Semenjak setahun terakhir suka banget sama mas Aga, banyak orang yang nanya, "Kok sukanya sama musik begini sih? Ga yang easy listening aja?" atau "Kok bisa suka sama Aga, dia kan musiknya berat?"

Seringnya gue jawab, "Nggak tau deh, suka aja. Bagus kok musiknya"

Kadang-kadang gue jawab, "Iya abis dia kalo aransemen lagu daerah bagus banget. Kebetulan juga gue suka sama lagu-lagu daerah sih"

Tapi gue ga pernah jawab alasan sebenernya: Karena ga tau kenapa, musik dan aransemen mas Aga touch my heart - in a way nothing has ever done before.

Gombal ya? Terkesan gitu emang, makanya ga pernah jawab begitu. Nanti yg nanya kabur. Mas Aganya sendiri geli kali dengernya hahaha.

Tapi bener.

Waktu beberapa kali di awal gue nonton dia secara ga sengaja bahkan permainan piano dia yang mengundang gue untuk menyimak. Waktu gue lagi jalan di mall terus denger ada yg lagi jamming, suka, langsung dicari di mana dan siapa yang main. Waktu lagi nonton F1 sambil nunggu Barasuara manggung, tiba-tiba denger piano parts yang menarik dari atas panggung, langsung berhenti nonton F1 dan langsung nyimak Tuslah, yang waktu itu main sebelum Barasuara. Waktu denger radio sambil makan, tiba-tiba di radio ada yang main piano live (tanpa ada narasi, tau-tau main). Gue langsung berhenti makan dan nyimak, padahal gue belum tau kalo itu dia yang main, Waktu lagi dengerin album Amelia Ong, pas intro piano muncul, gue juga langsung nyimak dan lalu bisa nebak dengan mudah kalo itu mas Aga yang ngisi pianonya.

Permainan piano dia stole both my heart and attentions.

Ada banyak musisi yang lebih lama dan lebih gue suka dibanding dia. Tapi ga ada yang se-charming musiknya mas Aga.

Sebelum tau mas Aga juga gue biasa aja sama permainan piano. I was more a guitar person. Gue lebih suka strings instruments tadinya, karena piano, menurut gue, terlalu serius, formal, dan ga bisa diajak seneng-seneng haha.

Setiap mas Aga main piano, gue ngerasa seperti dialog tiga arah: Dia, piano, dan gue.
Di mata gue, piano bukan perantara dia untuk berdialog ke gue. Tapi justru seperti gue yang lagi mendengarkan dan menyimak dia berdialog dengan pianonya.
Kadang gue senyum-senyum sendiri, kadang gue gemes, kadang gue kasian karena pianonya lagi kayak dimarahin (soalnya mas Aga kalo pas awal-awal main itu galak!), kadang ngerasa lucu, dan kadang suka intense seperti mereka mulai membicarakan hal-hal serius sehingga gue pun jadi ikutan serius nyimaknya.

Ketika gue cuma dengerin lewat CD atau iPod pun gue tetep merasa mas Aga main di depan gue. Dengan jari-jarinya di atas tuts piano. Dengan dialog dia dan pianonya.

Gue cuma sekedar pendengar musik.
Ga ngerti mana musik bagus atau musik ga bagus.
Cuma tau mana musik yang gue suka dan ga suka.
Jadi gue gatau dan ga bisa jelasin apa yang bikin musik mas Aga so magical and touch my heart.
Tapi kurang lebih, itulah penjelasan kenapa gue suka mas Aga, kenapa gue selalu berusaha untuk hadir di setiap gigsnya mas Aga. Kenapa gue dengerin musik dia.

With every communication with him, I just want to keep letting him know that I adore and support him and will always want to listen more of his music. Hopefully he gets the message and keep playing his magic fingers until forever.

In this big mad world, letting someone you care about that you care about them is important. 
So please do, when you have a chance.

Since my Dad passed away, what I felt that I not only lost a father.
But also my mom because in the next year I had to leave the house to live with my relatives.
The new family is awesome, the best you could ask for. I can't imagine my life without them.
But it wasn't easy for a 9 year old girl who just lost her father to adapt in a totally new environment.

Before the doomsday (aka when my father passed away), I always got everything from him.
When I want a new book, new clothes, shoes, or when I want to visit some places.
Isn't that what fathers are for? A wish-granting machine? :P
But after he's gone, I lost that machine.
I also thought that God was very cruel because He took my father away, so I had to get compesation from Him.
I started to talk in my room to Him, about what I feel, what I want, and basically everything.
Since then, it becomes a habit.
Whenever I feel happy, sad, or in need of anything, I simply would say what
I feel and I trust that He hears it.

Even though it looks like a one-way conversation, I know that He listens.
And He responds too. Even though it's simply as the calming sensation that suddenly felt in my heart.
Sometimes, it takes awhile for me getting what I want, but eventually, I get them.

This has been my routine for the last 16 years.
To always tell Him what I feel.
To make a list of things that I want.
To ask Him to always make me a better person.
Because nothing that I want more in this world than become a better person.

I don't believe people who say God only gives you what you need and never gives you what you want.
He's capable of many thing.
And He loves you, more than you love Him.
He would give you what you want.
If you would just ask.

Maybe you have different religion views than me.
Or maybe you don't believe in God.
But I believe that He is there. Everywhere.
And He always does something for you everytime.
If you need it or not.

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 :)

"Kok dia jago banget sih main musiknya? Bakat deh pasti!"
"Enak ya punya otak pinter, nggak usah belajar capek-capek tapi dapet nilai bagus."
"Kerjaan dia enak ya, gitu-gitu doang tapi uangnya banyak."

Sounds familiar?
Nggak?
Kalo nggak juga nggak apa-apa.
Kalo iya... sama dong!

Nggak bisa bohong, terkadang (nggak selalu!) memang ada rasa kayak gitu.
Merasa hidup itu nggak adil banget (ya emang hidup itu nggak adil sih, makanya ada akhirat :P) tapi inget tentang ketidakadilan cuma pas kita lagi merasa tertindas aja.
Pas lagi enak mikirnya hidup itu adil hahaha.

Memang ada sebagian kecil orang yang punya kemampuan lebih di bidang tertentu. Yang ingatannya bagus, sehingga otomatis kalau mau ujian, dia tinggal mengulang sedikit aja nilainya udah 9.
Dan ada juga sebagian kecil lainnya yang merasa udah belajar semalam suntuk buat ngapalin selama seminggu tapi kok nggak masuk-masuk. Atau udah merasa bisa, tapi nilainya segitu-segitu aja.

Nggak usah bahas yang bagian itu lah.
Nanti panjang.

Bahas yang biasa aja.
Karena gue percaya, di mana ada kemauan, di situ ada jalan.
Dan kerja keras itu tidak akan pernah mengkhianati hasil.
Insya Allah.

Kenapa tiba-tiba bahas ini?

Karena minggu lalu gue ke workshop dengan Marco Steffiano dan Tesla Manaf sebagai pembicara.
Detailnya nggak perlu gue ceritain. Nanti panjang.
Intinya di situ gue dapet pelajaran simple yang berharga.
Tentang betapa kerja keras itu memang perlu.

Kata Marco, Barasuara itu latihan di studio selama dua tahun demi mencapai hasil yang mereka inginkan.
Dua tahun lho.
Gila.
Kebayang nggak punya adik atau kakak yang selama dua tahun kalo ditanya mau ke mana jawabannya, "Mau latihan ngeband."
Bahkan mungkin banyak yang baru latihan ngeband beberapa bulan udah males. Atau udah kepengen manggung. Atau mulai pecah karena satu per satu personilnya nggak dateng latihan lagi.
Belum sukses aja udah bubar, piye?
Jadi menurut gue emang Barasuara ini sekarang sedang menuai hasil latihan mereka itu,
Nggak sia-sia kan latihan dua tahun, mereka menang best live act dari Rolling Stone Indonesia di tahun 2016.

Marco juga cerita kalau Gerald Situmorang itu punya stock lagu sebanyak lebih dari 200 lagu.
Jadi lagu-lagu ciptaan Gerald yang kita denger selama ini itu cuma sebagian kecilnya aja.
Kalo kita udah nyiptain lebih dari 200 lagu sih pasti ada kan yang bagus, walaupun cuma satu.
Tapi kalo baru nyiptain 20 lagu aja tapi udah kesel karena lagunya nggak ada yang bagus, lalu kamu berhenti... duh!

Tesla juga berpendapat demikian walau di hari itu kita nggak sedang membahas tentang kerja keras sebagai tema.
Dia menyarankan, kalau mau main musik dengan bagus, kuncinya cuma latihan.
"Latihan lagu yang lo suka, sampai lo benci sama lagu itu, cinta lagi, benci lagi, cinta lagi, terus aja begitu"
Bahkan dia pernah mengarahkan suatu band yang selama beberapa waktu harus latihan dengannya selama 10-12 jam setiap harinya.
Karena dia memang sangat percaya kalau mau jadi lebih baik, kuncinya ya cuma latihan.

Kalau nggak salah gue pernah denger Hanuraga bilang kalau main piano bukanlah first nature-nya dia. Entah apa, dia nggak cerita.
Dia bisa main piano kayak sekarang itu karena latihan keras.
He has chosen piano so he works harder for it.
Bukan cuma sekedar yang merasa berbakat lalu latihan seadanya dan bisa jadi kayak dia.

Seringnya kita nggak tau, atau nggak mau tau, tentang proses di balik sebuah pencapaian.
Dan ketika sudah tau pun, nggak mau untuk berada di posisi mereka untuk menjalani proses yang sama.
Walaupun menurut gue sih salah kalo kita mau sukses seperti Agnes Monica tapi ngikutin jalannya Agnes secara identikal. Karena setiap orang-orang punya cara dan jalannya sendiri.
Choose the one which will suit you the best!

Banyak sih quotes tentang hard work yang berseliweran dan bisa dipilih yang mana yang bisa memotivasi diri kita secara optimal.

Mari berusaha (lebih) keras!