SimakDialog sticks with jazz music genre
SimakDialog sticks with jazz music genre
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Dominated by baby blue, with an addition of a white trapezoid and
entitled Trance/mission, the album cover looks more like the
latest volume of Cafe Del Mar or some other clubbing tunes,
rather than jazz.
The design probably does not mean anything but the title marks
the changes in the body of simakDialog, one of very few local
jazz bands.
Formed in 1993, the band comprises Riza Arshad (piano,
keyboard, accordion), Indro Hardjodikoro (bass), Tohpati Ario
(guitar) and Arie Ayunir (drums) -- young musicians who have
already made a name in the music scene, although not necessarily
in jazz.
Releasing two critically acclaimed albums, Lukisan (Painting)
in 1995 and Baur (Mixed) four years later, the group has earned
both respect and fans.
Later on, however, Arie and Indro quit.
"We've been through changes in a journey as a group. In the
past three years, there has been a blacked out area in our
creative process. That's what Trance/mission is sort of about,"
Riza said at a recent media conference.
The two who quit were then replaced by noted drummer Budhy
Haryono, Jalu Pratidina, who plays kendang Sunda (Sundanese
percussion) and Adhitya (fretless bass).
The latest line-up automatically meant changes in the group's
musical concept, especially with Jalu and Budhy involved.
Budhy, although still in pop/rock group Gigi, has much
experience of playing in jazz groups, and has a style that mixes
well with Sundanese percussion patterns.
"Our music is broadening now. We pay more attention to ethnic
music, especially from West Java," said Tohpati.
The shift is about the group trying to emphasize its identity
and wanting to define what Indonesian jazz is.
"Jazz itself is indeed difficult to define. It's just that we
used to be strongly influenced by Western music patterns. Now we
want to change that. We want to play western music from different
perspectives -- ours: the philosophy of jazz as 'Eastern'," Riza
asserted.
The idea came in the early 1990s when Riza jammed with several
American musicians at California State University. One of them
started to talk about color, identity and stuff.
"They said that I have this Indonesian touch in my style and
asked me to develop it more. I always thought about the
suggestion but only with this third album have I realized it," he
said.
The difference between Western and Indonesian people,
according to Riza, lies in thought patterns.
"Western people tend to be conservative. Everything must be by
the book, based on rules that cannot be broken. Every instrument
must be tuned. Here, in the sense of traditional music,
everything is freer," he said.
With Trance/mission, the group aims at breaking the taboo, and
countering the common rule.
"For instance, we are no longer against untuned sounds. I also
play "prepared" piano, which is usually used by contemporary
musicians," Riza said.
The fourth track in the album, titled Finding the Path, is the
perfect example of the phenomenon, he explained, as the two-
minute track sounds more like an experimental piece. Like those
musicians who plays anything but common music instruments.
"In this album, we play more on the rhythm. Especially because
our country is rich in percussive rhythmic patterns that come
from different ethnic groups," Riza said.
Each member of the group is free to do whatever he wants.
"Jalu even plays the percussion in a style that is different
to what is traditional. What we need is expression, not how to
play," Riza added.
The result is an album that is slightly heavier than the
previous ones and also edgier.
Baur is softer and more easy listening, but Trance/mission is
more intense.
"It is indeed a challenge to produce an album that people
enjoy but critics also appreciate. All in all, we just want to
express ourselves, and to create something honest," Tohpati said.
The launch of the album was marked by a performance by the
group last week at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ), Central
Jakarta.
It was the second performance of the latest lineup after its
debut at Philharmonic Petronas, Malaysia, a while ago.
The show was reportedly successful, leaving the audience
awestruck in its seats during the entire evening.
The performance at GKJ was proof that the band was still
respected and had a loyal fan base as about 250 people turned
out.
They played a set of 11 numbers, with two taken from previous
albums, Mahesa and Kata Hati.
Despite the poor lighting and a little trouble with the sound
system in the old building, the band gave an impressive
performance, and quite attractive too, with proper jazz
improvisation included.
The jazz scene, both here and elsewhere, is now said to be in
the doldrums. But here, at least, we have simakDialog, with the
consistency and perseverance to stick to the genre.