Kua Etnika to stage 'Ritus Swara'

JAKARTA (JP): Eight compositions inspired by ethnic music will be staged by noted musician G. Djaduk Ferianto and his Kua Etnika band at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Founded in 1996 in Yogyakarta, Kua Etnika specializes in ethnic music from Indonesia and around the world. The shows are intended to show its commitment to the development of ethnic music in the country.

"Through creative breakthroughs, Djaduk and Kua Etnika are bringing ethnic music back to the surface without suffering from an 'inferiority complex' in the face of the world's contemporary music," production manager Butet Kartaredjasa said.

He said Kua Etnika's ethnic music was a cultural product that could be appreciated by both local and foreign music lovers.

The group's respect for ethnic music was not only evident in its shows, Butet said, but also when it collaborated with other musicians at international events, such as the recent The Sacred Rhythm, The Millennial Percussion For Unity in Bali.

Djaduk said the performance, titled Ritus Swara (Voice Rite), would feature the compositions Ritus (Rite), Festival, Siklus (Cycle), Rel (Railway Track), Arigato (Thank You), Galaxi (Galaxy) and Purba (Ancient).

Apart from exploring pentatonic and diatonic sounds, the compositions will present theme-songs whose beats can be savored and appreciated by its listeners, he added.

He said all the compositions derived from the ethnic traditions of areas including Java, Bali, West Java (Sundanese), Jakarta (Betawi), Kalimantan, China, Japan and Africa. (ste)