Nusantero Big Band Holds Debut Concert Before Java Jazz Event

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The ‘Nusantero’ Big Band, consisting of 25 Indonesian and European musicians, holds their highly anticipated debut concert, in Erasmus Huis, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

As a collaborative cultural project, the Nusantero Big Band is a people-to-people effort between the European Union (EU) and the Indonesian Government geared to improve and maintain the vitality of diplomatic relations.

“We feel very strongly that as part of our official relations, we also must do something that is people-to-people. In fact we have done a fair amount of things, but we have never had what we are going to do now,” said EU Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Piket, in Erasmus Huis, South Jakarta, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.

With 14 musicians coming from 9 European Union countries and Switzerland, and the rest being Indonesian musicians, the band was conducted by Indonesian jazz pianist and arranger, Nita Aartsen.

Although specially formed to perform at the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2020, the Nusantero Big Band put on a full two-hour maiden performance, consisting of 16 songs, divided into two acts. Similar to the naming scheme of the band, the setlist fused Nusantara and Europe in one stage.

The Nusantero Big Band, consisting of 25 Indonesian and European musicians, holds their highly anticipated debut concert, in Erasmus Huis, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

“It’s all about unity in diversity; Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. This fusion of Indonesian and Europe and of these musicians together, is really a big symbol of our unity in diversity, here in this room. So I’m happy and proud to be here,” said the Netherlands Ambassador to Indonesia, Lambert Grijns prior to introducing the band, in Erasmus Huis, on Wednesday, February 26.

The band opened their curtain, debuting Maladi’s classic tune of ‘Di Bawah Sinar Bulan Purnama’ that was lively delivered, followed by ‘Tulips van Amsterdam’ featuring vocalist Alexander (the Netherlands) serenading the crowd into a chant. Continuing on, the band emphatically performed Krzystof Komeda’s ‘Svantetic.’

The band followed up their emphatic performance with a vocal-driven rendition of Charles Trenet’s ‘La Mer,’ also known as ‘Beyond the Sea,’ led by the trio of Indonesian vocalists Arif Dharma, Yohanes Raka, and Zaky Tifano. Prior to the break, the band performed a lively arrangement of Jens Wither’s ‘Cuban Thunder,’ featuring the vigorous melodies of the brass section on top of the fastidious drumming by Martin Andersen (Denmark).

Not losing any tempo after the break, the band opened their second act with a boisterous performance of Gesang’s iconic ‘Bengawan Solo,’ starring a number of the Nusantero Big Band standing up on center stage and Matthew Sayerzs (Indonesia) performing the jazzy vocals. The band marched on their setlist, as they finally arrived in the Swedish folklore song of ‘Dear Old Stockholm’ arranged vibrantly by trumpeter Nils Janson (Sweden). Like a jazz standard, the rendition was performed to accentuate the brass and woodwind section of the band in a classically noir delivery.

Continuing on the folklore theme, the band performed the recognizable Betawi tune of ‘Jali-Jali.’ With a different approach compared to other songs in their setlist, the band set out to entertain; with Indonesian vocalist Nesia Ardi clad in a traditional red dress, performing a spirited dance with Kendang player Made Wardana enliven the festivities of the tune. With the crowd warmed up in good spirits, Toots Thielemans’ ‘Bluesette’ followed, with Rega Dauna (Indonesia) taking center stage with his commanding harmonica and Gabriel Laufer (Belgium) providing the necessary rhythm.

The Nusantero Big Band, consisting of 25 Indonesian and European musicians, holds their highly anticipated debut concert, in Erasmus Huis, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

For their final song of the night, it was none other than Ismail Marzuki’s ‘Payung Fantasi.’ A pivotal figure in Indonesian music history, Ismail Marzuki’s tunes echoed throughout the Erasmus Huis chamber masterfully. As a surprise inclusion to the audience, EU deputy ambassador to Indonesia, Charles-Michel Geurts joined the trio of vocalists on stage to close the band’s performance to a wonderfully entertained audience.

On top of the musicians mentioned, the Nusantero Big Band also consists of Helga Sedli (Hungary) on violin and Mikele Montolli (Italy) on double bass. The woodwind section also consists of Eugen Bounty (Indonesia) on clarinet and saxophone, Andreas Arianto (Indonesia) on accordion, as well as Kuba Skowronski (Poland) on tenor sax, Radovan Tariska (Slovakia) on alto sax and Sven Ziebarth (Germany) on both alto and tenor sax.

Meanwhile, the brass section of the Nusantero Big Band further includes Danilo Moccia (Switzerland), Michal Tomaszczyk (Poland), and Pablo Martinez (Spain) on trombone, as well as Gerard Kleijn (Netherlands), and Piotr Damasiewicz (Poland) on trumpet. Lastly, the band also features Brandon Julio (Indonesia) on guitar.

Nusantero will be performing in the Java Jazz Festival at Hall D2 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM on Friday, February 28, as well as at Hall D1 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, on Saturday, February 29.

DIO SUHENDA (INTERN CONTRIBUTOR/TRANSLATOR)