Recapping Ubud Village Jazz Festival 2024

The Ubud Village Jazz Festival 2024 ignited the Bali music scene with an electrifying start on August 2, 2024. Hosted at Sthala, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Lod Tunduh, this year’s festival delivered an unforgettable experience over two days, featuring stellar performances from jazz talents around the world.

This year’s festival embraced a fresh new look, thanks to Klick Swantara and young architect Diana Surya of Achimetriz. They revamped the festival's layout, ensuring visitors encountered a novel journey through the festival grounds. Klick Swantara expressed his enthusiasm, particularly for the Subak stage, describing it as a space where his soul truly resonated.

The festival kicked off with lively speeches from key figures including Lasta Arimbawa, General Manager of Sthala Ubud, and Anom Darsana & Yuri Mahatma, Co-Founders of UVJF. The ceremonial opening was led by I Wayan Gede Sedana Putra, Gianyar's Head of Tourism, and featured a vibrant dance performance by the Tanzer Dance Company.

With three distinct stages—Padi, Giri, and Subak—the festival offered diverse performances from nine international and local jazz ensembles. Highlights included Collective Harmony (Indonesia), Fawr (Indonesia), Eric Chong Trio with Sinuksma & Kanhaiya (Hong Kong-Indonesia), Simon Praticco Trio (Italy), Claude Diallo Trio with Indra Gupta & Gustu Brahmanta (Switzerland-Indonesia), New Centropezn Quartet (Russia), Zagorski-Skowronski Project feat. Kajetan Galas (Poland), Uwe Plath Quartet (Germany), and Galaxy Bigband (Indonesia).

International institutions added prestige to the event, with support from the Institute Francaise Indonesie, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Switzerland Arts Council-Pro Helvetia, and the City of Rostov. Marjan, a devoted attendee from the Netherlands, reflected on her ninth festival experience, noting, “Each year offers something new, and I can’t wait to come back.” Her sentiment echoed the festival’s ability to transcend cultural boundaries through the universal language of jazz.

The festival wrapped up with a lively performance by Galaxy Bigband, whose jazz rendition of "Kopi Dangdut" got the crowd dancing. As Yuri Mahatma promised, “See you at the Ubud Village Jazz Festival next year,” setting the stage for even more exciting times ahead. The Ubud Village Jazz Festival 2024 has solidified its place as a premier jazz event, captivating young professionals and jazz enthusiasts alike with its innovative spirit and world-class performances.