WANA WITAIS Baturraden area in Banyumas, Central Java, is again covered with fog, light drizzle, and mountain coolness. However, the romantic atmosphere did not dampen the enthusiasm of thousands of pairs of eyes that crowded the performance area to witness the return of BRI Jazz Gunung Slamet 2026.
Carrying the theme "Jazztination" which was held on June 27, this exotic event on the mountain slope also acted as the opening gong for the Gunung Series Jazz series which has now officially entered its 18th year of implementation.
Despite the heavy rain that had poured at the beginning of the event, the Jamaah Al-Jazziyah - the name for the audience - remained steadfast in front of the stage without a barrier. Armed with umbrellas and coats, they knitted intimate moments of togetherness, dissolving the distance between musicians and art connoisseurs in the cold mountain air.
BRI Jazz Gunung Slamet 2026 opened with Amelia Ong's graceful appearance. Wearing a bright red dress combined with a touch of traditional kebaya, her appearance is contrasting and in harmony with the green landscape of the Baturraden pine forest which is slowly covered by a thin fog.
Amelia played the mainstay numbers, including her own composition, "Sudah Bahagia", which was greeted warmly by the audience. Not only showing off his excellent vocal quality under the drizzle, he looked stunning through his mastery of playing the saxophone.
The show is getting more dynamic when NonaRia takes over the stage. Nesia Ardi and Nanin Wardhani performed 12 songs with a theatrical style that is their signature. Opening with the classic song "Sabda Alam" accompanied by the transition from the afternoon sky to the evening, the duo invites the audience to interactively sing songs such as "Jadi Wanita" and "Kuda", before fading through "Santai Saja" and closing the performance with "Happy Day".
The surprise came when the progressive jazz-rock trio Emptyyy rocked the stage with an aggressive distorted composition taken from their latest album.
Collaborating with Eka Annash, Emptyyy launched a collaborative song full of social satire titled "Maruk". This number is a new color that is voiced loudly on the Jazz Gunung Slamet stage this year.
The atmosphere changed again when Kevin Yosua Big 6 performed with Gracy Tamangendar. They presented a repertoire rich in harmony from the first album which contained compositions by maestro Ismail Marzuki and Iskandar.
The magical moment of the banyumasan peaked when they presented a new arrangement of the local song "Di Tepinya Sungai Serayu". The song successfully lulled the audience before closing with a mass choir action through the nostalgic song "Sepanjang Jalan Kenangan".
The indie pop band from Bandung, Mocca, was the final performer who perfected the peak night. Pouring out 13 of their signature songs that are full of nostalgia, the BRI Jazz Gunung Slamet 2026 stage turned into a warm and cheerful dance party.
In the middle of an intimate performance, the stage was noisy by a sweet surprise when thousands of spectators celebrated the birthday of the bas cutter, Toma Pratama, on stage.
The warm moment also marked a reflection of Mocca's 27-year career journey decorating the national music industry. This year's festival was climaxed by the song "Swing it, Bob!", where Mocca's personnel invited a number of spectators to get up and dance together on stage.
In line with the vision of sustainable tourism, the 2026 Gunung Slamet Jazz event is not merely a space for aesthetic music exhibitions. This festival concretely brings to life the local creative economy ecosystem by partnering with more than 15 Banyumas MSMEs in the concert area, ranging from typical culinary stands, crafts, to exclusive souvenirs.
The accommodation sector around Baturraden also reaped its own blessings. Based on the report of the organizer, the occupancy rate of hotels, guesthouses, and inns in the Baturraden area has reached full capacity since H-1 of the event.
This proves that the domino effect of the music festival event in the mountains is able to move the wheels of the local community's economy in a tangible way.
After successfully shaking the feet of Mount Slamet, the 2026 series of the BRI Gunung Jazz Series will continue its journey to East Java Province. The next exotic mountain jazz music is ready to greet you at the Jiwa Jawa Resort Bromo Amphitheater on July 24 and 25.
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