Something for all you jazz heads out there. The 11th Ubud Village Jazz Festival (UVJF) is coming soon and will take place on August 2nd and 3rd, 2024 at STHALA Ubud Portfolio Hotel and from this year the festival will be officially known as the STHALA UBUD VILLAGE JAZZ FESTIVAL.
The UVJF began with small jazz shows through a collaboration between Yuri Mahatma and Anom Darsana. Their shared vision led to the establishment of an international jazz festival, which has continued to evolve over the past 11 years since 2013. The vision from these two and more was to establish a high-calibre, internationally recognized festival that was entirely powered and operated by Bali’s local talent. This event now aims to provide educational, inspirational, and appreciation-enhancing experiences for the audiences.
“This festival is far beyond business-as-usual. Because for us, commitment in terms of quality always comes first,” said Anom Darsana.
“UVJF is a platform to express our strong commitment to the ideas and concepts in making jazz music. And that’s what makes this festival very unique.” states Yuri Mahatma.
One of the distinctive features of UVJF is its steadfast commitment to showcasing jazz music exclusively, making it the only jazz festival in Indonesia of its kind.
“We need to help educate people and reintroduce jazz. Jazz is a form of music that takes a certain level of appreciation from the audience to enjoy,” said Yuri Mahatma, who is also a jazz musician, himself.
Furthermore, he adds, “As for a jazz musician, the essence of jazz is freedom through improvisation. Improvisation means interpretation. To be able to interpret, we need to teach ourselves the essence of jazz such as its history, philosophy etc. There’s no way one can claim himself a jazz musician just because he can play some fancy licks. And this essence can be equated to life in general.”
“Jazz is complex and sophisticated, but it’s still just music. Not maths, nor rocket science. It must keep the emotion related with its audience,” added Anom.
The UVJF 2024 artists’ line-up comprises exceptional artists, both domestic and international:
Adien Fazmail Quinteto (Indonesia)
Benny Irawan Trio (Indonesia)
Claude Diallo with Indra Gupta and Gustu Brahmanta (Switzerland-Indonesia)
Collective Harmony (Indonesia)
Eric Chong Trio with Kanhaiya (Hongkong-Indonesia)
FAWR (Indonesia)
Galaxy Bigband (Indonesia)
Jazz Centrum (Indonesia)
New Centropezn (Russia)
Noe Clerc Trio (France)
Rodrigo Parejo Quartet (Spain -Indonesia)
Simone Prattico Trio (Italy, Uwe Plath Quartet (Germany)
Zagorski-Skowronski Project feat. Kajetan Galas (Poland)
The UVJF event is characterized by a blend of exceptional jazz music, top-notch audio quality, and an impressive venue layout; all this making it a highly anticipated event. The originality of the venue design, crafted by the UVJF architect team led by Klick Swantara Putra and Diana Surya (CEO of Archimetriz) will undoubtedly leave attendees in awe.
In addition to experiencing the exceptional jazz performances, guests will also have the opportunity to indulge in a variety of culinary offerings and beverages provided by local vendors, adding to the overall experience for our esteemed guests.
Tickets can be acquired either through the festival’s official website (www.ubudvillagejazzfestival.com), or in person at the door. Complimentary admission for children under the age of 12 when accompanied by a parent or adult.
