Musician Harry Roesli dead at 53

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Musician Harry Roesli, a flamboyant and dynamic figure in the local arts scene, died of heart disease at Harapan Kita Hospital in West Jakarta on Saturday night. He was 53.

Known for poking fun at his portly figure, Harry had suffered from hypertension and diabetes. He suffered a heart attack on Nov. 30, and had since been hospitalized in his hometown of Bandung and then Jakarta.

Born Djauhar Zaharsjah Fahrudin Roesli, Harry studied at the Jakarta Arts Institute and percussion musical composition at the Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands.

He founded Depot Kreasi Seni Bandung (DKSB), a nonconventional musical organization that took aim at sociopolitical conditions and the country's leaders through irreverent performances.

His social concern was reflected in his employment of street singers and disadvantaged children in many of his performances.

The grandson of Marah Roesli, one of the country's leading man of letters, he occasionally ran afoul of the authorities, particularly during the authoritarian regime of Soeharto.

"I've never thought about what people may think about them (his artistic creations), I'm just conveying my works of art. Let the audience judge," he told The Jakarta Post in 2003.

Although weakened by illness, he had recently declared his intention to take part in a nationwide cultural tour.

Harry is survived by his wife and two sons.