The Grammy-winning U.S.
band Ozomatli, began their first-ever tour of
Indonesia
with an invitation-only concert in
Jakarta
at Gedung Kesenian.
The nine-day tour,
titled “Diversity Rocks,” ran from March 25 to
April 3.
Ozomatli performed in
both public and private venues and will also play
with Indonesian musicians, and worked with children
and aspiring young musicians.
In addition to the
performances in
Jakarta,
Ozomatli also performed in
Surabaya
at Surya
Park,
on March 29th,
and in
Palembang
at
BKB Plaza
on March 31st.
Based in Los Angeles,
California,
Ozomatli is renowned for both their high-energy live
performances and the diversity of their music, which
include influences from salsa, jazz, funk, hip-hop,
reggae, and Latin sounds.
The multi-ethnic makeup
of the band reflects the diverse nature of U.S.
society, and their tour is designed to show how
music builds bridges between diverse cultures like
the U.S.
and Indonesia.
Ozomatli has performed
live commercial tours around the world including the
United Kingdom,
Germany,
France,
the
Netherlands,
Australia,
Japan,
and Mexico.
The band has also
performed in U.S. State Department-sponsored tours
in
Egypt,
Jordan,
India,
Nepal,
and
Argentina.
Ozomatli has won numerous
awards, including a Grammy Award, a Latin Grammy
Award, a Billboard Latin Award, and the Latino
Spirit.
They have also recorded
music for numerous films and television soundtracks,
including
Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Any Given
Sunday, The Guardian, ER, Sex and the City, and The
Weeds.
Ozomatli has also toured
with other major U.S.
recording artists including Santana, The Dave
Matthews Band, Lenny Kravitz, and The Offspring.
For a more information about U.S. Embassy Jakarta,
please visit the Embassy’s website at
http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/.