Press Gathering MALACCA STRAIT JAZZ Festival 2008...

Unexpected rain and strong wind were not an obstacle for pers and performers to attend Press-Gathering Malacca Strait JAZZ-GREEN Festival 2008, at Black Cat jazz super club, Arcadia-Plaza Senayan, Friday, Februari 8th, 2008.

No words but thank you to some friends for any supports and appreciations that motivated us in organizing this following festival on this June.

It is a good start for us. We hope that we will make it.

Riau Jazz Turbulence Foundation supported by Province Riau’s Government, along with Jakarta-Representative MSJ-GF were proud for it that most of participants came to the Press-Gathering last Friday.

We also would like to give special thanks to GRACE EMERALD who helped us being a host, and to FRANS SARTONO who was being a moderator.

Also we would like to thanks to some performers: Zefa (long journey from Bandung with his/her father), Sherly'O (just arrived from Bali, took drive straightly to Black Cat!), Witsqa (along with supporting-team), Zarro, Canzo (full-team), Riza Arshad of simakDialog (came first, straightly from mosque before it rained), Barry Likumahuwa (came before his manager, Raymond), and so includes Hendri Lamiri, Rieka Roslan and Phillipe Ciminato. Old fellow who came from Australia (long-distance), Tommee, was very excited to participate on this festival. He even designs a new concept with his group, a “cross-cultures” concept. Can’t imagine? You’ve got yourself to wait, pals!

The gathering that afternoon was going well, some correspondents also gave comments and suggestions except questions.

Gist of the matter on that gathering was the greenness of festival’s theme is coherence or aim at the greenness in mind’s set, behavior, attitude, and feeling of our community. It is not set to any target market or to be sold to any people, because it is free show, and any body is allowed to see. The greenness of most participants is not really matter, instead we will see the “dense and fertile” of their competence. Even we called these new comers are green, on this festival they will get a chance to play on the same stage where some famous musicians also perform.

Who are they? We will not say it now, and it includes the names of some foreign jazz musicians.

Here we have belief that there are many jazz musicians spreading in our country, possibly from Kalimantan, Sulawesi, or Papua. Can we believe that? We expect that in the near future they show up to perform their talents. We are really in the big hope finding them soon.....(anybody who notice may call us via email).

Back to the gathering, GELIGA full with Eri Bob (leader), Arman Rambah (akordeon), Ryan (bass), Franky (drums), Mat Rock (traditional percussions: Bebano, Rebana, Djembe), Yusman (saxophone) and Siska as vocalist performed. They played Rona Merona featuring Hendri Lamiri. And on the last song, they played Tanjung Katung featuring Rieka Roslan and Phillipe Ciminato, and the situation got hotter.

And so the performance got applause. It was a happy start. Thank you again to all participants who gave contribution and took a part on this gathering, includes Black Cat jazz super club.

See you on Pekanbaru.....
/dM