Off the street (corner), Cozy gets groovy on stage<\/p>\n
By Danielle Bray<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Intensely humid weather and a swarm of
\nmosquitoes did not deter a crowd from forming on the hill behind
\nthe Aikon office in Kemang, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A dedicated fan base gathered on July 18 for the rerelease
\ncelebration of Cozy, the first album produced by local band Cozy
\nStreet Corner. The band, comprising three friends in their mid
\ntwenties from Bogor in West Java, were the stars of their own
\nbackyard party.<\/p>\n
The band's name is derived from their past jamming stage, a
\nstreet corner in their local neighborhood. They attended the same
\nhigh school and have been playing together since 1997. The boys
\nlived on campus during their high school years, and found it
\ndifficult to find the right place to practice. They decided to
\ntake their music to the street corner, where they played from 8
\np.m. until 4 a.m. almost daily.<\/p>\n
Individually, the band members have diverse influences.
\nTogether, they mesh a sound that complements each other's tastes
\nand ability. They attribute their unique collaboration to the
\ninfluences of The Beatles, Bach, Dave Matthews Band and Deep
\nPurple to name a few. This is a definite mixture of musical
\ntastes that they successfully elaborate into their own style.<\/p>\n
\"Because of our different influences, our writing ability is
\nstrengthened. We are all working toward the same goal,\" said bass
\nplayer Adoy.<\/p>\n
They initially released Cozy under their own independent
\nlabel. With minimal resources and funds, they were searching for
\na larger company to represent the band and help it grow. They
\ngained the sponsorship of PT Sutera Indomusik, and rearranged
\ntheir existing songs, added a couple of tracks, to rerelease a
\nnew, well-planned album of the same name. The outcome proved a
\nsuccess, with their music creating an easy-listening atmosphere.<\/p>\n
The band took breaks between songs at the release party to
\nanswer questions from the audience. They briefly discussed their
\nbeginnings, influences and hopes. Through such a personal touch,
\nit was apparent they were eager to create a unique voice in the
\nIndonesian music scene.<\/p>\n
Cozy Street Corner mixes both western and traditional
\ninfluences on their album. Of the six songs on the demo tape, one
\nis in English and the remainder in Indonesian. A traditional set
\nof drums is used to accompany half the songs, giving them an
\nAsian flavor. The other half has a distinct modern folk sound.<\/p>\n
The band does not want to limit itself to a particular genre
\nor musical style. Vocalist and guitarist Kris stated, \"We are
\ntrying to promote the feeling of a street corner band with no
\nclassifications ... we want the audience to interpret our music
\nin their own way\".<\/p>\n
One of the tracks, Hutan Hujan (Rain Forest), was written to
\npromote conservation awareness in Indonesia. The song is
\naccompanied by a set of traditional drums played by occasional
\nband member, Agus. Kris belts out meaningful lyrics, while
\nguitarist Boby whistles into the microphone and Adoy plays back-
\nup guitar.<\/p>\n
Cozy Street Corner promotes harmony and awareness, with its
\nmembers boasting they are completely drug-free. \"We drink lots of
\ncoffee and tea though, lots of it,\" Boby chuckled. The closeness
\nof the band members is apparent in their music, their onstage
\ndemeanor and personal conversation.<\/p>\n
The band has become Internet savvy, with a few of their tracks
\nonline. Being on the worldwide web promotes their music to
\nIndonesians and other nationalities alike. The only drawback is
\nthe site is written in Indonesian, which limits the number of
\nforeign fans who can understand what is said. However, it gives
\ndetails of their upcoming performances and promotes feedback.
\nThose interested should surf on over to www.cozystreetcorner.com
\nand take a look.<\/p>",
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