The Polemic of Jazz Festivals in Indonesia, Between Commercialism and Identity Struggles

Kapanlagi.com - Jazz music, once considered elitist, has become increasingly inclusive over the past few decades, transforming into an event that reaches various circles. Jazz festivals in Indonesia no longer target only the "formal" community but open the stage for enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds.

For instance, the Java Jazz Festival and Ngayogjazz position themselves as cultural events as well as tourist destinations, bridging local and global aspects within the framework of modern jazz music.

This phenomenon of inclusivity not only changes the way society consumes jazz but also encourages the revival of local communities. Events like Ngayogjazz, which are held for free in the village.

1. Mushrooming Jazz Festival

Ngayogjazz serves as a promotional medium for cultural wealth, creating a tangible local tourism economy. This festival helps village residents develop small businesses, adding value to areas that may have previously gone unnoticed by tourists.

Several major jazz festivals have emerged and spread to various regions such as Java Jazz, Jazz Gunung, Ngayogjazz, Jazz Goes to Campus, Prambanan Jazz, and others. Events like Java Jazz, which was first held in March 2005, have become one of the largest festivals in the southern equatorial region, featuring hundreds of local and international musicians.

In addition to Java Jazz, jazz festivals in areas like Jazz Gunung and Ngayogjazz enrich the national music ecosystem. Ngayogjazz, for instance, is held in villages and eliminates ticket fees, thus creating a community momentum to embrace and actively participate in jazz events.

2. Harvesting Criticism

Java Jazz 2025 © KapanLagi.com/Adrian Utama Putra

The abundance of Jazz Festivals has drawn criticism from several musicians, including Indra Lesmana. In 2022, he criticized the dominance of Pop musicians, instead of Jazz musicians.

"Creating a Jazz Festival must come with the responsibility to nurture and build the community of Jazz musicians and their fans," he wrote at the time.

In 2025, he again expressed similar criticism through a post on Instagram Story. “Fewer and fewer Jazz musicians are performing… Without Jazz, the Jazz festival loses its soul,” he wrote.  

According to Indra, the trend of including pop musicians or other non-jazz genres as headliners makes the festival potentially misleading for the audience, erodes the visibility of true Jazz artists, and weakens the cultural identity of Indonesian Jazz.

3. Attracting a Wider Audience

Java Jazz 2025 © KapanLagi.com/Adrian Utama Putra

On the other hand, promoters like Anas Syahrul Alimi, the founder of Prambanan Jazz, defend the strategy of genre fusion. Anas cites major world festivals (North Sea, Montreux) that do similar things to celebrate the complexity of music and attract a broader audience.

According to Anas, featuring pop musicians is not a betrayal of jazz, but a technical necessity such as operations and crew compensation. He acknowledges commercial considerations as part of maintaining the festival's sustainability while still providing space for original Jazz genres.

Reactions to Indra's criticism also come from other artists like Endah Widiastuti (Endah N Rhesa). Endah offers free performance space at her venue, Earhouse. There, jazz musicians who find it difficult to perform at major festivals are given a platform. She hopes this initiative can serve as a bridge for jazz artists to obtain a stage without commercial pressure.

4. Economic Impact

Java Jazz 2025 © KapanLagi.com/Adrian Utama Putra

Jazz festivals also have a significant economic impact. For example, Java Jazz 2006 was able to generate profits of up to Rp 15 billion, just from ticket sales.

In addition to direct profits, jazz festivals stimulate economic circulation in supporting sectors such as tourism, transportation, and local consumption. Events in the regions, such as Ngayogjazz or Jazz Gunung, also empower the rural economy by providing business opportunities for local residents.

Jazz music continues to evolve, influenced by elements of pop, R&B, fusion, and electronic music. Many young artists are filling the gaps with creative ideas, proving that jazz is not dead, but rather evolving.

(kpl/tdr)