Community - Club

Blues music can be a choice to create a community and interact. So there it is, InaBlues, a community with with diversed members...

Bina Puri Lestari/ Photos: Nopi TNOL

THE INTERESTS of some people for the blues music have made them to form a community. They get together in the Indonesian Blues Association (InaBlues). This community was officially established on August 17, 2005.

"InaBlues contains the players, lovers, watchers and people who are interested to blues music," said InaBlues Adviser, Frank S Sunito to TNOL, on Friday night at the Hotel Dharmawangsa, Jakarta.

As the Chairman of InaBlues elected Oding Nasution and for the Secretary General, Bambang Wuryanto. During their existence, InaBlues have always had agendas of national and international scale. One of them, the Djarum Super Jakarta Blues Festival (DSJBF) which takes place every year.

InaBlues adviser, Frans S Sunito with his harmonicaIn that event, they feature musicians from home and abroad. This event attracts a lot of interest in various circles. No wonder, DSJBF has always been crowded by the blues music lovers.

Besides DSJBF, InaBlues also has other agendas. They often perform every Tuesday at Café Blackcat, Jakarta. Then every two weeks on Friday, the community gather at Bimasena Lobby Lounge, Hotel Dharmawangsa, Jakarta. "Over there, we just come together and sing," said Frank.

Audience enjoying the blues musicLast Friday night, the community carried out their routine activity. There were about hundreds of blues music lovers were present at the event. InaBlues featured two bands, the S n R and Bina Puri Lestari (BPL). BPL is a band that contains the Dharmawangsa hotel employees. They get a chance to show they skill performance in front of the blues lovers.

BPL band was playing some familiar songs like the song Falling in Love from J-Rock band, Setia from Jikustik and other songs. Also, they introduced their own song at the event, Cinta Kau dan Aku.

Audience giving applause...According to one of BPL vocalists, Agus, the song was the first time brought to the InaBlues event. Although it was the first time, their song got a warm welcome from the audience. After they appeared, the band S n R performed. They sang songs from vintage bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. When singing the songs, sometimes they oust the InaBlues officials to join playing the music.

Ekspatriates join the InabluesOne of them, InaBlues Adviser Frank S Sunito. Frank played his harmonica with full appreciations. When Frank and S n R played those songs, the audience did not hesitate to dance on the floor, both men and women. Public Relations of InaBlues, Herman Heryadi stated, the event on Friday night was divided into four sessions.

"First was the BPL to appear, then S n R. Continued with BPL and S n R again," said Herman.

In addition to the bands S n R and BPL, sometimes in such routine events, InaBlues featured expatriates musicians. They came from Chicago, Britain, Japan and other countries. Their professions also varied, ranging from embassy staffs as well as petroleum companies and others.

Goes to Campus

Sec.Gen. of InaBlues, Bambang Wuryanto (sits) dan Chairman of InaBlues, Oding NasutionTo introduce the blues music to young people, InaBlues goes to campuses. They have visited several campuses in both the capital city and in other areas. They have done this since October last year. Some campuses that they have visited were the University of Indonesia, State Islamic University, Al Azhar University and the University of Moestopo.

"We visit the campuses every month," said Sec.Gen. of InaBlues Bambang Wuryanto. At the campuses, they have given explanations about the blues music. Then, they performed. According to Wuryanto, it turned out that the college students' appreciations were very good. From the college students later on, Wuryanto continued, will generate reliable new blues musicians.

Dancing...Now, for the sake of young talents in playing the blues, InaBlues also conducted a competition titled Road to Jakarta Festival. They held the competition in four cities, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Jakarta and Surabaya.

"From the event, we can attract good bands to perform at the Blues Festival," added Chairman of InaBlues, Oding Nasution. (Subhan)