NewBreeze to stand their ground<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
In a music scene saturated with bubblegum music and bedtime
\nlullabies sung by self-appointed divas, it is very hard to
\nconsistently play left-of-the-dial music and get signed by a
\nrecord label.<\/p>\n
Acid jazz band NewBreeze is one of the many musical talents
\nthat have been ignored by the country's major labels, but the
\ngroup has still labored its way out of obscurity.<\/p>\n
The eight-piece band had the last laugh on Tuesday when their
\naptly titled debut album Baru (New) was released by local label
\nPro-Sound.<\/p>\n
The group had a single released by Sony Music Indonesia as
\npart of a 2002 compilation of songs from the Jakarta Music
\nFestival. However, a deal with Sony fell into limbo when the
\nlabel reportedly declined to release the group's full album,
\nciting a lack of audience for their type of music.<\/p>\n
Formed in early 2000 by brothers Arman and Ravi, NewBreeze
\nplayed tunes from acid jazz progenitors like Incognito and Brand
\nNew Heavies, blending a percussive beat, neo-soul vocals and
\nheavy saxophones and trumpets. Their music is equally appropriate
\nfor the dance floor or the bedroom.<\/p>\n
Arman, who plays keyboards, and Ravi, who plays drums,
\ninherited their musical talent from their father Dave Gusman, a
\nrenowned pianist in the late 1960s who once formed a band with
\nIndonesian jazz legends Jack Lesmana, Olle Pattiselano and Benny
\nMustafa.<\/p>\n
In 2000, they recruited Iko to play percussion, Armstrong on
\nguitar and Gandhi on saxophone and began rehearsing. After
\nenlisting a number of friends to sing, in 2001 they featured
\nDexter and Icha in their lineup as full-time vocalists.<\/p>\n
Aware of the band's potential, Pro-Sound agreed to record and
\nmarket their debut after being given the go-ahead by Sony.<\/p>\n
"However small, there will always be a captive market for this
\nkind of music," Suseno M. Hardjo of Pro-Sound said, adding that
\nunlike Peter Pan and Sheila on 7, who sold millions of records,
\nNewBreeze only hoped to sell about 10,000 copies.<\/p>\n
Ravi said that to appeal to younger listeners, NewBreeze
\ninfused their debut album with a pop flavor.<\/p>\n
"You can hear a lot of guitar work with a rock flavor in our
\nsongs here," he said.<\/p>\n
The trick appears to have worked, as the first single from the
\nalbum, Cinta Tak Pernah Salah (Love is Never Wrong), has broken
\ninto the pop charts at several youth-oriented radio stations in
\nthe capital.<\/p>\n
However, after the release of their debut, NewBreeze will have
\nto work harder to hone their craft in the studio for their next
\nalbum and not let their live performances eclipse their recorded
\nwork.<\/p>\n
Aside from Cinta, most of the songs on Baru take a while to
\nkick in and listeners have to convince themselves that they are
\nlistening to good songs. The songs lack much-needed hooks, while
\nIcha and Dexter's back-to-back singing sometimes goes discordant
\nin between sparse sonic arrangements.<\/p>\n
NewBreeze will have to keep this in mind if they hope to top
\nthe ubiquitous Peter Pan.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/newbreeze-to-stand-their-ground-1447893297",
"image": ""
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