An eight-hour trip from Jakarta brought us to a small town in Surade district of Sukabumi regency, West Java. The journey continued 30Km southwest across stony path to a stretch of hill overlooking a river where the beauty nature could best afford blended with the complexity life had brought upon human beings. Continue reading Rock workers of the south coast
What troubles Jose Rizal Manua’s mind of late other than keeping that brain brushed up to memorize a hell of a line in theater when he is no longer physically young, despite his conviction that he still is, at least in soul? Continue reading Jose Rizal Manua plays Mas Joko
The article first appeared on Indonesia Jazz Review, 17 March 2015.
Swing Boss Jazz Band dedicated itself since it was founded in 2014 to promote Indonesian vernacular songs in a unique arrangements combining jazz and bossa nova. Given that jazz emerges from an alternative cultural expression of folk songs developed by a particular group of immigrants in the US, the seven members of the band applies similar approach in the modern Indonesia, a diverse country where they can find abundant cultural reference for their works, such as folk songs from the eastern province of Maluku, Sulawesi, to Java. The latter became the theme of their performance in Galeri Indonesia Kaya, Jakarta, on Sunday, 16 March 2015.
Popular traditional Javanese folk songs such as Rek Ayo Rek and Suwe Ora Jamu showcased their creativity to make rural culture more receptive to urban trends. As the host repeteadly uttered in the opening words, “this is the real Java jazz,” alluring to the recently held International Java Jazz Festival 2015, the biggest regular jazz event in the country, but dominated by global pop culture instead of identifying local character. Talking about local identity, exceptional 30 year-old singer Sruti Respati, also in the same spirit to increase the popularity of Indonesian folk songs among the pop-influenced Indonesian public, sang Gundul Pacul and Gambang Suling in a classic style, but in harmony with the band’s play.
Continue reading “The real Java Jazz”
Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s branch office in George Town dated back in 1928, at the decline of Qing dynasty and the rise of Nationalist movement in China, is a staggering example of Chinese heritage overseas. Continue reading Chinese Chamber of Commerce office George Town
Trekking on East Asia’s prehistoric humans site, unremitting wind whispers an exclamation of silence at Zhou Kou Dian, 50 kilometers southwest of Beijing, China. Continue reading Dawn at silent hills
Chinese ancestral temples are found scattered across the old parts of George Town. It is note-worthy that not only the municipality protects these buildings for its historical value, the Malaysian of Chinese descents also care for each of their memorial center, keeping the tradition of paying homage to the past generations. Continue reading Remember ancestors
Han Awal is fascinated by the way architecture conveys local wisdom as to what he discovered on his trip from Ise Shrine in Japan to Wae Rebo village in Flores, Indonesia. Wood material has the least durability, yet the indigeneous civilization rebuilt it, consequently forming a tradition. Continue reading Han Awal’s conservation architecture
For generations the locals named it Chicken Bone Hill or Dragon Bone Hill until Swedish archeologist Johann Gunnar Andersson discovered circa 1920s that the vast hilly terrains stored valuable evolutionary tracks dating back to Pleistocene era. Continue reading Peking Man Site
The latest data on national water consumption showed a huge supply gap between the national tap water company PAM and the private bottled water companies operating in Indonesia. PAM provided 3.2 billion litres of tap waters in 2013, whereas the bottled water sales in that year reached 20.3 billion litres. The sales number rose to 23.9 billion litres the following year. This indicates that the … Continue reading THE ESSENCE OF TAP WATER
The article first appeared on Indonesia Jazz Review, 6 March 2015.
Dutch saxophonist Benjamin Herman performed in Jakarta for the first time on 5 March 2015, in Erasmus Huis. Described as a loose, witty, and vigorous player, the free-jazz style Benjamin was one of the most productive jazz players in the Netherlands, having made a dozen solo albums and over a hundred records with all kinds of artists. Continue reading “Benjamin Herman Trio and Daniel von Piekartz Live Concert”
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