New Jazz bar out to help patrons escape worries
By Marieke Van Heek
JAKARTA (JP): Jazz and Jakarta, still underestimated in the city's nightlife. Although JakJazz proves every year that Jakarta residents love jazz, there has, until recently, only been one jazz bar here. A new jazz bar, Harry's Bar, in the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, opened its doors just one month ago.
Arriving there, you'll be greeted by Harry's Bar's doorman, who stands ready, beckoning you to enter. The jazz music floats out from the pub's darkness.
The atmospheric lighting makes it hard to distinguish between stairs and floor; the bar is the first thing that looms out of the dark. First, take a seat at the bar and look around Jakarta's brand new jazz bar, which took a risk starting a new business during the current economic crisis. The bar's focus is probably guests of the Mandarin or Jakartans who need some entertainment to forget their economic woes.
The crisis has certainly had an influence on the city's bars. On one Tuesday night, there were about 50 people in Harry's Bar. Definitely not enough for a big breakthrough. The visitors varied from well-dressed locals, to European businessmen having a pleasant time with local companions and rich expat couples having a drink and socializing. It was anyone's guess if these people were real jazz fans, or just out for a night of relaxation.
Zulkifflie Bin Reephen, the manager of Harry's Bar, admitted that he expected more guests for the evening, but he was not discouraged.
He said that the opening of Harry's went back two years to Singapore. Harry's Bar is a well-known jazz bar in Singapore and the managers there wanted to expand their business by opening a bar in Jakarta. They even used the same name because of its good reputation. Indonesia's economic crisis did not stop them.
"We take it as a challenge to survive," said Reephen.
For all that, everybody seemed to be having fun. The modern interior, designed with a variety of seating, from barstools to comfortable seats in front of the stage, and accentuated by abstract paintings on the walls, provides the pub's jazzy atmosphere. The soft, popular jazz music also emphasizes this, although people were waiting for some good live jazz music.
When the live music started, there was no more chance for talking. Sitting in the comfortable chairs only two meters from the stage made it hard to miss a thing. Aska, the singer of the Benny Mustafo Trio, looked like Joe Cocker, silencing everyone only with his deep manly voice. Not for long, though. People began clapping and singing along. The real jazz fans had woken up. The macho, white singer with long gray hair casually pulled back, leaned over backwards for Harry's audience. The excited faces and moving bodies showed that people were completely absorbed in the music.
"You should definitely come on a Saturday evening," Diana Moxen, a representative of Harry's Bar, said while enjoying her beer, which costs Rp 4,200 a glass, exclusive of service and tax.
"Bertha, the woman who sings on Saturday nights, is really great. Like an Indonesian Aretha Franklin."
Bertha will be at Harry's Bar on Saturday nights only for this month. Harry's changes its program every month. During April, the Benny Mustafa Trio will perform from Monday to Thursday evenings. Friday night is feature night with Idang Rasjidi & Friends taking care of the music. Sundays has Strawberry Jam with Benny Likumahuwa and his band. Harry's Bar is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. every day. Both international entertainers and local jazz musicians are expected to perform at the bar.