fact, they are very happy to come to Indonesia," he added.

The festival organizers chose a "Back to the Roots of All Music" theme to highlight blues as the origin of all contemporary music.

"We know the saying *blues is the roots, everything else is the fruits'," said Frans, referring to American blues legend Willie Dixon's famous quote.

"So, yes, blues is the origin of all contemporary music that we know today," he added.

In line with the theme, the festival will also include other kinds of music, which, of course, will have a bluesy touch. So, as Frans pointed out, the festival will have four stages - each of them designed for a different kind of performances.

The Blue Stage, for example, is dedicated to mainstream blues artists, while the Red Stage will see musicians playing "blues offspring" like pop rock and classic rock. Acoustic performances will dominate the Green Stage and while the Black Stage will be dedicated to new blues artists.

While some of the local bands - such as The Changcuters, Gigi and The Dance Company - do not play blues, they have been briefed on this occasion to do so, said InaBlues chairman Oding Nasution.

"We have invited The Changcuters and Gigi to attract young audience members, and bring them closer to blues," Frans said, adding that new local blues musicians Gugun & Blues Shelter, Andre Harihandoyo and Sonic People would also promote blues to the young audience.

These bands will join Indonesian musicians Abdee of Slank, Andi of /rif, Endah & Rhesa and Kibod Maulana & Friends. Families will come together one stage, with young pop star Audy Item and his brother Stevie Item (of Andra and The Backbone) performing a duet with their father, senior musician Yopie Item. Besides, artists Bondan Prakoso will also play with his father Sisco.

"We acknowledge that one day is very short for a festival," Frans said of the festival that will run for 11 hours, from 12.30 a.m. onwards, "But we had difficulties scheduling artists. However, next year, we hope the festival will spread over two days."

With tickets selling at Rp 100,000 (US$10), the committee expects to attract some 10,000 audience members, four times more than in 2008.

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