BUBI CHEN

Bubi Chen is one of Indonesia’ best-known jazz musicians and has an outstanding international reputation. Bubi Chen’s career as a jazz pianist has spanned over four decades through which he has recorded an album in Los Angeles with world’s class musicians John Heard and Albert “Tootie” Heath and several solo albums recorded in Indonesia and Singapore. At Berlin Jazz Festival in 1967 he played with Tony Scott and Phylly Joe Jones. In addition he also played and recorded numerous album with Singapore’ greatest jazz pianist Jeremy Montero.

The virtuoso performer was born in 1938 in Surabaya the second largest city in Indonesia where he spends most of his time. He grew up in a musician household, where his older brothers Teddy and Jopie were both known as respected jazz musicians during 60s and 70s. In fact, Bubi and Jopie were part of the highly acclaimed Indonesian All Stars who made history in performing at Berlin Jazz Festival in 1967. It was the first Indonesian jazz band performed at an International jazz festival. Indonesian All Stars comprise of Kiboud Maulana (guitar), Jack Lesmana (guitar), Benny Mustafa (drums), Maryono (sax), Jopie Chen (bass) and Bubi Chen (piano). Their own composition, “Janger Bali” that blended ethnic music of Bali and straight ahead jazz, has received outstanding review from many jazz observers.

In 1968, Bubi was voted in the DownBeat magazine reader polls as one of 5 best jazz pianists in the World and the best in Asia. He is the first Asian jazz musician ever voted in reader polls of the prestigious jazz magazine. Together with the late Maryono (sax), Perry Pattiselano (bass), Benny Mustafa (drums) he revived Indonesian All Stars and performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1992. His solo album “Virtuoso” was released in 1995 with the support of Belinda Moody (bass) and Louis Soliano (drum).