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Jakarta Post

Java Jazz ends with romance

Mesmerizing Duke: Popular jazz musician George Duke plays at the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2011 in Jakarta on Sunday

Prodita Sabarini and Ika Krismantari (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Mon, March 7, 2011

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Java Jazz ends with romance

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span class="inline inline-left">Mesmerizing Duke: Popular jazz musician George Duke plays at the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2011 in Jakarta on Sunday. The three-day festival, which featured hundreds of jazz musicians from around the world, ended Sunday.-JP/Wendra Ajistyata Love was definitely in the air when the curtain came down on the star-studded AXIS Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival on Sunday.

The seventh edition of the festival enchanted jazz lovers with three days of great performances by
international and local musicians who wooed the audience with sweet lyrics.

Sunday night’s special show belonged to jazz legend George Benson, who crooned his greatest hits.

Performing on his second night at the festival, the maestro jazz guitarist played several eternal love songs adored by Indonesians.

In a press conference on Saturday, Benson said Indonesia had its own personality.

“It’s a romantic place,” he said. “[Indonesians] like romantic music,” he said, commenting on his reception in Jakarta.

Another highlight on Sunday was American George Duke, also famous here for his love songs.

Manhattan-based British soul singer Jamie Lidell gave an energetic performance on Sunday during his second show at this year’s Java Jazz, commanding the stage with his quirky persona.

Lidell performed several songs, including Multiply and Little Bit of Feel Good. He also wowed the audience with his sampler as he created layers of sounds from his own voice. One audience member said Lidell’s performance was “levitating”, making her dance and lose track of time.

Local talent also stole the show with drummer prodigy Sandy Winarta giving a stunning performance with his quartet.

Java Jazz director Eki Puradiredja said festival organizers this year had focused on providing quality performances, having learned from last year’s experience when the festival moved from Senayan to Kemayoran.

He added he was very pleased with this year’s Java Jazz, especially with the enthusiasm expressed by the audience weeks before the festival started.

“When we see that sort of spirit, we work more enthusiastically as well,” he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

With 40 international bands — featuring more than 280 artists from 14 countries — along with 110 Indonesian bands and around 1,400 musicians, the festival succeeded in quenching music fans’ thirst for good music with 173 shows, including four special shows on 16 stages.

Unforgettable shows by guitar legend Carlos Santana on the first and second day still lingered in audience members’ minds.

Santana won hearts with his spectacular guitar playing and poignant messages delivered during the shows.

Many festival goers reposted his messages about spreading love and peace on their Facebook and Twitter accounts after his remarkable show.

Another artist in the festival’s spotlight was British soul singer Corrine Bailey Rae who performed for the first time in Indonesia this weekend.

Music lovers packed the room in the late hours of the evening, waiting for the award-winning musician to play her famous singles, Put Your Records On and Like A Star.

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