Chrisye: Bringing the classics to a new generation

Chrisye: Bringing the classics to a new generation

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

If you have already released 20 albums spanning three decades,
what else can you give to your audience?

Surely, you have to adapt to what is happening in order to
survive. Not just survive, but compete with younger singers as
well.

So far, singer Chrisye has been able to do that. Maybe the 53-
year-old singer looks a little out of place standing among a bevy
of beautiful models in a music video. But by collaborating with
younger musicians and top directors, he has certainly been able
to put his career, which peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, back on
track.

He has always been around, still attracting an audience and
selling records. And now he is back with his 21st album, titled
Dekade, comprising Indonesian classics from each decade from the
1940s to 2000.

The record is Chrisye's attempt to pay respect to Indonesian
composers and legends like Maladi, Ismail Marzuki and Koes Plus.

"Eighteen of my 21 albums have been filled with new songs. I
think it is very selfish of me not to record classic songs. Those
songs are truly masterpieces. It's just sad that younger
generations don't even recognize them," Chrisye said during a
recent press conference.

Chrisye, whose real name is Chrismansyah Rahadi, said he has
been obsessed with making this kind of album since about 1996,
when he had the chance to sing Maladi's Di Bawah Sinar Bulan
Purnama (Under The Moonlight) during a television show.

"I thought, jeez, this song is excellent. The music, the
lyrics, the composition ... no one could make such a masterpiece
again.

"The sad thing is, when I asked my children at home (about the
song) they asked me 'What song?' Since then, I've been obsessed
with making an album of old popular songs," he said.

So he contacted his collaborator, composer/arranger/producer
Erwin Gutawa, who has handled Chrisye's past four albums and his
numerous concerts.

"Chrisye has a very diverse audience. Making this album is
like making an album for everyone, very varied yet quite
difficult.

"I tried to find an alternative approach to give off a
nostalgic vibe, using a big band. There has never been an
Indonesian singer who used a big band before, so it's kind of
new," Erwin said.

The original composers of the songs, those still alive, like
dangdut singer A. Rafiq, embraced the idea of the album.

Chrisye covered Rafiq's Pengalaman Pertama (First Experience),
which was a huge hit in 1978.

"That song is very memorable because it boosted my career and
I got a lot of money from it. As soon as I was contacted by
Chrisye, I instantly said yes. I'm sure a singer/songwriter of
his caliber can do a wonderful job remaking the song," the
dangdut icon said.

The concept of classic songs was stretched to include popular
hits from the 1970s to 2000. This resulted in an album featuring
10 songs of varied style and genre. There is keroncong (local
music with a Portuguese influence) in Ismail Marzuki's Keroncong
Pasar Gambir dan Stambul Anak Jampang, rock 'n' roll with Koes
Plus' Dara Manisku (My Sweet Girl) and dangdut.

From the more recent decades, Chrisye used Fariz R.M.'s
excellent hit from the 1980s, Sakura Dalam Pelukan (Sakura in an
Embrace), and Dewa's Kangen (Miss You), which represents the
2000s.

The latter song is a duet with actress/singer Sophia Latjuba,
which is sort of an odd choice given her flat, thin voice.

"Erwin suggested a duet, then I thought about Sophia. I've
seen her performed and I think she has a unique and distinctive
voice. It seemed that she was the most suitable choice," said
Chrisye, who also performed a duet with Sophia on A. Riyanto's
Anggrek Bulan (Moon Orchid).

The results of these duets are not bad, nor is the rest of the
album. Chrisye is even able to improve on Obbie Mesakh's Kisah
Kasih Di Sekolah (Romance at School), a major hit in the 1980s
but actually a rather cheesy pop song.

A new song is included on the album, titled Seperti Yang Kau
Minta (Like You Ask Me), written by Pongky from Jikustik, a pop
group much in demand right now.

"Pongky can be called a representative of today's generation,
as a creative and good composer," Chrisye said.

The album may sound a little similar to other Chrisye albums,
but the intention is good. At least it is a reminder to us of the
music industry in the good ol' days, when the choice was more
varied and music was of a higher quality.