The Jakarta Post, March 08, 2007
Dutch jazz group defies Ambon bomb terror
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
Dutch jazz group Sio Maluku went ahead with its concert in Ambon, Maluku, on
Wednesday despite a recent bomb explosion in the city, which has been hit by
severe conflict in the past.
Despite being informed of the explosion of a homemade bomb that injured 13 people
at Ambon's Yos Sudarso Port on Saturday, the group remained enthusiastic about
performing to the city's residents. Sio Maluku consists of Maurice Rugebregt on guitar
and arrangements, Bob Wijnen on Rhodes piano, Han Slinger on double bass, Udo
Demant on drums and percussion and Norman Pattiwael on percussion and tifa. Both
Maurice and Norman are of Maluku blood, while their three colleagues are from the
Netherlands and Germany. Maurice, whose parents originated from Maluku, said that
after hearing of the recent explosion there was no intention at all to cancel the group's
trip to Ambon. "There is no problem with the bomb," he said.
Dutch jazz singer Julia Loko Lekransi, a guest star who is also of Maluku descent,
said she was initially afraid of traveling to Ambon after hearing of the explosion, but
later overcame this fear with her strong desire to perform there. "There's no reason not
to go to Ambon. I have to go there despite the bomb scare," Julia said in fluent
Bahasa Indonesia. She said she expected her performance with Sio Maluku in Ambon
to truly entertain the local people, adding that she wished to convey a message of
peace through her singing. Similarly, Bob Wujnen said he was happy to be in Ambon
and that the city's scenery made him feel relaxed. For Norman, however, this visit
constituted his first to Ambon. The percussionist, who has Saparua-Nusalaut blood in
him, said he was proud to travel to the land of his ancestry.
Playing mostly in Europe, the Sio Maluku jazz group released its first Maluku album
in 2003 entitled, Nostalgia for Mollucas. The album consists of Ambon songs and
traditional instrumental pieces, including Cade Voce (Sayang Kane), Hela-hela Rotan
e and La Pagi Hari. The performance by Sio Maluku in Ambon was made possible
with the help of Erasmus Huis and the Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta. Paul Peters,
director of Erasmus Huis, said Sio Maluku's tour presented Erasmus with its first
opportunity to be involved in an event in Maluku. He said he hoped the concert was
successful, adding that Erasmus was a cultural institution working not only for Dutch
culture, but also for Indonesian culture.
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