RI's greatest pianist dies
RI's greatest pianist dies
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia's all-time great jazz pianist Nick Mamahit died in a
hospital here on Wednesday night. He was 80 years old.
"Dad was admitted to the hospital on Monday. He was suffering
from breathing difficulties and heavy coughing," Yusuf Ibrahim,
the pianist's son was quoted as saying by Detikcom.
The pianist, who had suffered a stroke in 1998, was
immediately asked to stay at the hospital, physicians at the
Prikasih hospital in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta
said.
Nick went into a coma on Wednesday morning and did not regain
consciousness. He passed away at 7:30 p.m. He is survived by four
children and 10 grandchildren. His wife, Louis Henriette van
Beugent, died in 1988.
It was not immediately clear when the pianist will be buried
but plans were afoot on Wednesday night to bring his body home
from the hospital to Cinere in South Jakarta.
Nicolas Maxmillan Mamahit could barely reach the foot pedal
when he started to learn the piano at nine years old. He liked to
listen to the music played by his father and played the piano in
his father's absence.
After his marriage, he left for the Netherlands to study music
at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music.
Returning to Indonesia in the 1950s, Nick quickly gained fame.
He set up a group called The Progressives with Dick Abel and Van
der Cappellen. They recorded several tunes including Rindu, Tanam
Jagung and Tjemas.
When the group dissolved he set up another group Irama Spesial
with Jim Espehana and Bart Risakotta. The records the group
produced were more successful than the previous ones.
In 1953 he recorded Senyum (Smile) with Sam Saimun and Bing
Slamet. Three years later they recorded the famous Indonesian
song Sarinande.
Nick played music into his later years, mostly in hotels,
notably the Mandarin hotel.
The pianist often lamented the lack of appreciation for jazz
among Indonesian music fans. He attributed this to the way most
Indonesians were introduced to music through the kroncong.
According to Nick the kroncong was very simple compared to jazz.