T

aking a break from their daily grind, several Cabinet ministers are getting ready to croon some tunes in the prestigious Java Jazz music festival in a group they call the Elek Yo Band.

The band, whose name its members humorously derived from the Javanese phrase elek yo ben (I don’t care if it is bad), is to perform at 8 p.m. on Friday at the JIExpo Kemayoran in Central Jakarta.

“Tomorrow [Friday], our band will be reinforced by Pak Hanif, Bu Ani, Bu Retno, Pak Basuki, Pak Budi Karya, Pak Teten and me,” Triawan Munaf, head of the Creative Economy Agency, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He referred to Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and the chief of the Presidential Special Staff, Teten Masduki.

The band will also feature musician couple Endah Widiastuti and Rhesa Adityarama, better known as Endah N Rhesa.

“We are not going to play music seriously as we are not professionals. Do not expect it to be a good one. That is why it is called Elek Yo Band,” Triawan said.

“However, we also do not want to sound really bad so we are going to be backed up by professional musicians, like Endah N Rhesa.”

Triawan said the band would play three songs: “Dia” (She) by pop singer Anji, “Ku Tak Bisa Jauh” (I can’t get far from you) by rock band Slank and “Juwita Malam” (Night Lady), which was penned by Ismail Marzuki. “Juwita Malam” has been sung by various singers and in various styles, including by Slank in a rock version.

The band also prepared “Bento”, a hit by Iwan Fals.

“We have not practiced properly. So far, we only had one chance on Wednesday, despite an incomplete team,” said Triawan, adding that the practice took place at Budi’s residence and went from 9 p.m. until midnight.

“We are scheduled to practice again tonight [Thursday evening], hopefully with a full team.”

Retno was absent on Wednesday as she was accompanying Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the Kabul Peace Process Conference.

“Through this band, we want to show that we are human. We need to be relaxed or entertained. But this will not disturb our job.”

Elek Yo Band made its debut in December during the wedding party of State Secretary Pratikno’s daughter. At that time they played the same songs.

The band, which formed spontaneously during the party, drew public attention, with many event organizers afterwards trying to invite them to a number of high-level events.

“We rejected those invitations until one day Pak Budi told us that the band was invited by the Java Jazz organizer,” said Triawan. “As it is quite prestigious, [we asked] why don’t we give it a try?”

Triawan said that the band was meant purely for entertainment.

“We will let the professional musicians do the diplomacy with their music,” he said.

Separately, Budi told the Post the band had made the ministers bond, significantly helping their communications on various issues, including national policies.

“For example, when I wanted to discuss a financing issue with the finance minister, I could do it better because we could have a more fluid conversation,” said Budi, a guitarist. “We are now like brothers and sisters.”

“This, however, do not reduce our working proportion. We are committed to our job.”

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, he added, had also shown appreciation for the band.