'Surface' showers Jak Jazz with pop

'Surface' showers Jak Jazz with pop

By Johannes Simbolon

JAKARTA (JP): The American R & B group Surface, famous for their hit Shower Me With Your Love, showered the Jak Jazz '95 festival Friday night with pop songs.

A very different atmosphere, a break from too serious thoughts on jazz, instantly surfaced on the second night of the festival.

Surface entertained the 1,000 mainly young people for an hour in the Senayan east parking plaza.

The crowd knew the group's hits, and excitedly sang along with many of the songs, turning the show into a "giant choir" typical of most pop music performances.

"Shower me with your love, shower me with your love that I long for....," sang Kyle "Baby-Boy" Thomas, the lead vocalist of the Virginia-based group. The audience sang with him.

When "Baby-Boy" sang a number entitled I Wanna Be Close To You, a song he said would be released on their new album in February, the crowd sang along with the simple song in Indonesian.

"Aku ingin dekat kamu..." they gaily chanted as their own version of the chorus I Wanna Be Close To You.

Since Jak Jazz began in 1988, the organizing committee has tried to balance serious jazz with the festival's goal of entertaining by involving pop fusion jazz groups.

All the groups must still play jazz, but Surface played the bare minimum.

Surya Handoko from the A Mild cigarette company, the festival's main sponsor since 1993, explained that pop groups like Surface were invited to expand the festival's market and attract younger audiences.

"As a matter of fact, even such prestigious jazz festivals like the North Jazz Sea always involve non-jazz groups in order to bring different color to the festival," he said.

Arturo Sandoval, who made his Indonesia debut at the Jamz pub early this year, performed on the JVC stage with his group Latin Train. He proved he was a main attraction.

Sandoval showed his virtuosity during his hour show by playing many instruments, including the piano, trumpet and percussion instruments.

He even melodiously sang a number, When I fall In Love.

Unfortunately, his turn to perform came after midnight, after many visitors had left.

The Elfa's singers and big band, who performed on the Arena stage, also drew many listeners.

The band, lead by Elfa Seciora on keyboard, presented several Indonesian songs arranged in a jazz style. The numbers have won acclaim at several festivals abroad, including the North Jazz Sea festival.

Two contemporary local groups, I Wayan Sadra from Bali and Ben M Pasaribu from North Sumatra, tried to for a different atmosphere with ethnic music on the Asmat stage. They failed to pull in a crowd.

Igor Brill and the New Generation, PIG, Drei vom Rhein, Benko Dixieland, Kiboud Maulana Blues Band, Krakatau, Jimsaku, Uluwatu, Bruno De Filippi, Simak Dialog and Pattiselano Brothers also performed.