India arrives in a big way with the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta

Most people feel that jazz music is complicated and difficult to appreciate. But over years jazz has visibly evolved, becoming more of a free expression and an amalgamation of various cultures as it continues to change.

So amidst the huge line-up of artists at Jakarta's three-day-long Java Jazz Festival to be held from March 6 to 8, will be Indian artists like contemporary jazz artist Dhruv Ghanekar, Jazz funk rock fusion band Thermal and a Quarter jamming with USA's versatile guitarist Venny Valentino, experimental world jazz band Purple Circle, Ragamorphism jazz artist Prasanna and Hindustani jazz fusion band Moon Ara jamming with Indonesian drummer Gilang Ramadhan and rap-pop-jazz-funk band Something Relevant.

The big international names include Jason Mraz, Swing Out Sister, Brian McKnight, Dianne Reeves, Mike Stern featuring Dave Weckl, Soil, PIMP Sessions and many more. But it's a big day for the Something Relevant boys from Mumbai who have been regulars on the gig calendars of city clubs for quite some time now.

It will be the jam band's first international gig. Their involvement with social causes like violence against women and world peace through their music for the past six years earned them goodwill of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations which in turn decided to organise a South-east Asian tour with the band. So post their performance at the Jakarta festival, the band will head to other destinations like Thailand, Bali, Singapore, Japan and Vietnam through the year.

"It is a big move for us. And we are thankful to the Indian Council for acknowledging our work and giving us our first international tour," says the band's bassist Stuart. Often compared to Dave Matthews Band's sound, the band does have a unique quality to it and there are very good chances the band will manage to garner some fans in other Asian countries as well.