Two decades and going strong! The Java Jazz Festival returns this year at a new location.
While jazz originated in the African-American communities of the American south, it made its way to Indonesia in the 1930s through Dutch sailors who were introduced to the genre a decade prior. This led to the evolution of jazz music in the country, taking on traditional Indonesian sounds and morphing to adapt into a scene all on its own. By the 1950s, musicians like Bubi Chen, Jack Lesmana, Benny Mustapha and more were pioneering Indonesian jazz music, helping it grow to its popularity today.
The Java Jazz Festival celebrates this resilient and ever-changing genre, and is considered the largest festival of its kind. Now on its 21st year, the event continues to celebrate local and international artists sharing the stage and giving their all for the love of jazz.
This 2026 promises to be the grandest stage yet, with a lineup featuring 52 artists with a possibility of more to come according to the festival’s website. These include Ella Mai, Adikara and Ardhito Pramono, and Camerata Florianópolis to name a few, so get ready to jam out to jazz sessions galore from May 29 to 31 at the Java Jazz Festival in NICE (Nusantara International Convention Exhibition) PIK 2 in Banten, Indonesia.