When a jazz legend meets his fans
When a jazz legend meets his fans
Tarlen Handayani, Contributor, Bandung, West Java
Mutual admiration was the pervading mood at the JazzSphere at Art
Space, where the Bubi Chen Quintet was on stage with the Imam
Pras Quintet in the Selasar Sunaryo Art Space amphitheater in
Bandung last Saturday.
"This is the first time in my career that I've performed in
such a beautiful place," revealed Bubi in the beginning of the
concert.
Around three hundred fans, mostly young people, filled the
Selasar Sunaryo theater.
Bubi Chen, renowned as a jazz pianist with over three decades
of experience in jazz music, appeared along with Benny Likumahuwa
(trombone), Jacky Pattiselano (drum), Perry Pattiselano (acoustic
bass) and Kiboud Maulana (guitar) presenting vocalists Imel
Rosalin and Nenden Shintawati.
Several memorable songs like Georgia on My Mind, Misty, Autumn
Leaves, The Nearness of You and Bye Bye Blackbird created a
relaxed and cozy atmosphere at the bright weekend.
Despite his fairly advanced age and rather poor health, Bubi
Chen was capable of displaying his mesmerizing talent. The jam
session between Bubi, Imam Pras and Imel Rosalin even overwhelmed
the stunned audience.
"If you want to know how to play true jazz, just watch Bubi
Chen. He can do it as required by its roots. And as a senior
musician quite open to playing music alone with younger
musicians. I feel we can interact and communicate with each other
on stage," said Imel, who demonstrated her stylishness on the
piano and vocal flair.
Imam Pras expressed his great delight after the show for
having performed with one of Indonesia's jazz legends.
"Bubi Chen is one of my idols. It's a thrilling experience to
play with Asia's art whiz," he said.
Imam's quintet -- with pianist Imam Pras, saxophonist Boyke P.
Utomo, guitarist Amir Ishak, drummer Ari Aru and bassist Rudy
Aru, opened the two-hour concert.
Representing Bandung in Bali's International Jazz Festival,
the Iman Pras Quintet has, over the year, frequently emerged in
jazz events now drawing the interest of youths in the West Java
capital, triggered by the local jazz club's promotional
activities over the last year.
"It's terrific. I'd only heard about Bubi Chen so I was all
too eager to watch him playing," said Poetri, a fifth-semester
student of international relations, Parahyangan University,
enthusiastically.
"It's exceptional. Veterans and newcomers combined on stage. I
got the rare and valuable opportunity to see first-rate musicians
and learn from them," commented Angga, an architect, who went to
the show despite his busy schedule.
According to Niman, the jazz club's initiator and coordinator,
this association aims at introducing jazz music to broader
circles through weekly meetings and concerts in cooperation with
other parties. This JazzSphere at Art Space was the second
collaboration with Selasar Sunaryo and Kopi Selasar.
"Last year we held a Simak Dialog concert and the response
among young people to such jazz programs has been quite high,"
Niman pointed out, adding that their passion for jazz music was
inseparable from their endless search for something different.
The tendency to seek new icons is also increasingly apparent,
as indicated by the waning popularity of some artists like John
Coltraine and the rising fame of new idols like Thelonious Monk.
Didit E. Aditya, known as DJ Dxxxt, who often presents jazz
compositions from behind his turntable, responded to the youth
trend to look different: "Youths will always act that way. We can
see how they will apply their jazz knowledge to distinguish
between those wishing to look good and becoming really good."
At the end of the program, Bubi Chen conveyed his deep
gratitude to the Bandung audience for showing appreciation of the
show.
"I'm very happy because young people can now appreciate jazz
and nobody says Bubi Chen's jazz music is old-fashioned. I'll go
on fighting for youths' acceptance of jazz and they have
appreciated it as we all witnessed."