Another edition, another batch, another story, another result. The Braga Jazz Walk has reached its 9th edition which was served in wide variety. Three featured bands/artists had totally different style, different formation, different approach, different way of playing, but all of them were really entertaining and wonderful to watch. They gave a cool miniature of jazz and its richness. That goes for age too. A boy below teen-age to adult, all celebrated jazz with their own way. From the traditional, modern jazz to the marriage between jazz and traditional Sundanese music, together they created a small but rich package of a show.
Some jazz/music VIPs were found among the audience. The 2013 AMI Award winner for the Best Female Jazz Artist who once worked as the state pianist, composer/pianist/vocalist Nita Aartsen, also a piano teacher who has made many successful jazz pianists, Mochamad Yahya Salam. The senior guitarist Venche Manuhutu came too. The first performer, 10 year old Kafin Sulthan Reviera is Yahya’s student who takes lesson at Venche Music School (VMS).
We prepared something really special right from the start by presenting the kid prodigy, Kafin. He’s now a part of Mickey Mouse Club Indonesia, currently rehearsing and preparing for soon to be aired on Disney Channel. He is one of Erwin Gutawa’s ‘Above Average’ kids project which is also in the middle of recordings and concert, and he was also joined the gang of Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza’s Laskar Pelangi Musical Theatre a few years back. Amazingly, we are talking about a 10 year-old boy blessed with so many gifts. We met him last year when he was taking lesson at Venche Music School, we invited him to our event, he peformed with his teacher Mochamad Yahya Salam and he totally blew everyone away. From that moment on, this boy has grown fast. So it’s about time to have him back again.
If a year ago he still needed his teacher to be with him on stage, this time Kafin did it all by himself. Kafin egan swinging with a famous song “Lullaby of Birdland”. He kept the pace with with “Take the A Train”. “Moody’s Mood For Love” became a chance for him to demonstrate his ability. Not an easy song to sing, not an easy song to play. But he did it all alone, along with connected improvisations which was spectacular. For the last song, he did a very, very lovely swingy Ismail Marzuki’s song, “Layang-Layang”. When he’s done, our MC Erick Gabe teased him to give one more. With Erick’s mouth contrabass, he sang “Route 66″ and bagged loud applauses from the audience.
It’s a wonder how a boy his age could do it, but as we said, he’s indeed a kid prodigy, meaning a kid with extremely early on age displays excellent capacity and expertise in one particular industry/field which is over their particular amount of readiness. We saw how fast he has progressing, how great he is now but at the same time still reflects the adorable look according to his age. Cute but unbelievably gifted, skillful performance. We’re just glad to know this amazing boy.
Next was a jazz trio established just a couple of months ago but certainly isn’t a rookie. First of all, the members are not new faces in Bandung jazz scene. They have been working inside for quite some times, and they do possess great skills, chemistry and speak jazz fluently. Etudiant, that’s the name of the band, consisting of Tiurma Tizadya Ramadhani Siregar (piano), Ilham Septia Inda Nugraha (bass) and Galih Cahya Nugraha (drums). As Etudiant is a French word means Student, what do they want to tell? According to Ilham they used it as a reminder that they are all students from UPI and that they have to keep learning and practicing.
They began sailing with Miles Davis’ “Nardis and kept the straightahead party with Jerome Kern’s “All the Things You Are”. Some cool tradings were given in this one. Next, “Donna Lee” and they reached the end with Sound Of Music’s “My Favorite Things”, which for us stands as the winner of their renditions. One of the most interesting versions we have ever heard.
When the industry tends to suggest more and more players in a band, we’re just happy that jazz trio is still available in Bandung’s jazz scene, and we are happier to see a trio this good. It won’t be easy for them to establish a solid grip inside the pop-tendency country, but hopefully with the growing number of jazz events, they can have more chance to grow. A really good jazz trio this is. They fly wide, they keep the modern jazz real, they make proper but interesting arrangements that are nicely executed, tight and clean. Tasty!
For the last show, we invited an ensemble consists of talented young lads who dare to connect western musics like jazz, soul, blues, rock, hiphop to even dance) with traditional Sundanese ethnique, progressively. It’s Hariring, a Sundanese word means hum or sing gently. The crossgenres don’t happen just on the sound, but also the instruments. They do use the modern, western instruments but also some traditionals.
The ensemble consists of daring musicians who understand how to carry this concept including Ringga Hardika (electric bass, fretless electric bass,), Ares Rudhiansyah (kendang, suling, ethnic percussions), Resya “Eca” Firmansyah (Kolintang awi, kacapi, angklung, bass, bonang, saron), Asep Everbeat (cajon, karinding) and Awenk (Djembe, Tarompet penca).
What’s important to mention is that these dudes are not just active musicians but they are all craftsmen. All the instruments that they use are made by themselves. Even the bass was made by order. If you need any of these instruments, you can contact Ringga Hardika on 08122016628 or email him at ringgahardika@gmail.com.
They played four songs for tonight: “Kaul”, “Beat My Axe”, “Gaang” and “Kagagas”. Just as you see, Hariring already has their own songs. The band has even have their album titled Fall in West, officially released 2 years ago. The album’s sold out, but the good news is, now you can get the album for free, simply by downloading it at http://ringgahardika.webs.com/hariring or http://ringgahardika.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-hariring.html.
It was different. Highly entertaining, very natural and authentic Sundanese, yet open for any twists. They were playful with lots of jokes and high fun factor while served ambient, traditional music in modern approach. It stole people’s attention, it was both relaxing and refreshing.
Not everyone dare to take this musical path. It’s not easy, it’s even against the trend, so we give huge respect to bands who decide to walk this lane especially when the crafts and players are this good. Keep everything up, Hariring! See you again soon.
Jam session turned out to be hot from the first batch. Mr Yahya Salam responded to the call from the young musicians to participate. Later on YD Nafis of West Java Syndicate sat beside him sharing one piano while guitarist Anjuan Julio surprisingly took position behind the drum and played it well. Boy, what a set.
Then Anjuan took his gear and gave the drum position to Galih. Ilham on bass, Yahya was still on piano and Kafin was back. They played two songs: “Route 66″ and “Through the Fire”. Anjuan also sang and scat in front with Kafin. They both created wonderful scene.
For the last batch, Andre Fernando and Jerry Gates (guitars), YD Nafis (piano), Ilham Septi (bass) and Joo Yang (drums) gave “Englishman in New York”. Anjuan took one more appearance but this time as a singer. A photo session occured during the song and that’s the end of this ninth edition.
One kid prodigy, a cool jazz trio and a stunning fusion jazz ethnic ensemble lightened the 9th edition Braga Jazz Walk. It was rich on variation, full of young but skillful players and entertaining from the start to the very last drop.
We thanks all the performers, all the coming musicians both who took part in jam session and sat with the audience, we send respect to you all. Keep supporting your local musicians and community events, because we won’t last long without you guys. See you again in two weeks.
Watch the highlight of Braga Jazz Walk 09 on Youtube
See more pictures:
Reporter: Riandy Kurniawan
Photographer: Titus Firmanto
Video Editor: Vierna Mariska