Chrisye: Letting the music move him ... sort of

Chrisye: Letting the music move him ... sort of

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Chrisye has not silently accepted the criticism that his stage
act is wooden and lacks excitement.

What really counts for a singer, he said in an interview in
this publication last year, is not the frills, but the music.

"We have to teach the audience that what matters more is the
music," he said. "In Europe and the United States, the audience
appreciation of music is high so that they don't really care
about the performance."

"Many criticize me, saying that I have to dance and stuff ...
I just can't. It's not me. I tried once in the 1980s, using
choreography and stuff. It was real torture!"

But in his most recent concert last week, Chrisye seemed to
have decided to give it a shot at last.

He moved about on stage, he did twists, he pointed his fingers
up and down like John Travolta gone bad -- but all were done with
his usual rigid gestures.

He greeted the audience with, "Are you ready to dance? Are you
ready to sing? I'm going to be all funky tonight!" At other
times, he said, "Hey, look here, look at me!" before dancing like
mad, generating laughter from some in the audience of 3,500.

The result was more hilarious than spellbinding, but it was
still surprisingly entertaining.

Here is a man who has survived three decades in the music
industry by sticking to his formula for success: the ability to
evolve, albeit on his own terms.

And if it took making a fool of himself on stage in order to
change with the times, then so be it.

The effort paid off.

Despite some flaws in the concert, mostly with dancers (too
many, and some, embarrassingly, fell on stage), it was enjoyable.
Either performing solo or duets with a series of guest
performers, Chrisye's voice remains clear and pleasant.

And he was able to communicate with the audience in the real
sense, walking down from the stage to greet them or asking them
to sing along.

In line with his latest album Dekade released late last year,
the concert offered a kaleidoscope of the Indonesian music
industry.

The album comprises Indonesian classics from each decade since
the 1940s, including many popular hits from the 1970s to 2000,
plus a new song written by in-demand songwriter Pongky from
Jikustik band.

The record is Chrisye's homage 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'd be very selfish of me not to record classic songs
while they are truly masterpieces. It's just sad that younger
generations don't even recognize them," Chrisye said once.

Backed by longtime collaborator musician-producer Erwin Gutawa
and 85 musicians, including a full orchestra, Chrisye was often
accompanied by the original composers and singers.

As 1970 projected onto the dark stage, a huge feature with
glittering colors suddenly appeared. It was singer A. Rafiq, once
a huge star in dangdut (the popular hybrid of Malay, Arab and
Indian music), singing Pengalaman Pertama (First Experience),
which was a huge hit in 1978, with Chrisye.

Moving forward to the 1980s, there was a duet with
singer/songwriter Fariz R.M., singing the latter's excellent hit
Sakura Dalam Pelukan (Sakura in an Embrace).

Despite being much younger than Chrisye, the now very gaunt
Fariz could not deliver on his usually distinctive voice,
sounding hoarse and almost unable to reach the high notes.

Other guest performers in include singer Ari Lasso and
actress-cum-singer Sophia Latjuba. Although she cannot be
categorized as a great singer with her flat, thin voice, Sophia
stole the show, looking stunning as she sat on a gigantic
twinkling crescent moon, in a tiny slip of a white dress and
singing Setangkai Anggrek Bulan (A Stem of Moon Orchid).

She later reappeared with Ari and Chrisye to sing Kangen (Miss
You), a hit from the 1990s for Dewa band when Ari was the singer.

Aside from classic songs from the record, the concert also
worked as a flashback on Chrisye's career.

Born Chrismansyah Rahadi, his music career started back in
1968 when he joined Sabda Nada band, before moving on to Gipsy
Band, a home band at New York's Ramayana Restaurant from 1973 to
1974.

Still in New York, Chrisye joined The Pro's with, among
others, such top names as late singer Broery Marantika and
musician Abadi Soesman.

Back in the country around 1975, he collaborated with Guruh
Soekarno Putra and released an album Guruh Gipsy, whose music is
an amalgamation of pop and Balinese ethnic music. One hit from
the album, Chopin Larung (Floating Chopin), was sung at the
concert.

His career as a solo artist, however, took off when Lilin-
lilin Kecil (Small Candles), a song by noted songwriter James F.
Sundah, won the Prambors Youth Songwriting Contest (LCLR) in 1977
and became an instant hit.

Afterward, he was unstoppable. In 30 years, Chrisye has
released over 20 albums, each of them selling well and producing
dozens of hits. He is also a songwriter, and won a Golden Record
in 1989, for instance, for writing the huge hit Cinta (Love) for
top singer Vina Panduwinata.

Critics have said his songs are too soft and lovelorn, but the
truth is that they are good songs nevertheless, and ones which
have survived the test of time. In 1998, Chrisye went to the MTV
Video Music Awards in Los Angeles to accept the MTV Asia Viewers
Choice Awards.

He is a survivor in a local popular music industry that is
kind of short of male solo artists, unlike female artists who
keep emerging and going strong.

So, for the time being, let Chrisye do his little dance on
stage. Wooden he may be, but we enjoyed the music and the man.

Discography

1977: Single Lilin-lilin Kecil written by James F. Sundah,
which won the first place in the popular Prambors Youth Songwriting
Contest (LCLR). Released solo album Jurang Pemisah and soundtrack
for the movie Badai Pasti Berlalu. 1978: Sabda Alam. 1979:
Percik Pesona. 1980: Single Seindah Rembulan, a duet with Iis
Sugianto. Solo album Puspa Indah Taman Hati. 1981: Pantulan Cinta.
1983: Resesi. 1984: Metropolitan and Nona. 1985: Sendiri.
1986: Aku Cinta Dia and Hip Hip Hura. 1987: Nona Lisa.
1988: Overplayed, endless hit single Kemesraan and album Kisah
Cintaku. 1989: Single Hening and album Pergilah Kasih.
1991: Cintaku T'lah Berlalu. 1993: Sendiri Lagi. 1994:
Single Kesan Di Matamu. 1996: Acoustic album AkustiChrisye.
1997: Kala Cinta Menggoda. 1999: Rerelease of Badai Pasti
Berlalu. 2001: Live album Konser Tur 2001 - Legendary. 2002:
Dekade.