Have you ever heard of any Indonesian Jazz Musician? We have many (good ones), and one of them is Nita Aartsen.
Nita Aartsen had started to learn how to play piano when she was just 5 year old. With her passion and talent in jazz music, she went to Moscow Conservatory to learn Contemporary Jazz for three years and returned in 1986. Upon returning, she served her country as the state pianist of Republic of Indonesia. For 15 years she played in front of, for, and to many notable people, including Bill Clinton, Prince Bernard of Holland, and many other luminaries from around the world. She had become a name who musicians would prefer to work with for quality music particularly those with jazzy touch.
In 1999, she temporarily moved to Holland for two years and worked with Dutch musicians. After enriching her style, she then returned to Indonesia and started introducing jazz and classical music toward the larger audience.
Music is just like home for her. Her whole life and activities is revolving around music. For instance, she described it like a dining room where she has her food, or the bedroom where she can lie down and relax from her restlessness. The most exciting one when she described it as a living room, where her fellow musicians could join and enjoy the music together. The peace and inspiration she got from the music is somewhat spiritual experience for her. The music itself would give her space to express herself and to be herself.
You can find and enjoy her music in Spotify. Also she will at Ubud Village Jazz Festival 2018 in collaboration with another Indonesian musician Dian Pratiwi. We’d love to see her in life. There’s nothing beat the experience of life performance. If you’d like to stay with us during the festival, the ticket can be bought at the extra charge section on special price lower than the published rate.
Good jazz music, well stay, NamaStay!