Ngayogjazz 2008 Report : A Multi Angle View From 3 Persons
A same event from three different angle, reviewed by three persons. This is a new style of report, that can bring us to see wider of how an event goes. Thanks to Titis (NOTTURNO’s manager) and two NOTTURNO personnel (Cak Hend & Masmo), they brought us to see how Ngayogjazz Festival went with all the mystical but friendly and cozy situation in deeper look. Enjoy the stories!
Version 1: TITIS WROTE:
It was the second part of Jazz Festival in Yogyakarta, called Ngayogjazz. This time it was held at Tourist site, Tembi Village, Bantul. This year the theme was “Njajazz Desa Milang Kori”, a theme that even I didn’t understand the meaning of it..
Welcome to Ngayogjazz
This Jazz Festival was surely different than other festivals ever held in Indonesia, because this time it was staged in a village, a small village to be exact, that once ruined badly by the earthquake. This village located at Bantul, outer side of Yogyakarta. Today, this village has become a tourists site.
I could never imagine how a jazz event could be placed in such a small village like this. But once I entered the venue, I only had one word came out from my mouth: “COOL!” Tembi village, magically turned out as a jazz venue with 4 main stages (Nggandem, Kothekan, Ting Celebung, Klonengan) and one small stage named Sak Munine.
Titis in front of the rundown board
The environment of this festival was unique. It was very friendly, cozy, relaxing, but also a bit mystical. Why? Because the stage where my band, NOTTURNO would play, was placed just next to a graveyard ! Can you imagine how it would be at night? 
But then again, our stage was also close to a Mosque. This was a very unique festival.
All along the event, the audience were entertained by many things. Except jazz performances on 5 stages, the venue were also full with local snacks, gifts and many more, just like a bazaar. Amazing!
One of the performers
For next year, Djaduk Ferianto, the chairman has promised to make it even bigger. It will be held in art .. and NOTTURNO will have their moment once again at Ngayogjazz 2009. See you next year!
The line up for this event were: Trie Utami, Maya Hasan, Iga Mawarni, Notturno ft Eliana Dewi and Zefa.
Version 2: Cak Hend wrote:
Eventhough I’m a javanese, I still don’t know what “Njajazz Desa Milang Kori” means. That was the theme. What I want to share is not about how each and every band performed as usual, but I want to share the theme and concept of Ngayogjazz festival.
This is how the stage looked like..cool huh?
First of all, I’m impressed with the organizers that were dare to held this event at a small village, a situation that we would never find in Jakarta or any other big cities, where the jazz event usually held. It was held at Tembi village, located at Bantul, one part of Yogyakarta that was torn by the big earthquake. (you could still see some damaged buildings as the result of the earthquake in there). At the village, they built 5 stages with different size and shape, and gave each of them a javanese name:
Panggung TING CLEBUNG
MC : Lusy Laksita & Dibyo Primus
14.30 Djimbe Merdeka & Golek Gung
15.00 The Opening , Gejok Lesung
15.30 Yovia
16.00 Zefa & Aldint Community
Panggung SAK MUNINE
17.00 Cokekan
Panggung KOTHEKAN
MC : Hendro Pleret
17.45 Jam session
19.00 Bang Bung
Panggung KLONENGAN
MC : Maya, Aldo Iwak Kebo, Sugeng Iwak Bandeng
19.00 Mata Hati Community
19.30 Bagus & Aldint Community
20.15 Notturno feat. Eliana Dewi
21.00 Hadrah
Panggung NGGANDEM
MC : Lusy Laksita & Anang Batas
21.00 Das Smoothly & Iga Mawarni
21.45 Koko Harso Feat. Maya Hasan
22.30 Living Room & Trie Utami
The rundown of every stages were different, so all the audience could enjoy every performers. Not like Java Jazz or JakJazz, where there will be 2 or 3 or even more artists perform at the same time.
Tembi Village
Oh yeah, what makes it more interesting is that there were many merchandise stands and snacks on the side of every stage, sold by the villagers. All of them were local snacks, so don’t even try to find hotdog/hamburger or caramel latte in there. What you could consume was local snacks and drinks like peanuts, crackers, fried banana or “wedang ronde” (some kind of local’s traditional drink) that could warm you while enjoying the performances.
The villagers also prepared chairs and tables for the those who would like to sit. Usually they provided it at their front yards. Sometimes they even offered coffee or tea, even snacks, and all of them were free! They were absolutely friendly and nice. For the reporters, they could do their job well, because the organizers has provided internet access on the spot.
The show began at 3 pm until 11:30 pm. We, NOTTURNO got the “Klonengan” stage. My friend Masmo was so happy about this stage, simply because it was just next to a graveyard! He said, it suited perfectly with NOTTURNO’s music. haha..
Let’s eat guys!
This festival was absolutely different than any other ones. Next year it will be all different and cooler.
Part 3: Masmo wrote:
I absolutely agree with you, bro.. not as what you’ve ever imagined before. To be honest, at first I was worried when I heard it would be held at a small village (not just a village, but a small one!) at a site that was torn by earthquake not long ago. What crossed my mind was, I felt excited because I would play in a unique event, not like JakJazz, Java Jazz, Pasar Jazz, Bali Jazz Festival, Malacca Strait Jazz etc, that always prepared like the way a jazz event should be made, but at the same time I also worried, would they be interested in our kind of style? And look at the fact. All my worries dissapeared when we came to the location. The organizers welcomed and guided us around the stages and around the village.
Notturno ft Eliana Dewi
From the very start, the environment was really friendly, nice, cozy, full with jokes, but at the same time it was also mysterious, mystical and creepy. Imagine this: when we were enjoying our moment on stage, all of a sudden, there were two giants appeared out of the darkness! It was actually “ondel-ondel” (the big doll that moves by a man inside it) dancing, following our 6/8 rhytmic from the stage. Can you get that from any other event? We also sat down and chatted with Yogya Jazz Community, Bali and Surabaya Community, Djaduk’s Padepokan Gang, and also the journalists while drinking a strong coffee, and some local snacks. All of those were free, contributed by the villagers. There were also T-shirt counters, rare CD and casettes collections, and so on.. Fantastic!
The Ondel-Ondel came out of the darkness! shocking!
Now, how was the stage felt like? Eventhough they only made it with simple stand and decoration, but still the stage sound and decorations were cool! NOTTURNO played on a stage in front of a mosque, and beside a graveyard, so while we played, there were religious students and the teachers watched our performance on their way to the mosque. (maybe even ghosts watched us… that was cool! ) Actually I was amazed by a stage that made on a fully torn house. You could still see some damaged stones, some part of the floor and a pillar. Absolutely crazy, it was a great art!
Notturno, Eliana Dewi & the manager
So… come on and see Ngayogjazz 2009, that will be made even bigger, including traditional “merry go round” that will be pushed by some men, and other cool entertainments!
Reporters: Titis, Cak Hend & Masmo
Popularity: 4% [?]
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