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Kua Etnika at Jazz Gunung

It was Sigit Pramono, President Director of state-owned Bank Negara Indonesia and chairman of The National Banks Association (Perbanas), who crafted the idea of organizing a Jazz event at Tengger’s soil that gave the birth of the first Jazz Gunung last Saturday, July 25, 2009. He’s also known as skilled photographer and had published his impressive works in a book titled Bromo, the Majestic Mystical Mountain.

Whatever his intention was (rebranding Bromo or anything else), organizing an open air music event at Tengger during that best period of time to visit Bromo with only two months preparation is certainly a brilliant idea.

The event had given Apey, a friend from blogosphere, a good reason to go to Bromo again. Her encouragement convinced me to join her, even though I felt that I had no stamina to climb Bromo. It was me actually who asked her long time ago to accompany me going to Bromo, after seeing her impressive Bromo’s photos. Jazz Gunung made the trip materialized.

Ohm Ulun Basuki Langgeng, heartfelt greetings by Tengger’s people, were spoken a couple of times that day to show respect to local culture of the Javanese Hindu community that dominate the Tengger tribe. The Tenggerese are believed to be the descendants of Majapahit princes, Roro Anteng and Joko Seger, according to local legend.

It was the second time that I watched a live performance of Kua Etnika, led by Djaduk Ferianto, younger brother of artist and comedian Butet Kertaredjasa. The first one was when Jaduk shared the stage at Konser Kebangsaan in August 24, 2007, with Leo Kristi, Syaharani, Sherina and other artists at Balai Sarbini, Jakarta, sponsored by Perbanas. So it was not a coincidence that Sigit chose Butet, Jaduk and Kua Etnika to perform at the Jazz Gunung, only this time there was Trie Utami as the guest female vocalist.

The first composition played by the group, titled Dunau, was created by Purwanto during the group’s trip to Budapest, Hungary, in April 2004. Purwanto was one of Kua Etnika founders, besides Djaduk, Butet and some others. The group was established at the city of Yogyakarta in 1995. Trie Utami’s vocal that brought the nuance of thick Sundanese pitches filled in the air while she’s dancing with Jaipongan style. The second composition was Gandekan with a thick Chinese flavor, created by Indra Gunawan.

Djaduk, a talented musician, played a couple of different musical instruments, both with his hands and lips, both traditional as well as modern instruments.
The group played several compositions created by Djaduk, three of them were inspired by his trip to Tengger, titled Bromo, Nirwana and Matahari.

Trie Utami, younger sister of renowned musician and composer Purwa Tjaraka, showed her class as a senior and experienced Jazz vocalist.

Djaduk was quite instrumental in orchestrating the group. He also proofed that Jazz can be played by anybody by collaborating his music with traditional music of Ketimplung from Wonotoro village. The composition seemingly was just created a day before.

Purwanto, who has already been familiar with Javanese music since a kid, played traditional Javanese instruments named bonang, klunthung and sometimes rebab.

Trie Utami was seen singing in a “duel” with a saxophonist playing Kupu Tarung (Butterfly Fight) composition.

I Nyoman Cau Arsana contributed a composition, titled Mademenan, the only composition played that day with unique Balinese flavor. The group left the stage, only to come back a few seconds later at the request of the audience.

It was almost dark, the lamps were lighted, and in the chilly weather Kua Etnika played a lively composition of Ronggeng.

Trie Utami grabbed some of the spectators who followed her to an open area in front of the stage to dance with her to warm up their freezing bodies following the music.

Very soon the space was filled with people, including Yenny Wahid, who cheered and danced, following the last vibrant composition derived from the popular Kopi Dangdut song.

Let’s hope that there’ll be another Jazz Gunung Festival next year, with more Jazz groups and with the real Bromo-Batok-Semeru gorgeous view as background.

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C.TwoSix at Jazz Gunung

Last weekend, July 26, a live musical event of Jazz Gunung was held at Java Banana Bromo, claims to be a tropical lodge with the best panoramic view of Mount Tengger. The place is located at Wonotoro village, Sukapura subdistrict, Probolinggo, East Java. At 2000 meters above sea-level, it gives real cool fresh air with temperature between 14–18°C at daylight and 6–10°C at night. Blended with scenic view of the surrounding mountains, coupled with the mystical Bromo-Batok-Semeru trip afterwards, Jazz Gunung certainly gives a unique experience for Jazz lovers and lovers of natural beauty.

I got a free pass as a “photographer” of Apey, a friend who’s a freelancer of an on-line Jazz journal and a DJ of a cyber radio, and got a red pin, labeled with “press” on it. Cool. I then bought a black T-shirt, my favorite color, and a nice looking hat at Warta Jazz counter and I put it on my head with the red pin attached shyly on it.

A local traditional performing arts, named Jathilan, seemingly opened the event. Jathilan is a group uncoordinated dance where the performers, usually men, ride on bamboo horse and at certain point of time they enter into a state of trance.
The above picture, however, is a Reog mask dance that took stage right after the Jathilan. I believe they belong to the same group.

C.TwoSix, a group of Jazz community from city of Surabaya, took the stage after being introduced by Butet Kertaredjasa, MC of the event.

It was not that clear whether Butet was enjoying his cigarette, the cool fresh air, or the lovely scenery. It might be all of them.

The group played several familiar songs, such as Earth Wind & Fire’s In the Stone, Sade’s Smooth Operator, Bill Withers’ Just The Two of Us, and Bob Marley’s I Shot the Sheriff.

The organizer provided simple but comfortable seats for Jazz Gunung spectators.

The two months old grass stage could provide ample space for the musicians to play their music compositions.

Personnel of C.TwoSix who played that day might not yet be among the high level of Jazz performers, but they certainly deserved to get credits, particularly for the male saxophonist, drummer, and the bassist. Unfortunately, i didn’t write down the crew’s name.

More practices and more live events are certainly needed for the group to improve their promising musical performance. I would expect, however, that they will play their original compositions next time I watch them on stage.

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