Published on November 28, 2014
The groovy wave of jazz is about to hit the shores of Banyuwangi again at the eastern tip of East Java Province as theBanyuwangi Beach Jazz Festival 2014 is set to be staged at the beautiful Boom Beach on 6th December 2014. Entering its second year, the festival continues to combine the exhilarating groove of jazz with the enchanting natural splendor of Banyuwangi.
Aimed to celebrate what is referred to as the “coast culture”, the festival boasts the tagline “Gulung Ombak, Jazz Bersemarak” or loosely translated as “Rolling Waves of Lively Jazz”.
“There are actually similarities between coast culture and Jazz music, the coast culture is known as being open, honest and interactive. Likewise, jazz music is known for its openness and the supple quality of musical improvisation — not just within its genre but with other genres as well” stated Bagas Indrayatmono, the project manager of the festival, as reported bythejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com.
This year, the festival will feature some of Indonesia’s most distinguished jazz musicians. Among the lineup is Kua Etnika, an eclectic traditional Indonesian music ensemble formed in 1995 that has since collaborated with many international musicians (including Germany’s Pata Masters) and has released three albums. The group’s performance will also feature vocalists including acclaimed Indonesian songstress Trie Utami, well-known for her soulful ballads and well controlled pitch.
The audience will also be treated with an exceptional guitar performance of Tohpati and Friends and also the heart-melting romantic pop group Kahitna. Meanwhile, renowned eccentric composer and musician Djaduk Ferianto will also lead a mixed group of jazz musicians and Banyuwangi’s local talents in showcasing how the traditional and modern can mix in musical harmony.
The main feature of the festival will be the performance of Trio Lestari, a super group consisting of Indonesia’s finest three vocalists: Glenn Fredly, Tompi, and Shandy Sondoro. Each of these exceptional singers have their own distinct fascinating voices which when combined together create a truly exceptional harmony.
Boom Beach is selected from among Banyuwangi’s many beaches due to its convenient location — just a five-minute’s drive from the center of the city and only about 30 minutes across the island of Bali. In the coming years, the festival is expected to be staged in various other beaches across the regency.
Being the east-most city on Java, Banyuwangi is where the dawn rises in the morning throwing its welcoming first rays over Java, this lush green but also most densely populated island.
Exploring the regency, you can watch wild animals roam freely in the nature reserve of Alas Purwo, the oldest game reserve on Java, go trekking through the savannahs of Baluran, or find secluded and untouched beaches offering some of the world’s best surfing waves at Pulau Merah or G-Land, and travel to Sukamade Beach where turtles come to hatch their eggs. Mountain climbers can hike up from Banyuwangi to the stunning Ijen Crater and be amazed by blue flames that spring out among the yellow sulphurous rocks, that are cut, collected and carried manually by traditional miners here.
More Information available at: http://banyuwangijazz.com/
