Held for two consecutive days at ARMA Museum Garden from August 11th to 12th, Ubud Jazz Village Festival once again reinforces its status as Bali’s foremost jazz festival, and one of the best in South-East Asia, thanks to a stellar line-up of musicians from around the globe. Carrying the “Beautiful Music for Beautiful Minds” theme, the event reflected the profound splendor and diversity jazz can provide.
The 5th edition of UVJF pulled around more than 3,500 jazz lovers with more than 22 bands performing on 3 outdoor stages over 2 intensive days. Four-time GRAMMY® nominated pianist/composer, Gerald Clayton, along with Joe Sanders and Gregory Hutchinson, led the bill. His music was a celebration of the inherent differences in musical perspectives that promote true artistic synergy. Other notable performers such as Benny Brown, the Hamburg trumpeter with his own unique style and Austrian unit B. Good Vogel; the new project of Marc Vogel and Lukas Schiemer, combined modern jazz with popular groove music, improvisation and slam poetry.
For the very first time UVJF hosted a big band, the Glen Buschmann Jazz Academy Big Band from Dortmund, Germany. With 22 musicians, including two remarkable singers Dian Pratiwi and Sithara Schimaniak; the orchestra, led by Uwe Plath, blew up the audience with their vivid performance.
Indonesian and Bali’s very own talented jazzers also get their chance to shine in this UVJF, including legends such as Balawan and Batuan Ethnic Fusion, Koko Harsoe featuring Rodrigo Parejo, Tesla Manaf, Yuri Mahatma Quartet, as well as pianists David Manuhutu, Bonny Trio and Astrid Sulaiman. Amongst them also several saxophonists; Richard Hutapea and Pramono Abdi Pamungkas, and last but not least the renowned drummer, Sandy Winarta Quartet. Food and beverages also posted excellent figures, thanks to all the vendors for delivering top-notch quality services day after day during this glorious music festival.