A simple story to share... I wrote it for my college's newsletter. Keep up giving inspiration, youngsters! :)

JAZZ SESSION, FULL OF INSPIRATION
By: Monica Darmasaputra

The piano plays the melody accompanied by the variation of bass… Young beautiful voices sing along.

Such a relaxing atmosphere yet filled with creativities and talents. That’s the illustration of how the audience, or better referred as the visitors feel in Luden Café, Den Haag every Tuesday night.

Jazz music comes with different variation nowadays, just like what we often enjoy listening from the modern pop jazz voice of Michael Buble, Al Jareau’s swing melody, or even Jammie Cullum’s unusual arrangements. These factors encourage more and more jam sessions to be held in various places and venues. One of them was started in February 2010 in a cozy Luden Café. One Tuesday night, I was lucky to interview the musicians, singers, and the visitors; as well as enjoying the good music.

Rene van Beeck, a jazz musician who graduated from Amsterdam Conservatorium, have been playing jazz for 3 years in Duinzigt before he was asked to open a jam session in Luden Café. With more than 10 years experience of organizing similar sessions in Amsterdam, he is optimistic that the session will be colorful, creative, yet gives a great atmosphere. “Luden Café has already owned a beautiful piano and the place itself is already nice! We just need to add bass and people to join the session to make it even better!” said Rene. Therefore he invited Rob van Kreeveld, who is known as a pianist master and also his teacher in the Conservatorium. “The first session was great and I was surprised that more and more young talents participate in the jam sessions since then.”

One of the young talents is Aditya Elman, an Indonesian Jazz singer. He came to Luden Café in February by his friend’s invitation and sang along in the jam session. “I love the opportunity! Jazz is like in my blood and the fact that the session is open for public makes it even better.
It started when I took the chance in a spontaneous act, now I always come back here,” Aditya admitted. The other young jazz singers were also spotted: Willem de Beer, Stephan Bouwman, and Pim Daniel Driessen. They are bestfriends who are inspired mostly by Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra. Coincidently, they met Aditya through youtube and got invited to the jam session. “It was scary at first! But then we love it! Great atmosphere where professionals and amateurs can just go with the music.” Willem shared that he is glad with the session, because he can practice and get free lessons for his audition in music academy. “I can practice and learn my mistakes, surely do improvements, before I face the true auditions.”

Between the visitors, there were Gina Bestari and Dimple spotted enjoying the music with some cups of coffee. For Gina, the session is classy yet relaxing. In her opinion, a heavy jazz session is not usually attractive for students; however, in Luden Café they succeed making it into a cross-age atmosphere. “This is just the right place to improve youngster’s talents! And also of course for public who has passions for jazz music. I can’t sing nor play instruments, but I love music. This place is just the right place to hang out, rather than going to clubs and DJs all the time.” While for Dimple, she was the first-comer who found the session similar to the small jazz cafés popular in New York. “It fits perfectly in The Hague! You don’t need to go far away to New York to get the jazz atmosphere because The Hague has the place and definitely the talents! This might be my first time, but for sure I’ll come back next week.”

So for you who love music or just seeking for a relaxing atmosphere yet full of inspiration, maybe you should visit Luden Café every Tuesday night. A great place for musicians, music lovers, and of course conservatorium students. “We love to swing, we love the young people’s inspirations, and we’d love to welcome even more visitors! Come and bring along your passions.”