J

akarta’s first weekend of March will be swinging as the annual festival is set to ignite jazz fever in the town.

The much-awaited 2013 Jakarta International Djarum Super Mild Java Jazz three-day festival is expected to send a festive vibe across town when it begins on Friday.

More than 1,500 international and local musicians will perform at the festival, playing a total of 187 shows on 17 stages at the Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran in Central Jakarta.  Among the big names are Joss Stone, Basia, Lisa Stansfield, Craig David, Jimmy Cliff and Maurice Brown.

Local jazz stars, who make up the majority of performers in the festival, include Indra Lesmana, Barry Likumahuwa, Dwiki Dharmawan, Tohpati, Gilang Ramadhan, Balawan and Aksan Sjuman.

Dewi Gontha, the president director of Java Festival Production, said they have seen a significant increase in audience numbers since they moved the venue from the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, where the previous five annual festivals had been held, in 2010.

The organizer is hoping to see a total of more than 110,000 concertgoers throughout the festival this year, an increase from 108,000 and 106,000 in 2012 and 2011, respectively.

“Our target is to achieve at least 100,000,” Dewi said, during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Tourism and Creative Economy Deputy Minister Sapta Nirwandar, who also spoke at the press conference, said that the festival had become an important institution in Indonesia.

“It not only promotes Indonesian art and culture, but also an image of a safe and open country,” Sapta said.

The deputy minister also said that the festival helped to attract foreign tourists from around the region, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia.

“This festival helps to boost jazz popularity all over the country,” Sapta added.

Separately, the festival’s program coordinator, Eki Puradiredja, said that the organizer was aiming for a broader audience mix this year.

“Last year, we presented musicians that cater more to a jazz enthusiast audience,” he said. Last year the big jazz names included Herbie Hancock, Erykah Badu and Al Jarreau.

“We missed the younger audience last year; we are hoping to bring them back this year,” Eki said.

The international line-up for the festival includes Balance and The Traveling Sounds, Bob James, Brian Simpson, Butterscotch, Chucho Valdes, Chuck Loeb, David Helbock, Eldar Djangirov, Emily Elbert, Fernandez4, Jimmy Cliff, Jose James, Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin, Lisa Stansfield, Magnus Lindgren, Gregory Porter, Marcus Miller, Mellow Motif, Monday Michiru, The Kenny Garrett Quintet, The Soul Rebels and Wouter Hamel.

Eki also said there would be a number of special shows during the festival, including a performance by Miles Smiles featuring Larry Coryell, Joey DeFrancesco, Omar Hakim, Daryll Jones and Rick Margitza.

“It’s a tribute to Miles Davis and will be performed by musicians who have worked with Miles in the past,” he said.

Other special shows will be performed by local jazz stars, including tribute shows to prominent names in Indonesian music: Utah Likumahuwa, Elfa Secioria and Ismail Marzuki.