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.