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A fresh sea breeze, a refreshing cocktail, toes dug into the sand, all accompanied by jazzy tunes — for many, this is the picture of a perfect evening.

Fans of jazz music will be able to experience just that on June 5, when the Sunday Jazz Festival comes back to town. Organized by Magicworx Entertainment, the Sunday Jazz Festival promises to present a whole day of good music in a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. This year’s edition will once again take place at Segarra, the popular beach club in Ancol, North Jakarta.

The musicians scheduled to perform include local favorites such as Maliq & D’Essentials, the Barry Likumahuwa Project, Andien, and Ecoutez!, but the highlight of the festival will be, without question, a performance by English acid jazz band The Brand New Heavies.

The group, which formed in 1985 in Ealing, London, enjoyed cult success throughout the ’80s and ’90s, spawning numerous hit singles in both Europe and the United States including “Dream Come True,” “Never Stop,” “Stay This Way” and an extremely popular cover version of “Midnight at the Oasis.” Their music can be best described as acid jazz combined with funk and a hint of R&B and hip hop.

The band’s lead singer N’Dea Davenport decided to part ways with the Heavies, as they are often referred to, in 1995, leaving the band without her strong vocals. Even though the remaining band members — Jan Kincaid, Simon Bartholomew and Andrew Levy — tried to replace her with other female singers and even released new material, none of these ladies seemed to be able to follow in Davenport’s footsteps.

A decade later, the Heavies and Davenport finally reunited, not only delighting their former fan base but also winning over a whole new generation of listeners.

Their first album to feature the reunited original lineup, “Get Used To It,” was released in 2006 and received favorable reviews from critics who felt it represented the band’s return to form.

During her break from the Heavies, Davenport said she had matured and realize what her actual goals were, especially in terms of being a performer.

“I don’t want to do my career the way I did it before,” she said in an interview with an English newspaper in 2000. “We were just constantly touring. I realize now how important it is to get the balance right. You need to give yourself 100 percent to the public but at the same time give yourself 100 percent to yourself and your loved ones.”

With nine studio albums under their belts and several live albums and compilations, The Brand New Heavies are certainly one of the most influential acid jazz groups worldwide.

Their music is also quite popular in Indonesia. Hapsari Sulistyorini, a Jakarta jazz enthusiast, said she would definitely watch this year’s edition of the Sunday Jazz Festival, having missed it in 2010.

“I am excited about seeing The Brand New Heavies. They are the legends of acid jazz,” she said. “I am especially looking forward to seeing them perform the songs ‘You are the Universe’ and ‘You’ve Got A Friend.’ ”

Hapsari added that the relatively remote location in Ancol was not an obstacle — quite the contrary, actually.

“I think the location is a plus because Segarra is a very romantic and cool place to watch and listen to jazz music, especially since it is right next to the beach,” she said. “And since the event is on a Sunday, traffic shouldn’t be a problem. I only hope that it won’t rain.”

Sunday Jazz Festival
Featuring The Brand New Heavies, Maliq & D’Essentials, Andien and more

Sunday, June 5, from 1 p.m.
Segarra Beach Club, Ancol,
North Jakarta
Tel. 021 3218 6689
Tickets from Rp 200,000 ($24)