Listening to Indonesian Jazz Folksongs by The Swing Boss

What will you do if you have lots of time because lately you don’t have any travel plans as I am?

I don’t know about you, but I will try to keep myself busy by trying to look out what activities I can do.

 

Luckily, my friend, Raha, from Couchsurfing had an idea to make a Cultural Hopping Day. It’s mean, he will arrange an activity to go to see a free cultural performance and make it regular. I am so glad he has such an idea! Since Couchsurfing is a world wide travel community but it doesn’t mean, you can’t make any cool activities with your local friends. This community not merely about travel experience sharing but also to meet with new people, blending with another people based on things we have in common – or similar joy we have. If we can use it wise, so many positive impact we can get from Couchsurfing. Glad I joined it!

 

So I skipped the Cultural Hopping part 1, that my friend arranged it. It was in @America with title Hawaiiana! Actually I didn’t really skip it. I came only for a while. I just knew that America Embassy has a cultural center in Pacific Place – yeah, I am very behind to know 😀 Anyway, so glad to see so many young people coming to that event. Many of them also following the theme, as it was Hawaiiana! They wore flowery t-shirt and bring their ukelele or guitar. People come and go with beautiful necklace from fresh flower – I wonder who volunteer to make that necklace.

 

But what I want to tell here is about the Cultural Hopping part 2 that I gladly able to attended. It was a beautiful Friday night even if you live in Jakarta, it is also mean a huge traffic before the weekend. I need to take the “Ojek” – a motorcycle ride to make sure I am arrived on time. We already made such a plan to see this event together. Why were we so excited? Because it was a jazz night. And it’s not merely a jazz performance, but it was The Swing Boss Band! with a title “Jazz Tribute to Indonesia.” They will played Indonesian folk songs in jazz. Whooo, I can’t wait to see it! So did my friends.

Don’t do this 😀 – I made a selfie while riding behind the Ojek driver.

 

And just what we already guessed, they perform so great. This band created on 2014 – just new, but don’t get surprise because their team counted as senior in jazz world. I did enjoy their performance. They played lots of Indonesian folk songs and enrich it with jazz cool arrangement. They played songs such as Apuse, O Ina Ni Keke, Bungo Jumpo, Bolelebo, etc. In the middle of event, they also have a guest from Sion Singers – which consist with 4 senior man and sing acapella. Whooo, they also so great! I like their voices. I really agree for young people to see more this kind of performance. Not only it enriches our knowledge about our own culture, but it is really a great option to do than just hanging around in mall and spending so much money in consumptive style.

Wanna know more about them? Check their website http://www.swing-boss.com/

 

Listen to their performance from short video I made. Since I didn’t plan to write about it, I don’t make a proper recording. Please do apologize. At least, I show you how great they are and why I decided to write it 🙂

 

 

And here is the Sion Singers sing O Ina Ni Keke :

 

Only 2 points that I feel not really ok from the event is about the MC. She is pretty, but how the way she wore her dress and heels, make me pray the whole time for she did not falling down on the stage because of the cables. She wore a very uncomfortable dress and tall heels which really not fit with the event. Why not wearing Batik and just comfortable shoes, rather than make herself look so weird while walking. But she did her job good in trying to lead the event.

The other is about the behavior of guest. I know young people in Indonesia not really care and familiar with cultural event. But they should understand to shut up their mouth during the performance. I was so upset with people who talking during the whole performance! Come on, if you only want to talk and not to listen their beautiful played, just go outside, and keep talking in Starbucks than ruin people’s mood by your loud voices. I wish the MC announced it since beginning, that talking and ringing your phone is prohibited during the performance, so audiences can respect the show also the player can focus to play. If people realize how difficult it is to perform on a public stage, they will more respect and pay attention to it.

 

But all in all, I am looking forward for such event more. Thanks to Indonesia Kaya Gallery who initiated to introduced to us more about our culture. I was so surprised to see we have such great gallery to introduced to locals and tourist about Indonesian culture and some old childhood games. My friends busy played Congklak – a traditional game through screen. It’s a mixed between technology and an effort to maintain the culture we have. Indonesia is really a rich country in culture and may our generations be proud with it.

My friends laughed and busy play congklak.

 

Note :

If you want to visit Indonesia Kaya Gallery, you can go to :

Grand Indonesia – West Mall 8th Floor. Jl. MH Thamrin No. 1 Jakarta 10310 Indonesia

Check their website : http://www.indonesiakaya.com/ – and phone +6221 23580701

 

Not yet a Couchsurfing member? Sign up here www.couchsurfing.org – and influence your people with positive activities! Want to be my friend in Couchsurfing? Here is my profile https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/pinkchandelle/ If you are living and working in Jakarta and want to join such event, you can contact Raha : https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/rahadian.rundjan/

 

Keep up the good work for Raha, The Swing Boss, Sion Singers and Indonesia Kaya Gallery!

 

Cheers,
Dea Sihotang