JAZZ Actually able to sound wherever, whenever……

It means, jazz also have a proper space for appreciation, as several people appreciate some other music, which called commercial music, like pop, rock, dangdut. Later, although jazz is considered as music with limited listener which only presented to a group of certain ages, still have a chance to get some respect. It can be played at some time, some place or another, and by someone.

History says, one of the beginning jazz records was born in Sumatera around end of 1950’s. So if there is someone playing jazz in the land of Sumatera, it means that musician had “telling” back a history.

In the mid of year 2000, several jazz lovers and public had been surprised by appearance a new and unique band. The band’s name, which also sounds unique, is GELIGA. We called it unique because the band has combined between western-jazz and eastern-music, such as Melayu music.

If there are several jazz lovers have ever recognized Krakatau, Wayan Balawan & Batuan Ethnic Fusion, where jazz mixed with element of Sunda or Bali traditional music, then Geliga came in a new nuance. They have successfully composed a nice music with jazz and another Indonesia traditional music, Melayu music certainly. No wonder, their appearance causes growth varieties of jazz music in Indonesia.

This band, Geliga, has confidence that Indonesia’s traditional music is inheritance which have high intrinsic values. They also has belief that it will be more interesting if those varieties traditional music mixed with some kind of modern music, a great cross-culture work.

Based on our experience, we, whose joined together as Yayasan Riau Jazz Turbulence, feel that jazz has been existing in our land. Geliga, which came from Pekanbaru, is the one real proof. Therefore, since 2007, we bravely organized a special show like jazz festival. As we are expected before, this festival has a good response from public, especially the youth in Pekanbaru.

We have been through in the process happily, and we enjoy that those processes are the challenge which we have to take on. This festival is also the medium to express aspiration of jazz musician in Pekanbaru, and all at once provide a space to the growth of young talented jazz musician not only from Pekanbaru but also from Indonesia.

If in last year we have organized a show called Golden of Riau, which a part of the celebration of Gold Anniversary Province Riau, then in 2008 we will name it Green Festival which interrelated to living space issue. This festival issue is concern to the clean and healthy living space, in the name of hope of next generation.

This year, we have a desire to invite some new participants, some famous singers and musicians whose interested to get involved to play jazz. Those singers and musicians are whose originally from the entire of Indonesia province with their own characteristics. And positively, we would also invite some foreigner jazz musicians from five continents.

We have a plan to make something merry and brighten with this festival, which use a title taken from famous strait, Malacca Strait, a territory which unite several countries in South East Asia.

We expect that Malacca Strait Jazz Festival could be a periodically every year which afford to attract a attention and appreciation by any jazz lovers, not only from Pekanbaru. As the greatest artistic jazz festival outside of Java and Bali island, this festival explicit that jazz is able to sound anywhere, anytime, and by anyone….*****