TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The countdown is underway for the Jakarta International BNI Java Jazz Festival. Now in its 14th year, festival’s offerings are plentiful. So much so that’s it’s hard to know where to start. Here are Tempo’s recommendations for international acts.
1. The Goo Goo Dolls - the Feel-good Headliners
Obviously, the main drawcard of this international act is the opportunity to cathartically scream the lyrics of ‘Iris’ into the night, along with a giant crowd whose hearts are also bleeding at the same rate. But there’s more. In the band’s repertoire are albums A Boy Named Goo (1995), Dizzy up the Girl (1998) and Gutterflower (2002). It’s bound to be emotional.
Read: Java Jazz Festival 2017 to Adopt Betawi Theme
2. Matthew Whitaker Trio - the Child Prodigy
Don’t let his age fool you (he was born in 2001!), Matthew Whittaker plays like an old soul. With the freakish dexterity only child prodigies seem to have, Whitaker delivers both on original compositions as well as his own arrangements of other giants of jazz. Having won countless awards, fellowship and critical praise, what’s most important is that he gives a great performance - and by all accounts, he will.
3. Dionne Warwick - the Blockbuster guest
Even though it’s exciting to fossick through a festival program to see lesser known artists and discover something new, the build-up of excitement in the wake of seeing a blockbuster act cannot be matched. Especially if it’s Dionne Warwick. The five-time Grammy award winner is enjoying a triumphant 50 years in the music industry this year. Nothing will ever match the burning melancholy on “Walk on By,” or the elation of “Say a Little Prayer”. Needless to say, Warwick’s performance at the Java Jazz Festival is a rare opportunity to see one of the greats.
Read: Last Day of Java Jazz to be Closed by Chris Botty Featuring Sting
4. Kennedy Administration - the Good Grooves
Having attained performance credits with ultra-famous artists such as Stevie Wonder, Gregory Porter and Lauryn Hill, the Kennedy Administration are well versed in playing good music to big crowds. Led by the charismatic and soulful vocals of Ms Kennedy, it’s inevitable the Kennedy Administration will lead listeners through a setlist soaked in soul, flirtation, aching love and fluent funk. The band have been honing their musical craft during a three-year residency at Groove in New York. All this means they’re bound to hit the ground running at the Java Jazz Festival.
5. Daniel Caesar - for the Cool Kids
If you’re taking your younger, cooler and hard-to-impress younger cousin to the Java Jazz Festival, you will probably win them over after seeing Daniel Caesar’s set. His silky vocals will have everyone in the venue swooning - young and old. With musical roots firmly planted in R&B and soul, Caesar’s lyrics and composition usher listeners into more contemporary territory. His latest album, Freudian, released late last year, was nominated for a Grammy Award and went straight to number one on Apple Music. It’s the perfect time to see Daniel Caesar at this moment in his career.
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