Prambanan Jazz Festival #9 Ready To Prove The Importance Of Culture For The Future

Prambanan Jazz Festival #3 press conference, Thursday, 6 July 2023 (Doc. Prambanan Jazz)

YOGYAKARTA - Prambanan Jazz Festival (PJF) #9 is ready to be held for two weeks (7,8,9 July 2023 and 14,15,16 July 2023) at the Brahmana and Wisnu field, Prambanan Temple, Yogyakarta. Rajawali Indonesia as the promoter has been preparing for quite some time since the end of 2022.

This year's Prambanan Jazz Festival carries the theme "Culture for the Future", which is presented with the concept of "The Magical Experience". This theme departs from an important understanding, that culture is important for the future. In an era where everything is digital, even works of art can be worked on by artificial intelligence (AI), culture can keep us on the ground and hold fast to our roots as humans.

The annual event that had “fasted” in bringing international artists because of the pandemic three years ago, this year the 9th PJF immediately joined forces with a number of international artists from various continents.

Among them are Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, Lukas Graham, Eric Benet, Faouzia, Gispykings by Andre Reyes, Vertical Horizon, Bond, Conor Maynard, Tunde (Voice of Lighthouse family), Seafret, Lucky Chops, and Gemini.

"Yes, the initial plan was that there would be 9 international artists and 60 Indonesian artists so that if you add them up you can get a beautiful number, 69 (sixty-nine) is sexy. But it turned out to be more than expected, we will present 12 international artists for PJF Lovers this year," Anas Alimi, Founder of the Prambanan Jazz Festival and Rajawali Indonesia, said at a press conference.

At the end of 2022, iKonser together with Metranet and Telkom Regional 7 carried out a movement entitled "Baku Nada". The program looks for potential bands/musicians from eastern Indonesia, covering the regions of Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. After going through several preliminary rounds, now Baku Nada has found three winners who are entitled to appear at the 2023 Prambanan Jazz Festival. They are Treeshome from North Maluku, Tropico Rasta (Papua), and Tardigrada (Central Sulawesi).

Apart from that, there is also the I'm Jazz a Kids submission program, auditions for young musicians at the Prambanan Jazz Festival. The age of the participants, who varied from 7 to 15 years, made the jury think hard because all of them were good in the existing categories (such as vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, jazz instrumentals such as violin, saxophone, etc. Their performances would certainly be a surprise for PJF Lovers, to enjoy the 9th PJF series for 6 days.

"We'll see later the surprise of "The Magical Experience" from the participants," added Anas.

I'm Jazz a Kids is something new, and the registrants also come from various regions and countries. Later the winners will be made into two super bands to perform on the Prambanan Jazz stage.

"Alhamdulillah, our communication is smooth with international artists until now. With so many artists being presented, this is the focus of the team to prepare together in the near future. However, so far we can fulfill the needs of both international and Indonesian artists," Tovic Raharja as CEO of Rajawali Indonesia, said at the same event.

Meanwhile, the Pasar Kangen Prambanan Jazz will also be present with a traditional Jogja culinary concept that will spoil all the spectators who are present. Just like in previous years, Prambanan Jazz consistently invites the Pasar Kangen community as traditional MSME culinary tenants from Yogyakarta who unite harmony between the concepts and themes of Prambanan Jazz.

Representing Indonesian musicians, Bilal Indrajaya, who is the 9th PJF performer on the first day, expressed his enthusiasm to be able to perform at this year's PJF.

"It is an honor for me to be able to appear at the Prambanan Jazz Festival, which is one of the biggest music events in Indonesia, and moreover to be on the same stage with many big names that I admire," he said.

Likewise, Gipsy Kings by Andre Reyes who attended the press conference expressed their joy in arriving in Yogyakarta for the first time to perform at the 2023 Prambanan Jazz Festival. Mario Reyes as the vocalist of Gipsy King by Andre Reyes said he was pleased with the enthusiasm of friendly Indonesians.

"I would like to thank all parties involved and support this event, I hope everyone will be given a smooth journey to Prambanan Jazz and return home safely. Tickets are still available on the prambananjazz.com website and for complete information, you can follow Instagram @prambananjazz," concluded Anas.