There are many reasons to attend the 2018 Mount Bromo Jazz festival. One of them may simply be that it might not exist in a few years, not by the same name anyway.
Conspiracy theory? Paranoia? I hope. The same logic, or lack thereof, which has in recent years caused several national publications to cease using the Indonesian word “Minggu” to mean Sunday may one day argue that Bromo is too strongly related to the Hindu deity Brahma and should therefore be changed to something more Arabic.
One can build as much infrastructure as one wants, but citizens may sooner see finance ministers go bald before sustainable economic prosperity and justice is achieved if an absence of focus on education continues to create the geniuses that rob others not only of language and heritage (i.e. case above and Borobudur) but even their own children of life.
Perhaps music history should be made compulsory in schools even if only to understand the extent of influence people such as Ziryab had on early western music, and hopefully a strong education in facts would make children immune to idiotic ideologies such as that music is the devil’s art
Okay so the above paragraph has about as many vague-ish references to current events as an episode of the TV show “Family Guy”. Festival or none, Bromo is home to the most beautiful sunrise in the country, allegedly. From a music perspective, these three are enough to motivate me for a Jakarta-Bromo road trip: Endah n Rhesa, Barry Likumahuwa, as well as Bonita and the Hus band. Youtube them. However, don’t be surprised if you find a side trip to Pura Luhur Poten temple to be the most vivid memory you take home with you.
Dates and lineup: 27 July – Kramat Ensemble Percussion, Tohpati Bertiga, Tropical Transit, Barry Likumahuwa, and Andre Hehanusa; 28 July – Ring of Fire, Surabaya All Stars, Tribute to Bubi Chen, Bintang Indrianto, Soul of Bromo, and Barasuara; 29 July – Endah n Rhesna, Bianglala Voice, Nonaria, Bonita & The Hus Band
Venue: Amfiteater Jiwa Jawa Resort Bromo, Desa Wonotoro, Kecamatan Sukapura, Kabupaten Probolinggo
Tickets/accommodation http://store.jazzgunung.com/ticket/jazz-gunung-bromo-2018
