Java Jazz 2017.
Finally I'm back to this event! Woohoo!

I have bought the Saturday daily pass ticket two months prior knowing who's going to play.
Obviously, I want to watch Sri Hanuraga's performance.
And God bless, he later confirmed that he's going to play on Saturday!
Then I knew that it's going to be a perfect day.
We, my friend and I, also booked a room in a hotel nearby so we can be in JJF until drop.

On the day, somehow the train came really late.
I waited until more than half an hour before it arrives.
We went to the hotel first to check in and drop our stuffs then rush into the venue.
My friend was dropped into different venue by her grab driver so she took a long walk around.
Meanwhile, it's nearly 3:30 PM and I'm so afraid we couldn't get the best spot to watch simakDialog.
But my blessings hasn't run out yet, especially when it comes to watch Hanuraga.
I got two beanbags (yes, we watched simakDialog while laying down in beanbags! How cool is that??) and Hanuraga played piano just right in front of me.
When we came, they almost finish rehearsal.
After two minutes of introduction, simakDialog finally played their first song! Woohoo!

I noticed they are playing new compositions.
Later, Mian Tiara (Vocal, metal toys) briefly explained that those were four new songs called Gong, composed by the late Riza Arshad.
As advertised, they also invited Tohpati on stage to play This Spirit.
Just before This Spirit was played, Tiara made a speech how they dedicated that afternoon gig to the late Riza Arshad, and of course his wife, mbak Reny Arshad, who came that afternoon.
She also said that they wanted to continue his legacy.
That was one emotional and touching performance from simakDialog.
Even though I don't know mas Ija personally, I feel deeply saddened and agreed that he's gone too soon.
Lately I feel that there are only two musicians whose compositions could get straight into my heart without feeling/thinking twice: Sri Hanuraga and Riza Arshad.
Their playing are not similar, but I can tell it from a distance.
I love every single song they composed since the first time I heard it.

Afterwards, we got lost because the map didn't clearly show a stage that we want to visit.
We ran and asked around, then finally heard "Barcelona" was played from afar.
Just in time! One last song from Fariz RM trio and my fave one!

Nearly dusk, we decided to watch Amelia Ong for a bit in a bus stage and went around to get a food.
The detail story is that we had to buy BNI Tap Cash to buy food and had to miss Adinda Shalahita's performance on DeMajors stage because of that!
Even though we met earlier and said we're going to watch you. Sorry, Dinda!

Eating session was slow because of the queue.
So just after I finished my sushi (thanks, sushi kiosk for being there. You SAVED me!) we rushed to watch MLD Jazz Project.
Which I didn't think would be THAT good!
OMG seriously, it was so fun! I wish we came earlier.
Great performers and musicians.

After MLD, I had Shadow Puppets on my schedule.
I've been wanting to watch them. But on our way there, we passed mbak Mian Tiara and she told me she's heading to a certain hall to watch a young pianist with Hanuraga.
It must be Justin Kauflin!
Then I remember, how could I not put Justin Kauflin in my list?!
I'm sure I had him in my original set list.
So we changed plan, ditched Shaddow Puppets (Sorry, I promised I'll make it up!) and went to see Justin Kauflin.
He was so amazing. So talented.
After months of watching him on YouTube, I finally got to watch him live!
I even got misty eyed in the last song.

My friend wanted to watch Adra Karim, who played with Yura. But when we came in, the hall was so crowded and full of gentlemen haha.
So we left.
I'm glad because I had Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio in my schedule :P
I only started to love Hammond organ sounds for the last one year, and (again, thanks to) YouTube brought me to Dr Lonnie Smith, among other Hammond organ players.
The show was very enjoyable but not the cooling system.
We had huge cold blower blew just right to our body from the ceiling.
God, we're going to catch a cold afterwards if we stay.
So we didn't stay until the very end and left.

It's incognito time!
That was the biggest venue we visited. Of course we didn't get the best spot.
We even almost blocked by a two-meters high foreign man (who knew they did that to us) but his friend tried to humor us by saying "You don't need to see them, just feel the music!" LOL.
Incognito was so fun, but I had to leave early (and left my friend behind) because I don't want to NOT get the best spot while watching Sri Hanuraga Trio ft Dira Sugandi.

Like I told you before, I always get the best spot watching Hanuraga. That time applied too.
The second row was almost full, but the first row was mostly empty. Yay!
When I came, they were still doing rehearsal.
But it wasn't long until they started the first song, Cublak-cublak Suweng.
Then Aga invited Dira Sugandi to join them on stage, started with Kampuang Nan Jauah di Mato.
As a die hard Indonesian traditional and national songs, I really had great time singing along.
Even in Manuk Dadali, Dira hinted me to stand up (of course I shake head. Teteh!).
It was really fuuuuuun!

I wanted to stay a little longer to bet my luck if I could meet Aga and the trio (I wore their tshirt that night so it'd be great if I could be on frame with all of them at once, right?).
But my friend dragged me out haha.
She went to pee while I couldn't wait to see Chick Corea so I came in first.
Because of the sound problem (I think, because they kept testing) the show that should be started at 12:00 pulled into 12:30 AM.
But just right before they played, my friend called me, she said I had to go to back (near the entrance door) because Aga was there.
So I came to her, but what I heard was she said, "Mas Adra temen aku ada yg mau foto nih"
I confused. I saw Aga just across me, but instead of approaching him, I heard Aga called Adra, "Dra ada yg mau foto sama lo nih!"
What. WHAT?
I asked my friend, "Siapa yg mau foto sama Adra?"
"Emang lo nggak mau foto sama Adra?"
I love him, but but but Aga was just right there, looking good and all that.
But Adra was so charming.
I didn't know what to say so at first I just said, "Makasih udah follow me back"
"Ohh, awrchita ya?" *lirik2 Aga yg awkwardly playing with his eyes lol*
Then we talked, I complimented his playing, especially the JGTC night where he played with Barasuara.
I told him I'm a big fan of Tuslah. He tipped that Tuslah album is ready. Thank God!
And when I said "Pengen banget punya DVD Tuslah yg di at america deh"
He said, "Wah, nggak kebagian ya?" *he glanced at Aga* "Sebenernya bisa ya, tinggal kirim email nama, contact, alamat, gitu2 aja sih. Nanti tinggal diprint kok"
"Oh ya? Mau banget, mas!"
"Nanti kita contact2an ya"

My friend is a (NEW) fan of Adra, I told him that. But when she gave her phone to mas Heri to take our picture, he spotted that her phone's wallpaper was Gerald.
"Wallpepernya Gerald nih tapi, katanya ngefans sama Adra"
LOL busted!

Anyway, it was very pleasant to meet you, mas Adra.
I'm always a fan of your hammond organ sound anytime. But now I'm also a fan of yourself as a person.
Thank you so much for that night.

Afterwards, I gave Aga a little hand wave.
"Mas Aga..."
Then he came near. "Hello"
I wasn't so nervous after talking with Adra so I decided to compliment this guy again in person, "Serius semalem ganteng banget haha"
He laughed shyly and said thanks.
I asked about his new album.
"Belum ada rencana sih..."
"Lho bukannya materinya udah ada? Waktu itu kayaknya pernah bilang kalau materinya udah ada, cuma tinggal rilis aja"
"Ohh, iya iya, tapi sekarang lagi fokus sama yg Dira dulu sih"
"Kemarin take vocal ya? Aku liat di IG-nya teh Dira"
"Oh ya? Masa? Kapan?"
"Beberapa hari yg lalu... jam 1-an malem gitu"
"Ohh itu take vocal buat tribute to Whitney Houston"

I also asked if it was okay for me to watching him in almost every gigs. I told him if I was a creep or if he was bothered by it.
He said, "Nggak lah, malah seneng kalo ada yg nonton terus"
:')

And since we were coming to that hall to watch Chick Corea, I bid farewell to him.
Saying thank you once again.
Finally, I didn't feel so nervous around him and got to have a chat!
All the best for you mas Aga.
I will always support you for as long as I could.
See you in another time :)

I watched Chick Corea alone because my friend decided to rest her swollen feet.
But then when I whatsapped her and didn't deliver, so I panicked and left the venue.
After found her, I sat beside her and we agreed that we wanted to meet teh Dira Sugandi before we left.
I came inside the venue again and just right when teh Dira was about to leave with a friend.
I said hi, she said she recognized me earlier in Sri Hanuraga Trio show, singing along in the front row.
I told her I want to take picture but it's dark here, she kindly offer to take picture outside.
Then I called mbak Ani to join.
She said thank you for coming.
I should've told her thank you for making beautiful music.
I will let her know that one day.

So, mission's accomplished.
Our Java Jazz day is over.
I'm sad and happy at the same time.

I'm a newcomer in jazz world but I feel so welcomed.
This community is so warm and intimate.
Everyone knows each other.
Your favorite musician would thank you for coming to see them, to buy their CD's, to support them...
And like I told Cakhend once, it should be me that thank them for making such great music.
Me buying their CD's, coming to their gigs, are only my gratitude towards them.
I've never felt so welcome anywhere else.
Thank you, Jazz community.
I will see you again in another day!

Please enjoy some of videos I recorded that day.
But apologize that I didn't record it at full length.
Because, especially at Sri Hanuraga Trio's show, I had too much fun swinging along :)