JAKARTA - The second day of the myBCA International Java Jazz Festival 2026 which took place at NICE PIK 2 on Saturday, May 30, managed to present an emotional moment.
The special session titled Tribute to Eros Djarot successfully captivated thousands of pairs of eyes. This nostalgic performance was directly guided by Dwiki Dharmawan, who collaborated with a number of musicians across generations.
Before the first loud note began, the Founder of the Java Jazz Festival, Peter F. Gontha, went up on stage to give an appreciation to Eros Djarot, who is also his best friend.
In his brief speech, Peter emphasized how crucial the role of music is in weaving the nation's unity.
"Music does not look at religion, ethnicity, and national borders. Only through music can we see beauty. If you want Indonesia to progress, we must appreciate music. (That) said Eros," said Peter in front of the audience.
Peter then invited Eros Djarot to take the stage. His presence was immediately greeted with thunderous applause from the audience. Eros also expressed his amazement at the consistency of the largest jazz festival in Indonesia in bringing people together through music.
"In my experience, music is a universal language that unites. If we are here tonight, it's because of my friend, Peter Gontha," said Eros.
The excitement of the stage immediately soared when Dira Sugandi appeared as the opener. He performed the song "Serasa" which was wrapped in a new arrangement directed by Dwiki Darmawan.
The atmosphere was more emotional when Once Mekel took over the microphone to sing "Angin Malam". Once's strong vocal character managed to enchant the audience to sing along in a magical mass chorus.
The nostalgic relay was then continued by senior singer Andre Hehanusa who performed the song "Merpati Putih" with full appreciation.
No less stunning, the soloist Monita Tahalea collaborated with the Bali-based guitar maestro, Balawan. The two performed the songs "Cinta" and "Hening".
Throughout the tribute session, a row of other masterpieces by Eros Djarot such as "Rindu", "Malam Pertama", to "Selamat Jalan Kekasih" also echoed sweetly. The songs seem to confirm that the sharpness of the lyrics and the beauty of the melodies created by Eros have never faded in time.
As the climax, Once again hit the stage with the song "Pelangi" which was brought as a climax.
At the end of the performance, all the supporting musicians returned to the stage to accompany Eros Djarot. The 75-year-old man expressed his deepest gratitude and appreciation to the performers and the audience who attended.
This session also ended with a warm closing and proof that Eros Djarot's works remain alive and relevant across generations.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)