On the Record: Riza Arshad

On the Record: Riza Arshad

Artist : Riza Arshad

Album : Trioscapes (Ragadi Music)

Piano player Riza Arshad has been known as the brains behind
the award-winning group Simak Dialog. Playing ethnic-tinged
fusion, the group's early line-up included guitarist Tohpati,
drummer Arie Ayunir and bass player Indro Hardjodikoro, and was
dubbed the maverick of the Indonesian jazz scene.

The group's three albums Lukisan, Baur and Trance/Mission
won praise for their exquisite mixture of European jazz with
Indonesian traditional music. Trance/Mission won in 2002 the best
jazz/contemporary jazz album award at the Indonesian equivalent
of the Grammys, Anugerah Music Indonesia (AMI).

However, in Trioscape, Riza eschews all the style he had
nurtured in Simak Dialog. On this album, recorded in between his
day job with Simak Dialog, he returns to his roots, playing
standard jazz with a fat-sounding Rhodes piano.

What we listen to is a piano player enjoying himself --
running 70 minutes overtime. -- M. Taufiqurrahman