Native Soul puts on a rocking show at CJ's

Native Soul puts on a rocking show at CJ's

By Aida Greenbury

JAKARTA (JP): "Just play the sax, will you!" yelled one Middle
Eastern guy sitting in front of the bar in CJ's that Thursday
night. He had been perched in the same spot since seven o'clock.

For the previous two hours, he had been patiently listening to
the local amateur band on stage that played songs from the 60's
-- over and over again -- interspersed by the odd karaoke
wannabes.

But no, even the thought of karaoke nightmares did not break
his spirit. He waited to see the group reputed by many to be
currently the best live band in Jakarta. The Kiwi band, Native
Soul, which only starts after 9 p.m. daily except Sundays at
CJ's.

Patrick Siolo, the band manager who doubles as the bass
guitarist and vocalist acknowledged the guy's request. He nodded
at Elton Walker, the sax player to take the lead.

The girls cheered watching the smooth dark-haired bloke swoon
over his sax.

"We would like to invite tonight's birthday girl to sing on
stage," announced Camilia Temple, the lead singer. The room
became quiet. It was a drastic change; from Vangaboys party songs
played by the band to the birthday girl's wimpy mellow ballad a
piece originally performed by Mandy Moore.

When she ended her slightly out of tune rendition, the
audience applauded. They were so thrilled to finally be able to
listen to their favorite band again. One middle-aged Australian
man wrote: "Just play the darn songs! Don't just entertain her,
we all pay for the drinks!" on his request paper.

The audience is usually a mix of nationalities and age groups.
"I have observed that this bar attracts a more mature group, most
are business people who want to unwind after working hours or
young professionals who really appreciate the music," explained
Des Pugson, the GM of Mulia Hotel, where CJ's is located.

Des admitted how difficult it is to screen the right band
just through the videotape performances sent to him. The only
thing he can refer to are the promoters recommendations and the
available history of the band. Consequently he is relieved to see
how his club has established a loyal clientele since the middle
of 1999 -- thanks to the selection of fine live entertainment.

Native Soul has rocked Jakarta's music and dance devotees for
the past two months. Unlike other foreign bands in the city's
nightclubs and bars, there is something extraordinary about this
group.

"I think a connection between the entertainer and the crowd,
like eye contact and a bit of humor here and there, is the most
important thing in this business. We ask, perform, study and
compile our audience' requests. If we don't know the song they
request, we will learn to play it the next day or week -
depending on how complicated the song is. Our greatest
achievement is when we manage to play a difficult song and make
the audience sing along," said Patrick Siolo who disclosed his
dislike toward American bands because of their arrogance and
tendency to act 'too cool' in response to their fan's requests.

The members of Native Soul believe the key to success in show
business is not to ignore their fans; in fact without them (the
fans) it is impossible to get even a glimpse of success.

"Our philosophy is based on individual discipline and free
style management. The demand and supply rule strongly influences
the way we develop our performances," stated the humorous pony-
tailed band manager.

The name Native Soul evolved; it was not just picked out of a
hat. Patrick Englert, the band's guitarist said that the word
'native' comes from the fact that the band comprises of seven
native members. The word 'soul' can be translated as the soul of
the songs or simply soul music as their roots. But he quickly
added that the name also represents their multicultural home
country, New Zealand.

The band has been reaching out to their fans throughout Asia;
including Hong Kong, Beijing, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia,
where they previously toured. They appreciate the experience they
have gained in Jakarta, the way they have grown and developed in
line with the richness of this society while still being able to
do what they like musically. But they also realize that there is
a downside to being on the road for long periods of time.

"To be recognized by the locals when I go shopping in the
malls is overwhelming. But when they laugh at me and start
talking about me in their language which I don't understand --
then it's sad. That's the time when I really miss my family at
home," explained the only white guy in the group, Patrick
Englert.

He also confessed that he had received only "positive"
responses from his local female fans and is very impressed by the
elegance of some Indonesian musicians. The other band members
agreed that being away from their family and home is the toughest
part of their job.

Back to the show that Thursday night. When most people in the
club were either finishing up their after midnight snacks or just
too drunk to taste the difference between a steaming hot
Cappuccino and a glass of Baileys, a bunch of people from
Mauritius waved their request papers (politely this time, unlike
the old Aussie). A few seconds later, Native Soul slipped into a
melancholy French song as the closing number. What a perfect
ending!

They packed their instruments and left the stage with a bag
full of requests, which they were going to study the following
day. As always, Patrick Siolo walked toward the crowd and shook
people's hands to ensure they had one of the more memorable
nights of their lives. But that was not all. The cute one, sax
player Elton Walker, stayed on stage, posed and danced
appealingly, enjoying the shower of spotlights and attention from
the girls. Well, that's part of the show!