A Bit of Everything

The Lunch

Hm.. Yesterday was a busy day; a day that was divided by three. I did not have time to go to FRA again, been weeks of not going now. So bad. We got last minute invitation to FEB’s – Oom BAR’s wife – birthday lunch at Satoo (Shangrila’s newly renovated coffee shop). I could not miss this invitation because I am BAR’s dear niece. Yes! He could panicky looking for me if I am not around.

So we went. Wow big celebration! Two rows of 22-seats and three round tables of 10-seats. There were families from both sides. Yes, must be big one because both are big families. It was a nice gathering in sunny room. I like this place – modern and natural lighting. Food was good. It was my first to try the famous buffet. Very extensive tho I only had salad and Indian dish. I am not able to eat well when I am too excited seeing people. Chatting and joking were more important. It was fun!

We went home around 17:00. My heart was already somewhere else. I wanted to be in Java Jazz the soonest possible -- to be there the longest possible before birthday party at night.


The Java Jazz

As it has been anticipated, parking was hard to find. We parked in Hilton Lagoon, in the very corner of the lowest damp basement. It was quite far from JCC but for me.. any distance is walk-able, so no problem at all.

It was a strange ticket arrangement in this event. There was a lot of calo – people who sold ticket off counter. I saw it in many other events too, but not as obvious as this one. Calo even sold the tickets in front of the counter. I never in my life bought ticket off counter but I thought now.. if I buy from them, I may help them to earn some extras but I was afraid of ‘illegal’ ticket that could cause me trouble in UV check. I wonder how they could sell the ticket cheaper than in counter, they might have gotten it from early bird price offered months ago. TEG got it at USD 22 (official price USD 33 for one day pass) the other day. It can go lower as night crawls. But very me, I decided to buy in counter. With USD 33 / pax spent, I wanted to stay the longest possible ha ha...

There were 12 stages in some 8 different rooms / halls and about six to eight performances at the same time. Everybody had the schedule in hand and kept checking it; otherwise we might miss the good one because schedule was tight. One show lasts one hour or an hour fifteen minutes; and some were overlapped by 15 minutes. Some shows were late by 10 minutes and yesterday I missed Dave Koz. It was supposed to be two hours earlier so we did not check the stage. When we came, we got only the last part of him. He was late! I should have known that so we could come earlier! Dave Koz was superb! Sexy short man (is he short?). Ha ha. I will catch him today for sure.

What we should do to maximize all is by watching a bit of everything! Nothing we could do because there could be three watch-able shows at the same time, or overlapped time. We stayed in one full show if show was too good to miss. I only did that for Balawan, twice now! Freak. Not even for Lee Ritenour who occupied the biggest space, the plenary hall.

Balawan played on time, glad, at 21:45 in open stage downstairs. It was good timing because I was hungry and tired of walking by then. It was perfect that Hilton had jazzy cafeteria near the stage where we could order food and sat in any round table set for audience. I noticed that halls were set according to the music rhythm. If hot and alive, room was set empty – no seating area. For serious, slower music; room was set with rows of chair. Some were set with round table as in a lounge. There were two stages in a huge hall but no seats at all and always full of people because shows there were favorite and alive.

We managed to get a place in a round table full of empty dishes and food junks. We shoved it away and were just happy to have the space. Food was not good. I had sandwich with white bread auch -- not toasted ugh -- and nice ice tea. Fries was good, salad too. An Ibu who sat next to me – on her own seat! – ordered the same. We shared a laugh. She was a nice Ibu, first time to see Balawan. She read about him in Tempo (ah she read Tempo!). She only stayed half show but I felt like I knew her long. I was thinking to ask her whether we had met before, but no. She might be one well known lady. Apparently she looked independent, she went by herself. And she read Tempo! She could be someone. So I did not want to ask her anything. Gile lu ga tahu siapa gue.

Balawan was the best. He played with his Batuan Ethnic group – one played ceng-ceng cymbals, two in different gamelans. I enjoyed watching them live. We could see how they played the instrument in VERY FAST movement. Amazingly precise! Very compatible to Balawan’s fast tapping. It was WOW! And this was first time I saw him playing double-neck guitar. I used to listen to Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, Lee Ritenour,.. Ha ha no one can be compared to the way Balawan plays the guitar. Of course each has own style. I put it this way. Listening to Lee Ritenour is like plunging into warm water; soothing and calming pheew.. Balawan is like plunging into chilly cold water; shocking but refreshing. New. Open your system!

My system was widely open when he closed the show by playing Flight of the Bumblebee. This piece is popular since Maksim, piano player, had it in his first album The Piano Player. Both Maksim and Balawan played it speedy, one in piano - one in guitar. Oh so good!

We rushed to Lee Ritenour show after Balawan. We had to see this big musician! But ha ha.. after watching Balawan, we could not stay more than one ‘ordinary’ song. Too slow and biasa. I have CDs from him, could listen to such later at home. Nothing special. Better ran for other show. We got half piece of Aksan Sjuman, good looking drummer, with the quartet. Very nice music; piano, bass, trumpet and drum. I should catch him today if still plays.

Tortured Soul from Brooklyn NY was good. Hall was full full full. We listened to three pieces. Actually one but audience managed to shout for more and got TWO! It was a good music. No wonder BIR and husband stayed the whole show. We met them with son. Even husband said that he would come to every Java Jazz from wherever he is – they will move to Mid East this summer.

Hm.. I missed Maliq & d’Essentials because they were late. In the same row as Dave Koz. So all were late. I like Michael Lington sax. Experienced the well known voice of Eric Benet. Good looking trendy black man. Nice RnB voice but.. no character. Hey we listened to two songs from Daniel Sahuleka, a Mollucan living in Holland. I love his voice. Heavy character. Hall was full so we could not stay longer.

We ended six hours journey in the main hall with two stages. These stages are used for ‘welcoming’, to create the atmosphere. Shows are always alive; loud, funny, attractive. We watched Berta, a Batak lady singer, who has Diane Schuur style. It was sooo good. I stayed for three songs. My cellphone was busy receiving texts from cousins who had gathered in a bar not far from JCC.


The Birthday Party

Staffs liked to give us birthday cake in the birthday morning. They also sang birthday song before cutting the cake. That ceremony. It was so sweet of them. And they were also sweet to give us ‘discount’ for the candle numbers. This year I got 36! Were they being polite?

It was another party with alco. A bit too often for me. I hardly enjoyed the moment. It was boring. Majority chose the Red Square, the vodka bar, again. They liked the place; elegant but wild. Music was okay – tho not as good as the first time we were there last month. Everybody drank ‘well’ or well drunk? I need more ‘positive’ activity. Next time, I may suggest party after RAFTING!! Ha ha.. Why not?

Day was good. Rich.

Note: Photos of a bit of everything yesterday.