Kua Etnika to stage 'Ritus Swara'

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)