If our regular event were a book, we are giving our best effort to make each chapter as interesting as possible. We always want it to be a fun playground for both playing musicians and audience, something that can entertain and give benefit in any ways. The stage can always be a try out place, training ground or a chance to introduce the band and concept, also a spot to meet new people who share the same passion, to exchange ideas or even to create something together. We believe it could push the jazz regeneration much forward, which stands as the redline that binds the whole chapters.
Our currently running regular event is Braga Jazz Night (previously called Braga Jazz Walk). This event has been existing for more than 3 years and has featured hundreds of bands and plenty of variations.
As we are approaching the third week of October, the BRAGA JAZZ NIGHT #40 is right around the corner, scheduled for Thursday, 19 October 2017 at Braga CityWalk starting from 7:00 pm until 10:00 pm. As usual, this event is provided totally FREE of any charge. All you have to do is come and enjoy it.
For this 40th edition we invited 4 bands, consiting of youngsters with different styles. There will be three new bands adding their signature on this event for the very first time, and the return of a very young girl, still 11 year-old but play and compose jazz songs like someone double or even triple her age. Three of them are from Bandung and one from Jakarta. Now let’s take a closer look at them one by one.
Let’s begin with a trio from Jakarta, the J/E/G TRIO. This is a trio consisting of young musicians who share the same passion in digging Swing and Brazilian: Joshua Alexander (bass), Ersandy Nasharizky (tenor sax) and Gearda Dewantara (guitar). As you can see, the name J/E/G is made from their name. They met at the famous jazz community in Depok, the Margo Friday Jazz and locked in the jam session quite often. From that frequent jamming and since they share the same vision, these three musicians decided to build a band. Hence, the J/E/G Trio was born.
According to Ersandy, he has been following senior saxophonist Arief Setiadi for around a year. “I’m heavily influenced by him and his group with Oele Pattisselano, Jeffrey Tahalele and Nial DJuliarso”, he says. Meanwhile, Gearda is the student of a solid jazz guitarist Tiyo Alibasjah. So the group also has Tiyo as their mentor. And, every week the band is being monitored and mentored by the jazz legend with more than 50 years of career, Benny Likumahuwa.
So, Joshua, Ersandy and Gearda draw influences from and mentored by the likes of Benny Likumahuwa, Arief Setiadi, Jeffrey Tahalele, Tiyo Alibasjah and Nial Djuliarso. These mentors have some things in common: they are all heavily experienced and the type of musicians who don’t like to show-off, instead they are playing with heart or based on ‘feel’. Because of that, we expect to see a trio giving up a heartfelt performance. There’s no doubt that these three musicians from the new generation have skills, but we know that they will play by using their heart with solid chemistry and harmony to one another. J/E/G Trio is going to mark their debut on Braga Jazz Night, can’t wait for that.
Next, let’s take a scoop of a new sensation, NEW BLOOD. How can a new group be called a sensation, you might wonder? Well, it’s because every member found inside this group are highly gifted, possessed with skill and passion the way they have been showing with each of their bands. This band is like a league of heroes from the young generation, where each of them can become the leader of the band.
This band was formed by Hari Pochang to play at the TP Jazz. Look at who’s inside the New Blood. There is Anjuan Julio, a genius on guitar who span his territories from swing to fusion (jazz/rock), like what he’s doing with his band, AFA Trio and Restoration Project. There is Jason Limanjaya, a fine, expressive jazz keyboardist with tasty chord progressions and improvisations, also great in arranging/composing. He is currently existed as one of the Nayra Dharma Group. Then, there’s Ezra Manuhutu, the son of Venche Manuhutu (senior guitarist/teacher, owner of VMS) on bass who is enjoying a good run with the New Equinox. The drummer Sugih Achmad Gumilang is a member of Mahagaza, a pop jazz/groove band with successful single, “Mengenalmu”. On saxophone is a phenomenal young boy, Philip Manfred. He earns the right to be called phenomenal since in just a very short of time after he debuted at this event, he has shared the spotlight with top stars like Tulus and Isyana Sarasvati. What we admire from him is that after all these huge chances, he remains humble. Nothing’s change with him, and it’s great to see that he is still active in building his career with friends.
While Jazz Fusion is said to be their thing, the ability of these young guns to funk and improvise is unquestionable. The name is well chosen: a new blood to the jazz scene, an invigorating force consisting of young wizs that we’d like to keep our eyes on.
What would you have in mind when you hear hedgehog? Is it a cute animal with coat of stiff, sharp spines that will curl into a prickly ball when feeling threatened? Or, maybe the fastest thing alive named Sonic which became one of the most famous video game franchise by Sega? For whatever reason, there’s a band interested in it and use that as their name. Allow us to introduce to you a jazz quartet called THE HEDGEHOG.
This band came to life when Rinomulat Sembhada wished to have a groove and funk band that he had never done before. He asked guitarist Mikhael Martin, former ITJazz (now called ITB Jazz, an official students’ activity unit in Institute Technology of Bandung) to join in. They both share the same taste, listening to John Scofield’s Überjam Band, MMW (Medeski Martin and Wood) also the famous old school funk band Lettuce. These bands have inspired them so much and then used to be the core model. To guard the base, they invited experienced bassist Leo Hansen in, and on keyboard is Ditra Prasista (of Blue Ocean Project), a musician rooted in bop. All of these process happened in 2016.
The band is already one year old, but so far they haven’t got enough chance to appear in public. So when we heard about this band from Mikhael, we quickly signed them in. We have listened to their samples, The Hedgehog does have venomous funk bites. Mostly cored around fusion/avant funk, hardbop/soulbop and everything in between, their music is infectious and addictive. Having quite caliber of musicians inside this band is guaranteed to give satisfaction to all funky people out there.
Around 2 years ago in this event (12th edition to be exact), a little girl approached us during the performances. “Uncle, I’m Nadine. Can I join the jam session?” she said politely. We were surprised, but directly granted her wishes. She sat behind the keys and made us fell in love with her instantly. We directly invited her to have her as one of the highlight for the next edition, and then the rest is history. From solo to trio and other format, she rose fast inside the jazz square circle. From the proud student of Yahya Salam to Imam Pras, she then got the chance to learn from the one and only Indra Lesmana in Bali. There in Bali, not only she’s mentored by this jazz icon, she gained a lot of opportunities too by playing alongside Sandy Winarta, Indra Gupta and Kevin Suwandhi. Oh yeah, she has graced the Java Jazz Festival 2017 too with her band, The BFG. What’s amazing is, she didn’t just performed at this biggest jazz festival in the world, she had the chance to jam with international superstars too, including trumpeter Maurice Brown.
Isn’t she amazing? That story above took place starting at the age of 8. Now she is 11 year-old, still at tender age, not even a teen just yet, but she has had quite illustrious experience. We haven’t seen her much around since last January when she played as The BFG, but now we are happy to welcome her back! She is Nadine Adrianna, and her band she brings for this event is NADINE ADRIANNA TRIO.
We have seen this trio at Klab Jazz’s event last October 2016. Joining her in the trio at that time was Jere Fernando (bass) and Shallom Tangki (drum). It was such a solid performance that we still remember crystal clear even until now. We planned to invite her then, but she joined the BFG and aimed for Java Jazz Festival, so we brought that formation as a warming up beforehand. Now, since this trio is still existed, finally we got the chance to bring it in. Nadine Adrianna Trio with Jere and Shallom is ready to show you that they are not only great in swinging but can also compose beautiful original compositions. We are happy and excited to welcome her back.
Once again, this event is coming soon on Thursday, 19 October 2017 at Braga CityWalk, starting from 7:00 pm til drop. This event is totally FREE of any charge. Come, support our jazz community and the bands if you wish to see the regeneration and development of jazz in Bandung and if you want to enjoy assorted jazz delights.
BRAGA JAZZ NIGHT #40
Date: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Time: 07:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Braga CityWalk
Jl. Braga 99 – 101 Bandung
FREE EVENT!
Featuring:
:: J/E/G TRIO :: (Jakarta)
Joshua Alexander (bass)
Ersandy Nasharizky (tenor sax)
Gearda Dewantara (guitar)
:: NEW BLOOD ::
Anjuan Julio (guitar)
Jason Limanjaya (piano)
Philip Manfred Pincencia (saxophone)
Ezra Manuhutu (bass)
Sugih Gumilang (drum)
:: THE HEDGEHOG ::
Mikhael Martin (guitar)
Rinomulat Sembhada (drum)
Leo Hansen (bass)
Ditra Prasista (keyboard)
:: NADINE ADRIANNA TRIO ::
Nadine Adrianna (piano)
Jere Fernando (bass)
Shallom Tangki (drum)