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New groove: Jazz has strong vibes among the younger generation
Artists delighted the 2024 Java Jazz Festival crowd, many of whom were young music enthusiasts, as they hoped to inspire a new generation.
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Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey performs on May 25, 2024, during the second set of her performance at the 2024 Jakarta International BNI Java Jazz Festival at JIExpo Kemayoran in Central Jakarta. (-/Courtesy of Java Jazz Festival)
A
s Friday evening wore on, drum breaks with unusual time signatures were heard from one hall, saxophone solos echoed from another, and crowds thronged the venue alleys looking for the next artist they could see.
The first night set the tone for the spectacle and auditory experience at the 2024 Jakarta International BNI Java Jazz Festival, which took place at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, from Friday to Sunday.
This year marks the 19th edition of the renowned Indonesian jazz festival, nearly reaching two decades since it was established in 2005.
Widely considered one of the biggest jazz festivals in the southern hemisphere, Java Jazz has pulled in audiences of over 40,000 and hosted renowned musicians who dabble in jazz or jazz-adjacent genres, from George Benson to Jason Mraz.
The 2024 festival returned last weekend to provide the same promise with a diverse line-up, including British jazz-funk group Incognito, fan-favorite Laufey and R&B songstress Snoh Aalegra, each drawing massive crowds during their sets.
Excitement already filled the air from the first evening of the festival. Celebrated jazz musician Barry Likumahuwa showed his bass-slapping prowess as he and his group The Rhythm Service covered songs by renowned Indonesian brass band The Rollies.
Local greats from Maliq & D’Essentials to Mocca also graced the halls with their jazz-pop songs, but the festival’s pop rendition possibly peaked during a collaboration between legendary acts Fariz RM and Candra Darusman on the second evening.
