Harvey helps U.S. singer reach the shore<\/p>\n
By Achmad Nurhoeri<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Man is no island. We all need assistance to
\nreach our shores to survive. Definitely, this also applies to the
\nentertainment business which is too well-known as a place with
\nnumerous pitfalls. Singer Harvey Malaiholo proved that the act of
\nhelping fellow entertainers still exists in the limelight world.<\/p>\n
It seemed like business as usual at Jakarta's Planet Hollywood
\nRestaurant last Wednesday night. Dandy people in chic fashion,
\nexpatriates with impeccable business suits, young couples with
\ndazed looks. Some were drinking the restaurant's various
\ncollection of movie-named cocktails. Some were eating delicacies
\nof Sly's kitchen. No big crowd. Even the bar section offered
\nplenty of vacant seats.<\/p>\n
A lot of visitors did not know that Indonesia's most
\ncelebrated male singer Harvey would be the night's guest star.
\nMost had no idea about the debut appearance of an American singer
\nnamed Tricia Tahara, who was said to be going to release an album
\nwith maestro Herbie Hancock next September. On that very night,
\nPlanet Hollywood was launching their new program called WOW
\n(What's on Wednesday).<\/p>\n
"I did not come here because of the singers. I even haven't
\nheard of Tricia Tahara before," said African-American Steve
\nWilson, whose table was just a step away from the stage.<\/p>\n
So, what was on that particular Wednesday evening? A show with
\nhelp in the air. Harvey, who opened the night with a repertoire
\nof Western pop songs, actually was helping Tahara in dealing with
\nelite Jakartans who are sometimes very reserved when it comes to
\napplauding.<\/p>\n
"Entertainers should help one another. When I was in Malaysia,
\nI was helped by Sheila Madjid," said Harvey, the winner of
\nnumerous singing festival awards home and abroad, referring to
\nthe popular Malaysian female singer who has made a name for
\nherself in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Harvey did not sing any of his own songs, although earlier
\nthis month he held his first solo concert in almost 20 years. "I
\nsaw that most of the audience was foreigners. They weren't my
\nfans, so I decided to sing songs familiar to them," quipped
\nHarvey, the Ambonese singer who chose singing over finishing his
\nstudies at the prestigious University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, if you don't know Harvey maybe you would have
\nconsidered him just another praiseworthy pub singer that night.
\nHe sang eight evergreen songs, like Sinatra's My Way and New
\nYork, with his usual strong and exquisite voice -- something you
\ncould get at a few abundant Jakarta nightspots. And he sang Happy
\nBirthday to a visitor who was celebrating her day by dining with
\nfriends -- something you rarely find at any primo-singer concert.<\/p>\n
Harvey then presented the supposed-to-be popular singer to the
\nlaid-back audience. No hurrahs. No warm welcome. Harvey and
\nTahara started their show with a song that was especially created
\nfor duos, Somewhere Out There. It was a rather terrific gig. They
\nboth displayed their vocal talent to the limit and cuddled each
\nother, making the soundtrack of Spielberg's American Tail come
\nalive.<\/p>\n
"They did OK. She's good," said customer Steve Wilson at a
\nfront table.<\/p>\n
But after the second song, Harvey disappeared leaving the
\nstage entirely to Tahara, like openers frequently do at main
\nshows.<\/p>\n
"It was not just an opening act. I don't feel there was a No.
\n2 on stage," said Harvey. "I was introducing Tahara to the
\naudience. You know, opening night is always difficult."<\/p>\n
Tahara was hired by Planet Hollywood to perform for about
\nthree months. A long time for someone who is supposed to be
\nreleasing an album in less than three months.<\/p>\n
After Harvey left, Tahara presented an assorted repertoire
\nmore colorful than a bowl of jelly beans. She started with
\nWhitney Houston's Saving All My Love showing a strain of gospel
\ngrace. But surprisingly as the show went on, she hopped from a
\nhit from the disco-divas Ace of Base, I Saw The Sign to a Police
\nclassic Every Breath You Take. No specialization whatsoever. By
\nthe end of her performance, more than half of the audience had
\ngone home.<\/p>\n
Without a doubt, even though help still exists on stage,
\ngiving someone a free ride is too much to ask for. No one can
\nsincerely try to help another without helping themselves.<\/p>\n
For Harvey, he could take something home from the performance.
\n"Indonesian singers have a hard time finding work. Most big
\nstages hire foreigners," he said. "This is why we are behind them
\nin the matter of entertainment skills. Indonesian singers need
\nmore places to become complete entertainers."<\/p>\n
As a matter of fact, that has been Planet Hollywood's plan
\nfrom the beginning. The What's-On-Wednesday setup was designed
\nfor high-quality, local artists -- a rare display for a place big
\non American pizazz. So, homemade artists can at last become
\nmasters of the stage while also babysitting pub-quality foreign
\nsingers to get used to a Jakarta audience.<\/p>\n
"We are committed to presenting local singers," said Planet's
\npublic relations officer Fiona Mambu.<\/p>\n
Helping someone get their boat across doesn't appear to be too
\nbad after all, especially when you know how to make the most of
\nit and make your own boat reach the shore as well.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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