Gordon Tobing Sing Sing So

Album "Gordon Tobing, Sing Sing So, Suara Impola", Media record.

Gordon Tobing (1925-1993) is folk singer from Medan, a city in west Sumatera. I am not familiar with this singer until I buy this Gordon Tobing cassete newly. His voice is tender, not as I image mostly from Batak singers which are usually hard to hear. Some people said that Gordon Tobing is such legend singer — he mostly sang Batakness folk songs, as interpretated in this album “Sing Sing So” with his group Suara Impola (recorded by Media, with no date of releasing). His songs in this album are Sing Sing So, Lisoi. Butet, Soleram and so on. *

Musical Identity of Yockie Suryoprayogo

Musician Yockie Suryoprayogo is the only Indonesian musician who ever released an album which declaring his genre and musical identty. Check this album entitled “Musik Saya adalah Saya” (Musca, 1970-ies). This title means: “My Music is Me”. In this album Yockie presents 8 songs such as Theme Song (Musik saya adalah Saya), Angin Malam, Cakrawala Senja and Duka Sang Bahaduri. Most of the songs composed by Yockie.

All songs were arranged and reflected Yockie’s personal style which was closed to a symphonic-art-rock genre. This album is closed to Guruh Gypsy and Jurang  Pemisah (a collaboration with singer Chrisye). This declaration about his identity is important, since musical identity in nowadays is something confused. This day, this year dozen bands born but they are confused about their musical identity. *

Dangdut According to Favorite’s Group

LP Favourite's Group, Album "Pop Melayu Vol. 2"

This album by Favourite’s Group was entitled “Pop Melayu Volume 2”. It consists of 10 songs, and all of them were hits and memorable. The genre was dangdut-pop-band. One of the songs entitled Dangdut. The lyric is such admiring dangdut as beloved and unforgettable music.

Actually, there is a contradiction in this album. One side the album title is “Pop Melayu”, but an other side one of it’s song admiring (and proclaiming) that the genre of the album is dangdut. Or may be the two were identic according to Favourite’s group? *

A Rijanto’s Flexibility

LP Album Javanesse Pop of Favourite's Group, The Second Album

Cassete Album Javanesse Pop of Favourite's Group, The First Album "Yuyu Kangkang"

A Rijanto was a prolific and flexible composer. He can compose songs in various genres and colours depending on colour voice of singer who will interpretate it. This opinion was commented by Rafika Duri, a pop singer who interpretated some A Rijanto’ songs. She said it when she performed in “A tribute to A Rijanto” Zona 80 Metro Teve in 2008.

So over all, actually his band Favourite’s group which consists of A Rijanto (leader, composer, keyboardist), Is Harijanto, Harry Toos, and a player I don’t remember his name, is not identic with A Rijanto. Check out this two albums “Yuyu Kangkang” (the first Javanesse-pop album) and the second album. Some songs have naughty lyrics which was closed to Is Hariyanto character rather than A Rijanto character. A Rijanto is a Jogjanesse who has a cool character.

Favourite’s group is a pop-band in the era of Koes Plus and A Rijanto’s contribution in music is much more than Favourite’s. *

Iwan Fals on Examasist Band

LP Examasist (Musica record)

Examasist is a pop band more likely Iwan Fals-style and sometimes closed to Obbie Mesakhis-style. This album entitled Examasist consists of 8 songs, two of them “Kesaksian dari Kehitaman” and “Keluarga dalam Bencana” have catchy melodies and sounded sweet.

The songs were composed by Bambang Bule RT, Syaiful Haras, Helmie, Anto, and (wow… is this true?) Iwan Falls. It is shocking me that Iwan Falls (with doble l?, oh common…) engaged in making this album. Is he Iwan Falls as well-known by Indonesian music lovers as a prominent ballad singer? Examasist for me was and is a strange pop band. Released by Musica record with no date of releasing, I never hear this band name. and it’s song. But if they engaged Iwan Fals as one of their composers, so Examasist should be a distinguished band. So all readers, would you mind to give us more information about this band?*

LP Version of Bahtera Asmara

Cassete Bahtera Asmara by Andi Meriem Mattalata (Musica, 1978)

Album Bahtera Asmara by singer Andi Meriem Mattalata under music director Yockie and Chrisye (published by Musica record, 1978) is one of 150 Best Indonesian Albums according to Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine (December, 2007).

This album is an other musical achievement of Yockie-Chrisye-Guruh-Eros collaboration. The genre is progressive-pop, but actually the most powerfull thing in this album is it’s magical melodies and it’s poetical lyrics. The arrangement is so far simple but perfect. And so far Andi Meriem is the best woman singer to interprete Chrisye’-like songs.

Andi Meriem is a lucky woman singer,  since she got the best musical achievement from Indonesian musicians. This album consists of 11 songs which were composed by prominent Indonesian composer such as Goeroeh Soekarnoputra, Yockie, Fariz RM, Anton Issudibyo, Roekanto, B Hariadi, Eros Djarot. All songs are hits, or at least cacthy melodies. And famous names were engaged as guest musicians, such as violinist Idries Sardi, Kiboud Maulana, and Uce F Tekol.

Yockie-Chrisye-Eros-like song lovers,  may be they have this album in cassete format. But do they have this album in longplay format? Not every body off course. But surely there is Bahtera Asmara album in lp format. What is the difference between the two? It is a same matter and a same version. The difference is the lp version only consists of 7 songs. The four songs which was excluded from lp format are Impian, Pilihan Hati, Merepih Alam, and Bulan Tolonglah Beta. *

Broery’s Version of Badai

LP Broery's Version of Badai Pasti Berlalu

Album entitled Badai Pasti Berlalu, an original soundtrack movie under music director Eros Djarot, which interpretated by singer Chrisye and arranger Yockie S. is the first best of 150 Best Albums according to Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine (December, 2007).

This is a highest appreciation on musical albums in Indonesia ever. And fortunately that so far there is no one did not agree with this appreciation. This album actually is an other version of the original album Badai Pasti Berlalu which was interpretated by singer Broery Pesulima (a.k.a. Broery Marantika) and arranger De Meicy band (released by Remaco, with no date of releasing). What is the difference between the two? Chrisye’s version consists of 12 songs, Broery’s version is only 7 songs. And surely, Chrisye’s version is more well crafted and arranged than Broery’s version. *

Album Chrisye's Version Badai Pasti Berlalu

The Last Man Selling Oldies

On 6 March 2009, I visit Makassar, a city in south Sulawesi, for delivering a speech on Socializing Reading Habit, a workshop held by Department for National Education. After the task, I have only three hours to go for walk in Makssar before I leave thru Garuda flight to Jakarta.

Fortunately, I find a litle kiosk owned by Mr. Herman, a chinesse-blood who live in Makssar for his lifetime. His kiosk is located in Pasar Bitung jalan Tinumbu Makassar. Actually, I come to his kiosk to buy robusta coffee. While waiting Mr. Herman serve my order, I luckily see some old cassetes in his buffet. I check. And bravo. Some cassetes are produced in 70-ies and usually from traditional genre. And I bought about 10 cassetes. *

Sapto Rahardjo’s Heritage

Album Borobudur Suite by Sapto Rahardjo-Andre Jaume

Sapto Rahardjo, Indonesian componist who died on 27 February 2009 was one of artists who has influence on creative atmosphere in Jogja city. When I was a student in this city in year 80-ies, we often watched his performance — especially for experimental music. He managed also a musical programme in Geronimo radio station which usually air indie bands.

His big contribution is in digitalizing gamelan instrument. It means that he has contribution in using creatively the gamelan instrument, and in promoting gamelan festival to international forum. His compositions was supposed many, but one of his recorded compisitions is this album Borobudur Suite (Pusat Kebudayaan Prancis, with no date of releasing). In this album, Sapto played gamelan in it’s traditional approach, while Andre Jaume, a multi instrumentalist from French, played a saxophone in jazz approach. The result is a blended gamelan-jazz music in contemporary approach. *

Bing’s Trick for Children Songs

Kaset Koes Plus Pop Anak Vol. 1, Bing Slamet dkk

When this First Koes Plus Album – Children Pop is played, my four years old son commenting that he like that song. But why the singer is orang tua, Indonesian word for adult singer? Koes Plus is Indonesian pop band who released albums in various genres including children song. His first children song album was published by Purnama record (estimated produced in 70-ies). It consists of 12 songs, most of them catchy, and song Pok Ami Ami is memorable. In the era of Koes Plus, some pop bands published children song albums. Indeed they published albums in various genres. Even Favourite’s Group under direction A Rijanto published album Dakocan, which was supposed his best album. The different between Koes Plus and Favourite’s Group in creating children album is, Koes Plus interpretated the songs with their adult voice, meanwhile Favourite’s engaged children singers to interpretate the songs.

May be children song should be interpretated by children singers. But there was such a way to create a hybrid children song. Look at what musician Bing Slamet done in this album “Bing Slamet dkk”. This album is B part of album “Nola Tilaar, Eva Nurdin, Sylvia Kusumaningrum, Band Zainal Combo” (Canary record, estimated produced in 60-ies). In this album, Bing Slamet sang a duo with him self but with distorted voice thru a machine. The result is a memorable album. An other hybrid is a song Jangan Takut Gelap by child singer Tasya and pop singer Duta of Sheila on Seven band (the Very Best of Tasya, produced by Sony BMG, 2005). The result is a succes album.

One of children song albums which was appreciated by Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine (December, 2007) as one of 150 best Indonesian albums is Balonku. This album was produced by musician Adikarso and Andi Mamon, and played by a Gema Irama band under direction Jack Lesmana. Unfortunately I don’t find yet this album. Do you? *