Landed in Jakarta 3rd afternoon. Heard it was rainy in these parts, but perhaps they were taking it a bit too far – it was actually raining inside our Air Asia Boeing from KL to Jakarta (last leg). Greeted at airport by the very friendly Mike from Java Jazz, holding a big ‘TAAQ’ sign. Helped through paperwork; all the baggage shows up – it’s a great day already!

taaq with prasanna @ java jazz 09

The Sultan Hotel used to be the Hilton (that rhymes – if you’re Mark Knopfler) and it’s swankus maximus, so all’s well again! The JJF folks are amazing, really friendly, really efficient, and really hard working. Have lunch at the Peacock Café here, and we are immediately hit with the realization that we’re not getting back without carrying a few extra pounds. If there was ever a buffet to die for, This Is It.

Spend the rest of the day bumping into (name dropping coming up!) Dave Weckl, Mike Stern etc, while 40,000 odd folks queue up to get tickets for the festival. Yes, 40,000.

TAAQ jams with Prasanna

4th morn, meet Prasanna on his way in – we’re supposed to jam tonight at our first pre-festival warm-up gig here, at the Airman Planet Lounge. Do a small ‘Glaswegian’ practice (if you followed our UK tour, you know what that means) in Prasanna’s room – fix up to play new track Grab Me and the staple Brigade St. Nice vibe! Nice PRS axe too.

Brigade Street goes to Indonesia

Gig starts 10:30 pm, no soundcheck; launch into Sunset Man, Look at Me, etc. Good vibes from the crowd so far… Prasanna comes in on the last two tracks and puts his distinctive stamp on them, all right. Finish up with a fully jammed out Brigade St and our first gig at Java Jazz is done… two more to go, sowatchthisspaceetc!

The post Rites from the Road – TAAQ @ Java Jazz 09 appeared first on Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ).

“And finally, the news that makes all other news pale in contrast. The curtains – which have been playing peek-a-boo with you for well over a year – are up on This Is It.

Dear TAAQ fanatic, we are pleased to inform you of the official launch of the one-of-a-kind superalbum (that Rolling Stone India placed at #5 even though it hasn’t yet been actually released). This Is It, the elusive-on-CD fourth album that you have been previewing and pre-hearing and being pre-promised like never before until you very nearly, or quite completely in some cases, pre-gave up on us, will be released at Jakarta Java Jazz 09.

Be there if you can – there’s nothing we’d love like a home crowd. Or, if you can’t, you can come to the airport with garlands when we return. Vayu Vajra tickets are on us! ”

So, people, we hope you’ll be rooting for us. Of course, you’ll get to buy the CDs too. Get them at CDBaby.com (if you are outside India) and on MusicYogi.com (in India).

And there’s more big news coming…  so stay tuned!

The post This Is *Finally* It at Jakarta Java Jazz 09 appeared first on Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ).

Yes, we’ve been invited to play at the Java Jazz Festival ’09, Jakarta’s prestigious international Jazz festival. Also on the bill, as you’ll see when you click on that link, are folks like Dave Weckl, Simon Phillips, Jason Mraz, Harvey Mason, Mike Stern, Prasanna, Brian McKnight, Dianne Reeves, and oh, did we mention, Thermal And A Quarter!

We will play pre-festival gigs on March 4 and 5 at the Sultan Hotel, Jakarta. Here, we will be joined by special guest Prasanna. Our festival appearance is on March 6, where renowned jazz guitar virtuoso Vinny Valentino will appear as a special guest on TAAQ material.

Enough name dropping… but we’re quite delirious about it all you see! Us apart, there is, of course, significant representation in terms of fusion and crossover styles – there’s Moon Arra (with Jagadeesh, Prakash Sontakke, Karthik Mani and others from good ole Bangalore). Prakash Sontakke, heard so wonderfully on Plan B’s ‘Dead Inside’ on Hindustani vocal and slide guitar, will join us on stage for a few tracks.

The post TAAQ off to Jakarta for Java Jazz ’09 appeared first on Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ).