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Hawthorne dazzles in Jakarta
(JP/Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak)Thereâs no party like a party with Mayer Hawthorne on the turntables
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(JP/Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak) (JP/Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak)
(JP/Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak)
There's no party like a party with Mayer Hawthorne on the turntables.
For three continuous hours, the multi-talented, Grammy-nominated American musician entertained a sea of party-goers gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the Union café bistro at Street Gallery in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta.
'I will always remember tonight. You are the best!' he told the crowd.
The performance was Mayer's fourth in Indonesia in three trips to Jakarta and Bali. His performance last year at Union Group's Loewy bistro in Kuningan, South Jakarta, drew thousands of his fans.
Given his versatility, it comes as no surprise that the Detroit native has a strong fan base here in Indonesia.
Dubbed alternately as a soul revivalist, hip-hop artist, songwriter, music arranger, audio engineer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist and producer (all in one breath) Hawthorne clearly put a lot of thought about his fans into the music.
Hawthorne started DJ-ing when he was 16, long before his 2008 debut single, 'Just Ain't Gonna Work Out'/'When I Said Goodbye'. A year later he released his second single, 'Maybe So, Maybe No'/'I Wish It Would Rain'.
He released albums: A Strange Arrangement (2009); How Do You Do (2011) and Where Does This Door Go (2013). He got Grammy nomination for 'Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package' for How Do You Do (2013).
'Being a DJ influences everything I do. It helps gives my music-making a direction. When DJ-ing, I think about how to make people move and dance, and I use that to make better music.'
Saturday night's performance was proof positive.
Hawthorne, who always performs in a 'flashy but classy' suit, excelled in his combinations of 70's and 80's influences with New Age sounds.
He grew up with a strong foundation in hip-hop and soul music, but with a desire to incorporate other influences and develop his own sound.
Born Andrew Mayer Cohen on Feb. 2, 1979, Mayer ' who has also performed and recorded hip-hop music under the name Haircut ' has released three well-received albums and collaborated with many musicians and artists throughout his career.
Mayer said that the lack of formal vocal training made him prefer DJ-ing to singing early on, but that he now felt comfortable using his voice as an instrument.
He doesn't mind singing covers of other artists' work, but likes to do so in his own way. 'I'm trying to make it better than the original. I do my best to make it my own. I'm trying to beat them,' he explained.
His wide-ranging musical tastes have even grown to include Asian influences.
'At the airport here the other day, they played this cool music. I told my crew that it should definitely go on my next project.' Mayer was referring to the pentatonic melodies of the Javanese gamelan at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
In between gigs in Jakarta (later on Sunday afternoon he performed in Senayan, South Jakarta), Hawthorne used his spare time to explore the second-hand market on Jl. Surabaya in Central Jakarta, hunting for old Indonesian records.
He mentioned indie band Cascade from Bandung, West Java, as one of his favorite Indonesian acts.
'These guys are awesome. I want to put out their album in the US,' he said, before adding that he was still overwhelmed by a busy schedule and that the plan to set up his own company was on hold for the time being.
Now residing in Los Angeles, Mayer is currently busy prepping a tour with Jaded, Incorporated, the name of his synth-pop collaboration with the music producer, 14KT.
Their album, The Big Knock, which was released in June, showcases the chemistry of long-time friends who grew up listening to Detroit sounds, especially those of the late J. Dilla.
The music is totally different from anything Mayer and 14KT have done before, and they coined it 'beat wave'.
'I'm so excited to get it out there. Jaded, Incorporated is like the dark side of Mayer Hawthorne,' said Mayer.
As music is his life and his livelihood, Mayer said he wouldn't compromise to make music that sold well.
'I'd rather do something else. I'm still discovering myself. Once you think you have found yourself, you stop being creative. The day you stop learning is the day you start dying.'
