It wasn’t easy at all to build a jazz website with quality. It was all started by the passion and love towards jazz, we tried to work our way from nothing to something, giving out our contribution to support the local jazz world with the activities inside, spreading wider to contribute in some places across Asia to reach the world. At the same time we share the info from abroad to our local readers.
From left to right: Ata Michaella, Praditya Nova, Ardhi Saputro, Lanny Novianda Irawan, Daniel Irawan, Vierna Mariska Kurniawan, Riandy Kurniawan, Mark Swapo, Novan Yahya Renatal and Eghi Gabred
Allow us to share the history from the beginning. It was the early August of 2007, the time when I, Riandy Kurniawan, first had the idea to start making a jazz site. I’ve been into jazz since I was still a kid, and there came the time when I felt called to do something to the music that has never failed to comfort me. I had no background in journalism, nor that I was familiar with writing. I never learned English formally. Everything was against the idea, to make a jazz website in English. But I kept on going with my idea. Just like many other cause, this idea came from a vision. I had a dream that one day jazz will once again rule in Indonesian music industry, and why not, I thought, to contribute a little to make that dream come true? From there, I decided to start thinking about the concept and all, including the name. I came up with Jazzuality as a combination between jazz and sensuality, because for me personally jazz is sensual. Later some people thought the name as jazz and quality, it’s all fine with us.
All was started from zero. At first we only used pocket camera or even borrowed professional cameras to make a report with just a few friends helping in. Often we entered the venue as complete strangers. We didn’t know anyone, but we kept ourselves focus on the goals. Some people once doubted this idea, since we had no connection to any musicians, labels, organizers or any other things related to jazz. Yet we kept going, having nothing to loose mentality, hanging on the spirit with everything we had. Slowly but surely we got many friends joining in. 
Many of them didn’t even like jazz at first. One of our photographer Bayu P Warjiyo for example, stated that his background was far from jazz. His relatives would choose either classic rock, trash metal, grindcore or the likes. He’s still a drummer of a band covering Japanese rock bands. But thanks to Novan Yahya Renatal who had joined in earlier, he finally fell in love with jazz right after the first time he joined us. “On my first task, I was like, here goes nothing.. but then all of a sudden when Barry Likumahuwa Project started to play, I felt like seeing over a gorgeous girl. Rather than picking my shot, I pressed my shutter continuously, being afraid to lose any moment. I was filled with joy. The beat, the rhythm, the melody, they all brought pure enlightment to me, compared to my usual “scream-filled” emo-agony songs. That night I fell in love again.” he said. Another photographer based in Bandung, Omar Arif Maulana shared his comment: “At first I was not into jazz, but hanging around with other fellow crews has made me learn to respect this music, and of course to love it.” With the rising numbers of crews, slowly we could grow to explore more scenes. Today we have more than 30 personnels spread all over Indonesia, even one in Philippines, where jazz grows significantly in many forms as well. We’re lucky to have MJ Juco of TangerineSkies in Manila.
Interview session with Lee Ritenour
We have received the same questions many times. What exactly do we want? To be honest, we simply want to share jazz to everyone. Then the next question has to be: Why using English? As we explained above, we want the world to be able to see how jazz is going on in Indonesia, and on the other hand, we want to let the international artists to be able to understand what we wrote about them. Therefore we use English as the language, so the message will spread not only locally, but globally. Since we have many great jazz musicians in Indonesia, also in Philippines and many other location in Asia, we think it’s important to let the world know about it. We wish to be the media that can bridge different edges of the world in jazz, using the international language that most people know.
Maintaining the quality and rising it higher has been put into our consideration from the beginning. Writing what we see and feel, cross-checking it with many other supporting information backgrounds by literatures or direct interviews, and sharing the joy of performance through quality pictures. We believe pictures can act like the silent music, that can sing to us many things in its own way. The article without pictures will taste lesser, therefore we always include both crews in every reportage. By doing that, we hope to give more informations in every articles we wrote. 
We try to dig more about the event. One of the way is by placing ourselves in the audience’s seats, capturing the view from that angle. We believe it’s important so our readers who missed the event would still be able to feel how it really was. We also always try our treat everyone-from the musicians, the organizers, project/event/music directors to the readers- with respect. Placing ourselves as a friend more than just a journalist. These are all what we have inside our minds in sharing any jazz news up to this day.
Cooking up the articles at Java Jazz Festival’s Press Room (From left to right: Ardhi Saputro, Novan Yahya Renatal, Mark Swapo)
Having the crews with various different backgrounds and real jobs are challenging as well. 
Our reporters and photographers come from different backgrounds and real occupations such as students, lecturers, medical doctor, nurse, PR specialists, professional photographers, singers, office workers, civil servants, radio announcer, multimedia designers to even housewives. But we all change our uniforms to jazz once we are on duty as jazzuality crews. No matter who we are and what we do, we always maintain the style and concept as much as we can, so no matter who’s in charge, hopefully the quality will still be the same. Please spare some time to check our crew’s profiles at the contributor page: http://jazzuality.com/about/contributors/.
Many unforgettable experiences have been coloring up our path for these past 3 years. There were good times and bad times, just like any other aspect in life. We know how it feels to be rejected, but we also know how great it feels to meet one’s satisfaction. 
Perhaps one of the most interesting experience for most of the crews is our experience on the prestigious Java Jazz Festival soil. For two years in a row we participated as a media partner, and in both years we didn’t sleep for 3 to 4 days. All because we wanted to give the fastest updates from the biggest jazz festival in the world to you all, our wonderful readers. With 18 to 21 stages ran at the same time, you could imagine how hectic it was, as we tried to cover as many stages as we could. We were stationed at the press room, while the photographers went everywhere to catch the moment from stage to stage. The reporters tried to write as fast as possible, setting up the pictures and articles onto the website and publish it, while at the same time keeping ourselves aware of any artists we might be able to interview.There have been many funny stories added in our experience as well, that might be too long to share in this article. But we do enjoy every piece and smile happily everytime we share each others’ experiences. We feel blessed to walk from one stage to another, digging everything behind each event, cooking them up and serving it chilled on the plate. We also have some proof-readers to guard the language used in our articles.
Poetoe in action
We have now extend our service in selling the CD and merchandise with our new online store. By doing so, we hope to contribute more, helping the musicians to distribute their recordings and at the same time providing the jazz albums that might be difficult to find on the market. Soon we are going into broadcasting by having an online jazz radio. Still many homeworks to do, there are many things we want to share to the world. Not only to share everything about jazz to our readers, but we also wish to give a little contribution to our local music scene. We want to give a different color into it, not by playing music but through the good enough quality both in writings and photographies. We want to keep on sharing our love and passion in jazz journalism, letting us know that jazz has so many styles and sub genres that would answer everyone’s needs, as well as trying to counter the perception that jazz is expensive and old fashioned. We want to prove that jazz belongs to everyone with everything we could.
Interview Session with Riza Arshad
All was started with love and passion, and we want to keep it that way forever. We would like to express our thanks and grattitude to all of you for keep on supporting us. Only by having your sincere and continuous supports we can celebrate our 3rd anniversary. Thank you for all the musicians who have given your trust in us, and to all of our excellent readers for always being with us all these times. We look for many more years to continue our journey and sharing it all with you. It won’t be easy, but we will continue to give our best. May we can always walk together to share this music we all love. Let’s keep jazzin’!
Written by: Riandy Kurniawan and Ata Michaella
“As a jazz aficionado and proud Indonesian, I am thrilled and proud to know that Indonesia has a representative jazz website. Not only do you guys present information on the thriving international jazz scene, more importantly, Jazzuality writes about what’s happening in Indonesia in English, making the presented info on the scene and its musicians accessible to the international world. You have done a fine job, I sincerely hope that you continue to thrive. The partnership between Jazzuality.com and Java Jazz Festival will certainly boost Indonesian jazz in the world scene. Happy anniversary, may Jazzuality.com someday be one of the world’s jazz references.”
Regards,
Peter F Gontha
“On behalf of Inline Music, we would like to sincerely congratulate you on your 3rd anniversary.We must say that we are very much proud of your spirit, effort and dedication toward this jazz as an art form in Indonesia. As a musician/artist, we believe those have become priceless support for the existence of jazz musicians in having their capacity to create something and to say something from their true mind and heart.
Jazzuality should always be the channel to deliver the message of our music.
Through out open minds, understanding and excellent writing .. Jazzuality has perform the rules to make this art community survive and proud.
We believe there will be so many challenges ahead for all of us to deal with. As music has been major in our life, we would require you to keep up the spirit and behold the history of this journey. To remember the passion when you begin and to understand the meaning of being part for each moment. Nothing can really survive without true passion and solid positive intentions.
We wish you all the best in your future career and life endeavors, whatever they may be.
Happy 3rd anniversary !
and thank you for being with us ..”
sincerely,
Indra Lesmana & Honhon Lesmana
“I’ve known Jazzuality since the beginning of Serambi Jazz program at Goethe Jakarta two years ago, it was cool to have a new friend with the same vision in our jazz world. I’m very happy to know Riandy Kurniawan (I personally call him “bung Endy”) and all the crews. I feel connected with the vision and work ethics, and it’s beneficial especially at times when this country needs a change to be better in every field.
Riandy and friends think the same like me and my fellow musicians. We are living in the working field that not everyone may ‘like’. When some fellows choose to take the “safe road”, we try to open the “new road”, offering an alternative for all the music listeners to listen and slowly dig the music, locally and internationally.
There are too many words for me to say to describe what I feel about jazzuality, but put it simple, I feel happy to have them as a friend, a friend that understand that what we really believe, our hard works, efforts with enough knowledge will make something good in the future, Insya Allah.
On behalf of everyone at simakDIALOG I wish Jazzuality a happy 3rd Anniversary. Never stop working!”
Riza Arshad and simakDIALOG
“I still remember the first time I heard about an E-Mag Jazz by the name of Jazzuality.com in 2007. I’m so proud to talk about the spirit and passion of the people behind this Bandung-based media on jazz, also their seriousness and sincerity in looking on jazz news in the most independent way, with the right and fine journalism work ethic. I’ve witnessed the way they work with my own eyes on spreading the jazz news of Indonesia, taking on the new project of jazz musicians and also the jazz events all over Indonesia. That includes two events which I involve, Java Jazz festival and Urban Jazz Crossover. We always get their support. All the mutual relationship between us for the past three years has made me feel really close with the whole Jazzuality team. I also see how Jazzuality can fill up the needs of Jazz Magazine in Indonesia, as one of the link in completing jazz infrastructure in Indonesia. I’m sure by holding the same spirit and passion, and with the good collaboration between every components in jazz, the jazz industry in Indonesia will grow towards the better direction positively. Personally I want to wish Jazzuality and its whole team happy 3rd anniversary. Keep it the spirit up, keep sharing the Indonesia’s jazz information and keep being active to push our jazz industry forward. We are the loud minority! Wassallam.”
EQ Puradiredja
“I want to wish Riandy and Jazzuality.com a very happy 3rd anniversary! I know from personal experience, the jazz fans in Indonesia are very passionate about their music—and it’s wonderful to have this spot on the web where so much information about the music and artists can be shared. Bravo, guys. I have so much to be thankful for–20 years of amazing support from Indonesia…I am very grateful and humbled by this. Terima kasih for all the love! My new album, “Hello Tomorrow” is coming this Fall, and I look forward to seeing you soon to share the new music. And here’s to many more years of success, jazzuality.com!”
Dave Koz, Los Angeles CA
“Jazzuality.com is more than just a partner is spreading the news of Indonesian jazz. Jazzuality is a nonnegotiable element of Indonesia’s Jazz Movement. The site’s coverage and reviews is a worthy information source and an inspiration to Indonesian jazz. Since it is written in English, Jazzuality.com is the gateway and bridge of Indonesia’s jazz to the world’s jazz public.
Happy Birthday!
May you succeed in your effort to be more ‘vocal’.
Indonesia’s Jazz Movement supporter”
Widyasena Sumadio
“Jazzuality is amongst my favorite sites for jazz and music news. This on-line community offers some of the best, in-depth, thorough, and comprehensive album reviews, as well as interviews from artists from all over the world. The nicely designed website and the easy navigation menus, makes the entire experience even better!!! Two thumbs up to Riandy Kurniawan and the entire team at Jazzuality.com for creating, editing, and maintaining this great portal!”
Hristo Vitchev (San Francisco – USA)
“First of all I would like to congratulate Jazzuality on its 3rd Anniversary. I think it’s great that in these modern times it is possible to read and learn about jazz so easily. This certainly makes jazz more accessible to a larger and often younger audience which is good for us artists! When I was interviewed for Jazzuality last year in Jakarta I felt very comfortable with the team and I do hope to meet you guys soon again. I wish you every success for the future, you will always have my support!”
Laura Fygi (Netherlands)
“So far Jazzuality is one of the best media that bridge the musicians and the jazz fans. I hope jazzuality’s existance can inspire the others to do the same.”
Indrawan Tjhin
“Jazzuality.com has responded well to the cyber development and has given tremendous supports for the Indonesian music development, especially jazz in particular. Salute to you, happy anniversary from myself and the ESQI:EF’s team. We love you.”
Syaharani
“I am a found supporter of Jazzuality.com. I feel the review that Riandy Kurniawan wrote on my band’s CD Joe DeRose and Amici “Sounds for the Soul” was superb!!! He really captured the spirit of the music and was able to depict what the vibe is all about! I am forever in debt for his beautiful review and am so glad to see our music expressed into words by Riandy! Thanks to Riandy and everyone at Jazzuality!!! Much Peace and Love.”
Joe deRose (San Fransisco-USA)
“Jazzuality.com is a website that has successfully given the information and education about what jazz is. Fast moving and accurate, with friendly and humble crews. Everything in this world needs process, and there will still be many process that you have to face in the future, but I’m sure you will pass those periods well and reach the success, because even now you have awed many people, not only the jazz lovers, but also the jazz musicians even the music fans who still don’t understand about jazz at all. Keep jazzin’, Jazzuality!”
Idang Rasjidi
“Happy 3rd birthday Jazzuality! hope for many more! much success for Riandy and team! Any news about jazz is good for the musicians and people involved in the art form in one way or another. It can create more educated and informed listeners, and possibly create more job opportunities for the musicians. Currently, there are not many websites that follow the current development of jazz music in Indonesia. Jazzuality fills that void. Jazzuality is really in touch with the latest projects that many of the jazz musicians have in Indonesia and interviews them. Jazzuality follows and cover the latest jazz events in Indonesia, so we can be more informed. Living in New York at the moment, I can still follow what my musician colleagues are doing in Indonesia, what jazz events are happening there and who’s playing, all because of Jazzuality. Keep it up!”
Nial Djuliarso
“It’s always been a pleasure and honor to play in Indonesia. The fans love soulful sounds and are very very nice. I’m impressed by the rich musical culture there. I’m looking forward to my next trip.. Thanks to all my Indonesian fans for listening. Terima Kasih!”
Jeff Lorber (Los Angeles-USA)
“I’m very happy Indonesia has a journalist by the name of Riandy with his Jazzuality that consistently and exclusively write eveything about jazz. Before we had Tim Kantoso as the source of jazz in Indonesia that really helped us to know jazz musicians at that time. Many of the young generation don’t know so much about the jazz founding-fathers in Indonesia anymore, and somebody has to start thinking about it. So I put a big hope to the younger generation like Riandy and friends to dig more about the legends while at the same time keep pushing the new ones forward.”
Gatot Soenjoto
“I’m really thankful with the existance of Jazzuality that can feature the jazz scene in Indonesia and abroad. Why? Because as a genre that might be weird or complicated for some, we do need a media that can act as the “eye witness” to describe the complexity into something easy to understand.
What I think about Jazzuality:
Jazzuality can deliver the complete scene from jazz event along with the musicians and all the activities behind it in full honesty. Such case I dont find often in other media, because in my opinion, in delivering a music concept, in this case jazz, if the media doesn’t know about their object in general, the output would be different. You won’t get any taste from it at all. And Jazzuality gets high scores from me for its packaging about jazz.
Then, about how Jazzuality appears, absorbing and digging through the music concept deeper than others naturally, complete with the basic informations like the composers, the years and the albums (some typo-mistakes still found though, sorry). But overall, the informations in Jazzuality can always be the witness of what we feel, see and hear, especially to those who missed the event. You bring the atmosphere in words to your readers. Another high scores from me on that.
It would be lovely if Jazzuality can present the history of senior jazz musicians and legends, with all their struggle to bring jazz into such stage like we have today. If we look at their history, we would see they had fought so hard, even had to sacrifice sometimes, but that wasn’t enough to stop their consistency.
I have big hopes for Jazzuality. Keep on being the Jazzuality we all know, that can always deliver articles about jazz in quality. Happy Birthday Jazzuality, may God always gives you wisdom in pouring out everything about jazz.”
Jilly Likumahuwa
“My experience with Jazzuality started with the Java Jazz Festival in 2009. It’s been wonderful to explore and get informed about artists from not only Indonesia but the World! The enthusiasm and effort to support this genre of music by jazzuality.com is something I appreciate and truly regard . Wishing you Success and Music in many more years to come and we in India will keep looking foward to updates from you. All the best!!”
Mili Nair (Bangalore, India)
“Jazzuality is cool.. for me, Jazzuality is a media that can satisfy the musicians and the jazz fans. You always bring article about jazz and the musicians interestingly, fresh and up to date. The reportage from jazz concerts are always interesting to read because you can always find the way to tell the story with throughout report in good quality. Keep up the good work!! all the best for the 3rd year!”
Sandy Winarta
“Well, just a few days ago we gathered in InLine and watched a movie called “A Great Day in Harlem.” In the movie there was Nat Henthoff. I joked with Widyasena, “you are the Indonesian Nat Henthoff..” but he said, “no, it’s jazzuality team.”
His statement made me think, I agree with him. For me personally, Jazzuality is not just a website, blog or photo gallery of jazz in the cyber space. Your existance for the past 3 years means a lot more than that:
– You are a friend (because you always place yourself as a friend in the interview session)
– You are the audience (because when you’re reviewing us, you can really make your readers able to feel the moment by describing the view from the audiences’ seats)
– You are our supporters. (now you have moved further in distributing the jazz CDs and merchandise)
Just by looking at those three examples, I can say that “Jazzuality is more than just an Indonesian jazz website.” Happy Birthday guys , be blessed, Thanks for all your support !!”
Nikita Dompas
“Congratulations to Jazzuality for your 3rd anniversary. Eventhough you’re still 3 years old, but you have given a lot of contributions to our music world, especially in jazz. Wish you many more years to come and always be the innovator in Indonesian jazz!”
Indro Hardjodikoro
“Indonesia is very lucky to have Jazzuality as the media partner, because there’s no other media could be as enthusiastic and totally focus to jazz like you do. It’s a big advantage to our jazz world. I wish to see more critics on the report. Happy anniversary, Jazzuality.com”
Teddy AB
“I feel that Jazzuality.com can give a new color to the online jazz news in Indonesia. You wrote everything carefully with crosscheck, so Jazzuality is more valid and reliable than others. Jazzuality has also opened an online store so it should be easier now to find the jazz recordings which might be difficult to find on the market. That surely helps the musicians to sell their recordings. Jazzuality can also help to educate people on everything about jazz. The point is, I wish you all success!”
Barry Likumahuwa
“Happy 3rd Annniversary to Jazzuality.com. Wish you the best, keep moving on! With your presence, I hope to see better progress of jazz in our nation, may there be many new jazz musicians go international, and push jazz in Indonesia further in front. Jazzuality is always the source to share the information about jazz among the musicians. Keep updating the life inside the jazz world, more power to Jazzuality.com!”
Boyke Priyo Utomo
“I’m so thankful to Jazzuality.com which keeps on retweeting my performance on twitter before the D-day, and also to give a lot of informations. I hope you will always contribute in the online jazz news.”
Mery Kasiman
Watch the greetings Video from Philippines’ finest jazz artists including Richard Poon, Aiza Seguerra, Aisaku Yokogawa, Charlie Green and Sitti Navarro:
Thanks for all the comments, guys.. We love you.
