Leave it to the visionairies at Aksara Records to come up with a cd that captures an important trend in its early stages while promoting some of the best, young musical talent in the country. If marketing independent bands to a larger audience weren't challenging enough, the label has now focused its energy on putting together a collection of musicians known to few outside of the jazz community. That should change, however, with "Jazz Masa Kini: The New Wave of Indonesian Jazz." The superb sampling reveals an extraordinary breadth of talent and, more importantly, a fresh sound that should encourage young listeners to explore a music that remains far too underappreciated. From Afro-Cuban rhythms and Brazilian beats to big band arrangements and classical jazz standards, this 2006 release brings together a new generation of musicians, many of whom studied abroad and are now blazing new trails back home.