I was not into Al in years, then in 1988, I found his album on a cassette ‘Heart’s Horizon’ when I was on my own at Jakarta, and started playing on my stereo. You could not be bored with his varied improvisation and rythmic soul voice, either you were taking your breakfast with a cheap baked bread with margarine & sugar or warming yourself with instant noodle home-boy-made, it’s really bright you up.

As my interest in Jazz deepen, I started collected his albums, and one of the album is live show combined recording studio in VHS format “Tenderness” really reflecting his genuinely quality voice. Quiet contrary with all recorded album, I found it smooth, great mastering, and some orchestra added. This album is full of scatting, brass [David Sanborn playful sax] and my favorite Elton John’s “your song’.

‘Morning’ became a single hit the radio from album Jarreau, I felt as I heard it played last week on Hard Rock 87.6FM his richiest improvising vocal while on my way to the office. It’s good to have a library disc and put in random, so I am not listening to one album, jump from one to another that take me to strange nuisance far from jazz [high crime], but then Take Five and all songs in We Got by, gives me a wide ranges of dimension of jazz. Too bad, I drive only 30 minutes or less from home, then November still have 30 days to come.

I missed both of his performances in Jakarta though, you know “money talked’ here. I still get a chance to watch in DVD [big grin for self pity]. On several occasion his copy cat Johan Untung, one of Flash Band local singer, frequently sings “Spain” when he was performing at Friday Jazz Night with Ireng Maulana & Friend in Pasar Festival, Jakarta.

Well, compared to his discography [http://www.aljarreau.com/discography/], at least I had 8 albums out of his 18s, including “Giving It Up” duet album with George Benson. Here the list of his albums that I will rewind during the month of November 2007 for my leisure meter, are as follows: We got by; This Time; Heaven and Earth; “Givin’ It Up”; Jarreau; Tenderness; High Crime.

I forgot to tell you, how ‘Since I fell for you”, a song he contributes to sing in Bob James & David Sanbord ‘Double Vision, orchestras my saddest time of life when I fell and broke in love for very short time.

However, I am not considered myself as a fan of Al Jarreau, than enjoying his album all and all. And I use “ordinary people from current album “Giving it Up’ for my ring-back-tone for my mobile

the RELIGIUS THINGS.
Rehearsing the Ramadhan.

Reading the holy Qur’an to complete, I put it as first priority since Ramadhan just passed, and I want to embrace the spirit of how we did our Ibadah in that month.
1 hour, Every Morning. Plus a book about Penyembahan dan Penyerahan diri, and feel the magic of it

Apologizing for the sinful youth, and any wrong doing to the Mighty Allah [S], by fasting sunnah, and nightly pray. On Every other night.

______________________________________________________________________

the MUSIC
Listening to Al Jarrau

Rainy season is coming heavy in November, listening “Giving it Up” , the new duet album George Benson & Al Jarreau will heat up the atmosphere. 1 hour.

Brighting the day, since no more maid is coming back after the Iedhul Mubarak. Doing home duties will be enjoyable by background music of my 7 CD albums collection of Al and one VHS ‘Tenderness. Later I will post my review on it.
EVERY MORNING.

the SHOW
Attending 9th JakJazz Festival, 2007, 23-25 November.
Indoor Outdoor Istora Stadium.

the news is spreading who’s coming in, and Dave Grusin probably one the hottie, maybe the oldies Kool & the Gang. 3 days.

Finding CD’s related to GRP Productions ignates the brain preparation to the atmosphere of modern Jazz. Sunday Morning.

_______________________________________________________________________

Week-End Film
MATT DAMON, A challenge Bond.

Watching The Good Shepard, and Bourne Trilogy, thriller about a paranoid CIA Operations, staring Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Matt Damon. While the latter regarding an amnesia CIA agent, who tries to recall his memory, but still got a reflex trained soldier, some are show in rough way, a good alternate of Bond. 5 hours back to back.

Realizing the importance of identity in this messy world, and how to retain and gain the strongest one should be. 3 minutes.

________________________________________________________________________

Framing The Family Tree, silaturahim always good, at least to introduce our children to their ralatives, even their ancestor, then put their pictures on the wall. On Week-end.

____________________________________________________________________

the COFFEE SEEKER
Enjoying Tanzania Coffee.

My friend brought me a souvenirs of coffee back from her business trip to Tanzania on sanitation programs. There are two can of them, AfriCafe, and TanCafe, all strong, acid Arabic’s black coffee.Plus one from the parcel luckydraw, a local canned coffee BuenoCafe. All sum up to 950 grams that’s enough for the month.
On every afternoon.

C’est la vie, the bean is reap in down the high mountain village where poverty and slavery is detachable from bitter taste.

Two days ago I sent an e-mail to a young friend about 30 years old, to advice about his career, and then I was referring to mine. At the end of forty, was it relevant to think about self career? At least, considering the future job when I am retired. When will it be?

Back years, my career path is grown horizontally after reached to the Chief Financial Officer, and jumped from one to another company with different type of business. I should be grateful to God, for anywhere I landed, I got a cozy position. But sometimes a cozy could spoiled you, and then I decided to resign [high motivated, over confident, as if I was capable to managed business]. Very naive to simplify rule of business, and I was on my own.

Well it was not a sudden decision. I have been moonlighting for a while to start a small Waroeng. When I am fully handled the business, it grew very impressive, soon my small Waroeng | restaurant moved to a leased outlet in a mall, and became 3 outlet in two years. The key is good food, big portion and affordable for office employees, since I  did not have background in culinary, or food industry, I just made my customer happy. Then I focus to another business [Event Organizer], and handed the management to my wife, the business still run well.

And problems began to raise,am ready to face the second stages of growth where we faced a crisis on managerial control, and gradually dies……

I am back to professional job, and two weeks ago I tried to apply abroad though the internet [www.seek.com.au], whooa the requirement are very formal, I should have be CA/CPA [certified accountant| public accountant] which I was not interested. I also considered to get an MBA, but is it worth doing?

Yesterday, I met my former staff who asked me to join his project in property development, well I should thinking over. Could this be my future career? The fact is my kids has grown up now and consequently they need a lot of bucks, I must work harder but it should be work worth doing as quoted above, so I am feeling rewarded not only obligation .

To have a choice is luxury..

I know it will takes some times and money to succeed in implementing this mission, I am quiet optimistic with hope that my intention is blessed by Allah SWT, for the way to get closer to HIM and for the sake to pursue what was my understanding of holy Qur’an and Sunnah. And I write this down not to show up what I am doing but hoping you may have some thoughts to help me out.

Lately, I saw my neighborhood is suffered with the increased price of rice for the last two weeks. They queued in a store to buy the lowest quality rice with a price of good rice in 2-3 months ago. How can we closed our eyes pretending not seeing the expression and the way their hands keep counting their money with a question: how much I get with my money?

Case when heavy rain turns Jakarta into man-[fault of]-made-lake a week a go. All I do just pray how fortunate we are far from the flooding, what about people who suffered from this? Three miserable days over Jakarta, I do had a chance to help 100 people who stranded in office building where I work at by providing them with kitchen equipment and tent, while my boss permitted them to stay and overnight with support of meal and drinks.

In this earliest time I would like to grateful to our a new acquainted family who support to realize my mission. Whatever you have in mind, please do post a thing or two, maybe you can contribute how programs should work, or directions so I have more courage to pursue my commitment to help them.

Thanks.