A special concert featuring an Indonesian teenage jazz sensation was held in Tokyo this week as part of a series of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Indonesia diplomatic relations.
The concert held Tuesday showcased the remarkable talent of Joey Alexander, a 15-year-old jazz pianist who received Grammy nominations in 2016 and 2017.
Born in Bali, Alexander, who has moved to New York with his family, is the first Indonesian to have been nominated for the awards as well as the youngest Grammy nominee in the jazz category.
For the commemorative event, his piano trio performed a variety of pieces, including his original composition "City Lights" and the jazz standard "My Favorite Things." The trio also performed "Ue o Muite Aruko" (Walk with your chin up), a Japanese song from the early 1960s by late singer Kyu Sakamoto which became a hit in the United States as "Sukiyaki."
At the event, Indonesian Ambassador to Japan Arifin Tasrif described music as a universal language and expressed his hope that this concert would help make the Japan-Indonesia relationship closer and stronger toward the next 60 years to come.
"I am happy to share my music with people of both countries," Alexander told The Japan News following the performance.
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