Jazz is not that distant in Pekanbaru<\/p>\n
Mikael Setiawan, Contributor, Pekanbaru, Riau<\/p>\n
As the jazz musicians completed their performance on
\nValentine's Day here recently, the look of satisfaction was clear
\non the faces of the audience.<\/p>\n
Titled Jazz Nite, the event was highlighted by top-notch
\nIndonesian jazz musicians, such as singer Mergie Siegers, who was
\naccompanied by the Idang Rasjidi quartet, and also
\ninternationally acclaimed soprano saxophonist Joe Rosenberg.<\/p>\n
Over 200 people packed the ballroom of the Pangeran Hotel,
\nwhere the bimonthly event is held.<\/p>\n
Some of the audience even arrived two hours before the opening
\nof the performance at 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
The hotel's marketing manager, Harry Susanto, said that they
\nhad been holding regular jazz performances since April last year,
\nand that the Valentine's Day's concert was their fifth so far.<\/p>\n
\"There are a lot of businesspeople going back and forth every
\nweek. Unfortunately, there is not much entertainment here, so we
\noffered a live jazz performance as an alternative to karaoke
\nparlors and discotheques,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The show that night was kicked off by local jazz group True
\nBox, led by local jazz figure Yan Haris on drums and vocals, who
\nplayed several numbers confidently.<\/p>\n
Keyboard player Idang and his group -- Ananda Mathez, or just
\nMathez, on contrabass, Eddy P Syakroni on drums and Agam N.
\nHamzah on guitar -- came up next, performing On the Green Dolphin
\nStreet.<\/p>\n
Mergie then joined the band, singing the jazz version of The
\nFalling Leaves. Her deep and clear voice resonated through the
\naudience, who were glued to their seats during the entire show.<\/p>\n
The musicians each gave a memorable performance, while Agam,
\nelder brother of noted emcee and TV presenter M. Farhan,
\nhypnotized the audience with his acoustic guitar in a jam session
\nwith Idang.<\/p>\n
A woman was especially amazed by Mathez' performance, and she
\nwhispered to the man sitting next to her, \"How could he play that
\nsong so beautifully with a bass that has no frets?\"<\/p>\n
Eddy was also amazing, despite the fact that the drum mikes
\nwere often lowered from their positions.<\/p>\n
Rosenberg wowed the audience as he jumped on stage,
\naccompanying Mergie, Idang and friends, playing Stella by
\nStarlight, The Autumn Leaves, Imagine and Just the Way You Are.<\/p>\n
Ramli, who had come all the way from Duri -- a town some 180
\nkm northwest of Pekanbaru -- just to see the show, said he really
\nenjoyed the performance.<\/p>\n
\"It was great. They play the songs wholeheartedly.\"<\/p>\n
Rina, a local highschool student, confessed that it was her
\nfirst time to listen to a jazz performance.<\/p>\n
\"It's Valentine's Day, you know. I just wanted to see
\nsomething different here.\"<\/p>\n
Idang, meanwhile, said that the performance was not merely a
\nshow.<\/p>\n
\"We kept to the rhythm and pace of the show. The audience here
\nseemed still shy -- I saw some of them are still unfamiliar with
\njazz, but that's OK,\" he said after the performance.<\/p>\n
He, however, seemed to be annoyed as some of the guests at the
\nfront tables spoke very loudly and their mobile phones kept
\nringing during the show. He quickly added, though, that he had to
\nbe tolerant, as it was not easy for just anybody to listen to
\njazz.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the show was a good basis to cultivate the jazz
\ncommunity here.<\/p>\n
\"Batam's jazz community was definitely like this a few years
\nago, but now they are so appreciative. I believe the Pekanbaru
\njazz community will improve,\" Idang said.<\/p>\n
Yan Haris, one of the remaining jazz musicians in Pekanbaru,
\nsaid that the event was important for regeneration.<\/p>\n
He added that there were some 70 people who supported the idea
\nof making a \"Pekanbaru jazz community\". In the long run, the
\ncommunity could work with similar jazz-loving communities in
\nJakarta and other cities, to exchange information about jazz and
\ninviting jazz musicians from all over Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, Idang, Yan and some other jazz musicians in
\nBatam held a jazz festival that was a great success, which marked
\nthe birth of the Batam jazz community.<\/p>\n
Idang said this year, he was working with the idea to hold a
\nsimilar event here. Having already released five albums, he also
\nexpressed his concerns regarding music producers in the country.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesian jazz musicians have been recognized
\ninternationally, but not domestically...I do believe there will
\nbe young jazz musicians, including those from Riau, who will be
\nable to surpass their seniors. In this sense, jazz performances
\nlike this are very important to help the birth of a new
\ngeneration of jazz musicians.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jazz-is-not-that-distant-in-pekanbaru-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}