Djaduk: A musician of endless fancy<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Perhaps the Javanese proverb \"Lots of children bring good
\nfortune\" fits artist Djaduk Ferianto, 38, although for him it
\nmight read better as lots of children motivate one's creativity.<\/p>\n
Djaduk's close friends usually tease him about the proverb
\nbecause he receives a lot of work and needs an unlimited source
\nof creativity.<\/p>\n
It seems his creativity has developed along with his
\ninvolvement in numerous art activities, which have catapulted him
\nto celebrity status.<\/p>\n
Over the past two months, he has collaborated with Indian,
\nMalaysian and Japanese musicians. Locally, he has performed
\nseveral times under a different pseudonym: Kua Etnika, Sinten
\nRemen Orchestra or the Gandrik Theatrical Group.<\/p>\n
\"My friends may say that more children make you more creative.
\nWell, there is some truth to this statement. It is true that I've
\ngotten my ideas from my children and family,\" said Djaduk, whose
\naspirations are reflected in the names given to his children.<\/p>\n
Djaduk, the son of noted artist Bagong Kussudiardja, has five
\nchildren: I Gusti Arirang, 9, K. Ratu Hening, 7, G. Presiden Dewa
\nGana, 5, K. Rani Nyari Bunyi, 3, and E. Rajane Tetabuhan, who is
\nsix-month-old.<\/p>\n
Djaduk not only gets a lot of ideas from his children, but
\nalso a fair amount of criticism. \"One night I performed on RCTI
\nand the next morning one of my children told me that I had made a
\nlot of mistakes in my performance. Then when they watched the
\nperformance of Mas Tom (with the Gandrik Theatrical Group), they
\ncommented right away that the performance was tiring,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, he is enjoying his success after a long hard journey
\nas an artist. Djaduk grew up in an art community, Bagong
\nKussudiardja Art Camp and Dance Rehearsal Center, so one can say
\nthat art runs in his blood.<\/p>\n
He became involved in music when he was at Taman Siswa junior
\nhigh school. It was 1978 and his friends at the Indonesian Fine
\nArts School (SSRI) of Yogyakarta asked him to join their
\nperformance.<\/p>\n
\"When I joined the performance, I played a small drum. Some of
\nmy SSRI friends asked me to set up a music group. We did and
\ncalled it Klenengan. At that time, we were drawn to the Bengkel
\nTeater (Theatrical Workshop), an arts center in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Bengkel Teater had a famous music group, the Kelompok Musik
\nKampungan (Group of Country Bumpkins' Music), led by Bram
\nMahanekum. Its members included Sawung Jabo and Bujel Dipuro, who
\nhave since joined Eksotika Karmawibhangga, and Sujiwo Tejo.\"<\/p>\n
Kelompok Musik Kampungan had a great influence on Yogyakarta.
\nTheir verses and metaphors were written by playwright Rendra.<\/p>\n
\"Just like other music groups, Kelenengan also referred to
\nthis Kampungan group,\" said Djaduk, who can play many musical
\ninstruments.<\/p>\n
They went on to set up another music group, Rheze, with
\nstudents from the Santa Maria senior high school as the singers.
\nIt became one of the finalists at the All Central Java --
\nYogyakarta Acoustic Music Contest.<\/p>\n
\"This achievement built up my confidence, which got better in
\n1970 when we won first place in a humorous music festival.
\n\"Unfortunately, Rheze broke up shortly afterwards and we set up
\nMusik Kreatif, which later developed into Kelompok Musik
\nWatatitha.\"<\/p>\n
By the time he left all these bands, Djaduk had become an
\naccomplished musician.<\/p>\n
He studied at the Indonesian Fine Arts Academy (ASRI) of
\nYogyakarta, but he became more intensively involved with music.
\nAt ASRI, he met Bujel Dipuro and other more senior musicians. He
\nwas a member of ASRI's dangdut music group called Sukar Maju
\n(It's Hard to Advance).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, off campus, Djaduk continued to develop his talent.
\nAfter joining Watatitha, Djaduk's popularity continued to soar on
\nthe music stage, either appearing alone or in a group.<\/p>\n
He worked as the music arranger on several dance repertoires
\nby his father between 1980 and 1993. Then in 1985 he joined the
\nGandrik Theatrical Group as its music arranger. He also took part
\nin several poetry reading events with Emha Ainun Nadjib. To date,
\nthere are hundreds of musical pieces that are either arranged by
\nhim or in collaboration with Indonesian or foreign musicians.<\/p>\n
He also arranges music for the cinema and made-for-TV movies,
\nsuch as Mr Selatiban's Cat, Dangdut Tale and Even The Moon Shuts
\nIts Eyes by Dedi Setiadi, Parade by Teguh Karya, Urban Clowns by
\nUcik Supra, Cemeng 2005 by N. Riantiarno, Soero Buldog and
\nTelegram by Slamet Rahardjo, Counting the Days by Enison Sinaro,
\nKancil's Story and Leaf on a Pillow by Garin Nugroho.<\/p>\n
By the way, he never finished his college studies.<\/p>\n
Djaduk's creative work is in high demand because of the rising
\nnumber of private TV stations in Indonesia and also because he is
\ninvolved in his Kua Etnika Community.<\/p>\n
\"Creativity and ideas are the heart of this group. You can say
\nthat my ideas and my exploration are the result of communal
\ncreativity. When we get together or rehearse together, creativity
\ncomes to the surface and we creatively reinforce one another,\"
\nsaid Djaduk, who was awarded the Creative Musician title in 1995
\nfrom the Association of Indonesian Journalists' (PWI) Yogyakarta
\nchapter.<\/p>\n
\"This doesn't mean that I have never contemplated or reflected
\non an idea alone. Almost every morning in my bathroom, while
\nreading the newspaper, I think back about what I did the day
\nbefore. While I'm sitting on the toilet, I am composing my
\nmusical arrangement. That's why I'm usually in the bathroom for
\nhours. It's part of my daily routine,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Properly nurtured art creativity, said Djaduk, is as
\ninseparable as is his closeness with his elder brother, Butet
\nKartaredjasa. \"Butet is more a close friend to me than an elder
\nbrother. There is no distance between us. We help each other
\neither in terms of work or art exploration,\" he noted.<\/p>\n
His experiences in life have also become a source of
\ninspiration for him. He delves deeply into ethnic music while he
\nadopts a modern approach and what he comes up with is reflected
\nin his compositions. He is trying to revive ethnic music by
\nintroducing a different approach and interpretation.<\/p>\n
Djaduk and his groups -- Kua Etnika and Sinten Remen Orchestra
\n-- try to incorporate traditional music with a modern touch, but
\nwithout losing that traditional spirit.<\/p>\n
It is his intensely creative exploration of traditional
\nsources that has become the foundation for his music. As a music
\narranger, he has never run out of ideas or creativity because he
\ncontinues to support the communities around him so that he will
\nhave an inexhaustible supply of ideas.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, if he runs out of ideas some day, he will have
\nanother child and name him Rajane Music (King of Music).<\/p>",
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