World Premier moves Chequers every which way
World Premier moves Chequers every which way
By Johannes Simbolon
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta's nightlife is now warmer, cozier and more competitive because of five young rhythm and blues musicians called World Premier. They are from Boston and are currently playing at Chequers in the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta.
The three-month-old bar can now proudly stand as one of the best places to while away the night with fervor and class.
Chequers has booked the five restless, twentysomething men for at least three months. They will play every night.
During their premier (for reporters and selected guests) the group proved it has class and all the necessities to magnetize Jakarta's urbanites -- they can play and perform.
Luke Jackson, the lead vocal, looked the most restive of all. He has a good voice and can act as well. He rarely remained on stage while singing. Instead, he moved from one table to another, committing himself and the audience to the show.
"Don't tell my heart/ my achy breaky heart," Jackson crooned.
The Indonesian girls were almost hysterical when Jackson's chest poked out of his black suit while singing Billy Ray Cyrus' only hit.
He ended up lying, like a broken-hearted lover, between the legs of bass player Thomas Witt.
"Stay! Stay!" demanded the audience in an attempt to prevent them from taking a five-minute break.
World Premier is serious about their time in Indonesia.
"We expect to collect fans here who enjoy our music and will buy our record -- once we complete it," said drummer Tony Hobbs, who has Dutch soccer player Ruud Gullit's hair-style.
Tony said they have worked on a demo of ten songs. A Boston label is looking forward to releasing it.
"We will release it soon after we leave Indonesia," Hobbs promised.
They will have little difficulty being remembered by Jakartans. They were so enchanting that none of the reporters left the bar until late. Usually they leave after three or four songs, even when big name bands make it to the city.
Indonesian songs
"We hope we can sing popular Indonesian songs within weeks," Jackson said.
His promise highlights what the group is all about. They have a strong commitment to their audience and do their utmost to make the audience's night. It will be interesting to hear what Indonesian songs sound like after listening to English songs being butchered by local bands.
Hobbs and Jackson formed the group five years ago in the Boston suburb of Roxbury. They went to the same high school and played all types of music with various other people. Then they met Witt, Tariqh Akoni and Brocket Parsons and agreed to form a R&B group.
Akoni plays guitar and Parsons dabbles on the keyboard.
Everyone, except Akoni, polished their music skills at college: Hobbs and Witt at Boston's Berklee College of Music, Jackson at Bethune-Cookman College and Parsons at Bucknell University.
"We opted for R&B because we like it and because there is a good market for it in the U.S.," explained Hobbs.
After an extensive U.S. tour, the group had their first overseas gig in Japan three years ago. They played for two months in Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. Two years later they were in Seoul, South Korea, to entertain at the U.S. military base for three months. For the past three months they have been playing at a hotel in Bangkok and then came straight to Chequers.
R&B is a synthesis of gospel, big-band, swing and blues. It is propulsive and spirited and took shape in the first half of the century. Over time it gave birth to rock & roll, soul, funk, disco and rap.
Many of the bar's clientele couldn't help but rock and roll during the show.
"They are fantastic," assured an Australian woman.
The group gave couples every opportunity to cling to each other during slow dances. They have a long repertoire of the slow love songs that are so popular in Indonesia.
The way Jackson sang "Unchained Melody" was truly impressive.
Spending a night with World Premier on stage at Chequers could never be a waste of time or money. There is no cover charge and the drinks are affordable.