Eight new songs mark end of Pacific Harmony
Eight new songs mark end of Pacific Harmony
JAKARTA (JP): The series of international musical events called Pacific Harmony peaked here yesterday evening when dozens of artists and songwriters from three continents sang eight new songs just composed in Bali.
Held at the Jakarta Convention Center, the Charity Night show was the most unusual musical event ever held in this country.
The 200 celebrities who packed the auditorium applauded now and then as one composition or another was sung.
"This is fantastic," Peter Gontha, a prominent businessman who watched the show, commented.
Never before has the public had the chance to see such big names as rock super group Scorpion, saxophonist Dave Koz, Tommy Shaw of the former Chicago group STYX, and many others, singing together on one stage.
Moreover, it was the first time the public had heard eight of around 50 songs composed by the great artists from Oct. 25 through yesterday in Bali and Jakarta.
The Charity Night was the last of the string of Pacific Harmony programs held to celebrate Indonesia's golden anniversary. Other programs were the International Song Festival on Wednesday and Thursday in Jakarta and the Pacific Music Rainbow songwriters meeting, which was scheduled to end by Oct. 31 but was still in progress up to yesterday.
"They don't seem to like having to stop writing songs," Chris Pattikawa, head of the organizing committee of Pacific Harmony, said.
The show started with the performance of several top artists from Indonesia, including Utha Likumahua, Harvey Malaiholo and Vina Panduwinata. The winners of the international song festival, AB Three, Kenny James and Trie Utami also played their numbers.
Saxophonist Dave Koz caused a stir by walking up from among the audience while playing his instrument.
Then came all the composers who took part at the Pacific Music Rainbow meeting to sing the number It's All Right Mama.
After that the audience heard a song titled Bukalah Hatimu (Open Up Your Heart) sung by Dadang S. Manaf and Lisa Fischer. The song which blended Indonesian and western music was composed by both the singers and Jack Blades, the Nelson Brothers, Harold Payne of the U.S. and Ekki Soekarno from Indonesia.
It was followed by several other songs, including One by One, by Brenda Russel and Lisa Fischer from the United States. The number was composed by both of them and Gary Burr from the U.S. and Elizabeth Jane Rose Scott from Australia.
Victoria Shaw, Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw from the U.S. sang My Heart Keeps on Calling Your Name, composed by Victoria Shaw, Dave Koz, Allan Rich, all from the U.S., and Tito Soemarsono from Indonesia and Joseph Huang from Hong Kong.
Irianti Erningpraja from Indonesia, Cathy Dennis and Dave Gibson from the U.S. also came onto the stage to sing Love Is All We Need, composed by the three of them, plus an Indonesian composer, Andre Hehanusa.
Another song performed last night was Moonlight on the Water by Harold Payne, Brenda Russel and Beth Hooker, all from the United States. The song was composed by Payne, Russell and two Indonesian composers Candra Darusman and Dadang S. Manaf.
Tommy Shaw, a former member of STYX, sang Till You Give It Away, composed by Mark Hudson, Gary Nicholson, both from the U.S., and Amin Ivo from Indonesia.
All the artists and songwriters sang the medley of Pacific Harmony and Where Magic Flies.
The money collected at Charity Night, amounting US$250,000, will be sent to victims of last month's Jambi earthquake and orphanages. (jsk)