Meet Stefan Thiele. The German Jazz Musician Born and CEO of double doors - one of the few places in Jakarta which hosts Jazz Nights
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So Stefan, what brought you here in Jakarta?
Back in 2000 I went to Indonesia and fell in love with this country. A few years later, I came here with a group of the Netherlands for a performance at the annual anniversary of the Queen of the Dutch community. What was conceived as a short trip became three years in Jakarta. After that, I went to Singapore and Australia before returning to Germany. After two years of being at home, I'm the opportunity to open the double doors, a new entertainment venue for live music in West Jakarta.
And where are you from? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small town in the western part of Germany, Bad Lippspringe. It is close to Bielefeld, in the middle of the country. It is very nice, with lots of nature around.
I hear you're a jazz musician and has toured internationally with well-known musicians of Europe. What was the experience?
Touring is great, you get to see new places that you normally would not see and meet people that you would not normally meet. And people come to the show because they love to see and hear you perform. You have a lot of girls in different cities and do things that are not allowed ...
This is what many people think when they hear about touring. The reality is quite different. It is also tiring. First, you sleep most nights in a hotel and a different bed. The daily routine is: Breakfast until you need to check your hotel room, hit the road, driving to the location of the next show, check into the next hotel, sound check on the place, dinner and the show. After the show, you meet people / fans, then back to the hotel, directly to bed or at the hotel bar for a nightcap. The next day is the same, and thereafter again the same. It is not as exotic as most people think. But of course, there are some great moments too, when you meet famous people or visit special places. But the most important thing is that you get with the crew and your fellow musicians, because they are the people that you treat every day. They become your family for now.
Why Jazz? What attracted you to this particular genre?
I got in touch with jazz around the age of 17, I heard a recording Oscar Peterson on the radio, the title was "Nigerian market '. I recorded on my tape recorder and played it over and over again to understand what the man was playing. Today, young musicians much easier. They are simply looking to the Internet to find the right card, even find instructional videos for a particular song on YouTube.
Shortly after I started playing in groups and one group was a jazz big band. In 1984, we went to a concert of the legendary Miles Davis and so far this concert is still among the best I've had. From that moment, my musical direction was clear.
So how many instruments can you play and where did you study music?
actively, solo piano. But I was playing a lot of instruments over the years. I started playing the accordion at the age of eight. When I was 13 I started to play the trumpet and drums. Piano came quite late in my life when I was already 15. But as soon as I started playing, it became very clear that this would be my main instrument. I also play some guitar and had a rock band where I played bass guitar, but that was only a short intermezzo.
When I'm about to high school, my classmate and musician friend asked me to join him to go to Hilversum in the Netherlands. There was a famous conservatory of music for jazz. We went there for the review of entry-level and I passed the test. In the first year we have about 100 ambitious young jazz musicians from different countries, all eager to learn more about jazz and music. Every night, we had jam sessions, talked about music, listened together, analyzed the music. As of Fame film / American series, but only focused on jazz, incredible ....
Are you running again? Want to join the programming Java Jazz this year?
I still do. At present, not as much as I did, but I think a musician who does not is like a fish without water. About Java Jazz, I do not know yet. Check the line-up for Beat West, which is the name of my current group
Definition Jazz can be a contentious issue, with some purists - like Wynton Marsalis - believe Jazz is "Blues and Swing "while others see a broader definition. Where do you stand
I'm not a purist, I see the jazz and music in general - very wide. For me, the main ingredients of jazz improvisation and interaction. This does not mean there are no rules and anything goes. Most music, including jazz, part needed. It also facilitates consumption for the listener. But again, rules are made to be broken!
What are your thoughts on the local jazz scene? In your opinion, which are the most outstanding jazz musicians in Indonesia?
Indonesia has a vibrant jazz scene with many incredible talent around. There is some time I met Joey, a nine year old boy who plays jazz as it has done for 30 years. In recent years, a large number of jazz festivals were organized in all regions of Indonesia. In my personal opinion the variety of jazz in Indonesia could be more extreme. A little less mainstream of smooth jazz and a little more edgy something good would spice up the scene.
You are also the general manager of one of the few sites that hosts jazz nights here in Jakarta. Where and how often do you have Jazz performances?
Double Doors Bar & Restaurant is located in Puri Indah, West Jakarta, opposite RS Puri Indah in ruko side of Puri Mall. As far as I know he is the only place (almost) full-time entertainment with live music in the region. Every Wednesday evening we Purijazz - the only night of jazz in West Jakarta. I play with my current group, Western beat, which is Donny Sunjoyo on bass, Sandy Winarta on drums and Nesia Ardi, probably the most talented singer of Indonesian jazz. I also welcome the jam session, the second part of Purijazz night, where I bring young and older musicians together on stage, a formula approved for good music and good fun.
The other night of the week have different genres of music, but double doors still stands for 'on stage'.
doorsDouble is also a place for good food and drinks. These days we are finalizing our new menu. On Sunday, many people come to watch major sporting events on the big screen. There are many reasons to come to DD!
Jakarta can be described as a city of extremes, what are your loves and hates when it comes to life in the Big Durian?
Macet, Banjir, mati lampu ... these are the first things that come when you ask this question. There are many things to complain about in this city. But like so many other expatriates here, I keep coming back. There is something magical about Jakarta is inexplicable. Maybe one day someone might be able to reveal the mystery of Jakarta.
Thank you Stefan! If you want to contact email gm@ddjakarta.com