Piringanhitam
Hi every body. I have a good news for you. Since May 2013, you can listen to my album Hyperpositive (6 songs, in high quality recording). This because I upload the songs in the amazing site SoundCloud. Please enjoy the songs, share it with your friends, give any comment, but never download it. You want to listen the songs now? Please visit this site: soundcloud.com/pabrik-bunyi
December 2012, I found a book “A Century of American Popular Music – 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999) written by David A. Jasen (Routledge, 2002). This book contains the songs from A-Z, Academy Award Winners for Best Songs, list of songs indexed by composers, list of songs indexed by publisher, list of songs indexed by year of publication.
We, Indonesians, unfortunately we don’t have such this book. We don’t have comprehensif data of our recorded music. We need such this book. Who wants to write it? Who wants to research it? Who wants to publish it? Who wants to give fund to make it happen? Goverment? Businessmen? *
Indonesian Islamic song has it’s history. It was published for the first time in 1970-ies. The band who popularized this genre for the first time was supposed to be Bimbo, a latin-pop group from Bandung city. According to Bimbo as quoted in a book Sajadah Panjang Bimbo (Tatang Sumarsono, Mizan, 1998), Samsyudin, a leader of Bimbo, once upon time in 1973, got inspiration after praying Friday in Salman ITB Mosqoue to write a song about God (Tuhan). This song was created intentionally as a pop song. But after this song got its popularity very soon, later Bimbo was inspired to published an album consist of Modern Kasidah, what the so called Islamic religious song.
Before this era, Islamic song was expressed thru Gambus, a traditional music rooted from Egypt and Arab, and therefor the lyric also in Arabic. In this context, Bimbo made a breakthrough because they composed Islamic song in Indonesia language, and with modern instrument and arrangement. So that why Bimbo called this genre as Modern Kasidah.
After Bimbo popularized this genre, other bands followed this trend such as Koes Plus, even AKA, a rock band. And in every decade since then there are several bands and singers who published Indonesian Islamic pop song. Koran Tempo in 2011 published a brief review on 10 Best Indonesian Islamic Songs — ever. Check it thru pdf.file below. *
May be old vinyl is really dead. When a prominent Indonesia newspaper publish reviews on 10 Best Lebaran (Ied el-Fithr) Songs in 2011, public did not respond explicitely on such features. We don’t know why?
But there are many speculations. First, that review was coming not in proper time — in holiday season when the people did not read newspaper. Second, Lebaran song is not something interested. Third, the review is about old vinyl which is something out of fashion. Are these reasons reasonable? What do you think?
Album Dakotjan by Idris Sardi Orchestra, Bali record, 1970-ies
Idris Sardi is a maestro violinist par exellence. Fortunately that he has his attention to children song. One of his works, beside album Ninabobo, is Dakotjan. Published by Bali record in 1970-ies, this album is such rare item. In here Idris Sardi conducted an orchestra and a children choirs to interpret 8 children songs composed by Indonesians such as Pak Kasur, Ibu Sud, Lim Keng Liong, and Kwartet Sariman. The songs are: Dakotjan, Lihat Kebunku, Naik Delman, Ajam Berkotek, Burung Kutilang, Kukurujuk, Amin dengan Kerbaunja, and Bungaku.
This album is also unique, because Idris Sardi blended modern instruments with local instrument called angklung. This instrument is made of bamboo which crafted to produce sounds. Even the angklung which is used here already modifed as “piano angklung” to the so-called “dikso-phone”. Diks is the name of the inventor of Dikso-phone. Curious? Check this album. *
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 11,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Album Tahu Tempe, by Oslan Hussein, Irama.
Single Hari Lebaran, by Didi, composed by Ismail Marzuki, Irama.
Lebaran, or Idul Fitri festival is most important moment for Indonesian Moslems. It is a happy moment after fasting almost 30 days long. In this moment, people celebrate a winning moment for spiritual cultivating. And usually, music and Islamic song is part of this festival. Some musicians are aware of this such moment for composing song which express happiness and joyful. Some of the songs are memorable and almost become national anthem, since those songs always been heard in public space, such as mall, plaza and shopping centers.
I try to find out Ten Best Lebaran Songs, off course among my personal collections. And the result is:
1.Lebaran, composed by M. Jusuf, interpretated by singer Oslan Hussein, taken from album Tahu Tempe by Oslan Hussein, with a band Orkes Widjaja Kusuma under direction M. Jusuf, published by Irama, no date releasing.
2. Hari Lebaran, composed by Ismail Marzuki, interpretated by singer Didi, with a band Orkes Mus Mualim, a single LP, published by Irama, no date releasing.
3. Raihlah Kemenangan, composed by Elfa and Wieke Gur, interpretated by Elfa’s Singers, with a band Elfa Seciora, taken from album Lebaran, published by PT Aquarius Musicindo, 2004.
4. Joged Lebaran composed by Oslan Hussein, interpretated by Elfa’s Singers, with a band Elfa Seciora, taken from album Lebaran, published by PT Aquarius Musicindo, 2004.
5. Selamat Idul Fitri, composed by A. Mustofa Bisri and Neno Warisman, interpretated by Neno Warisman, music and arrangement by Dwiki Dharmawan, taken from album Tembang Lebaran under music director Dwiki Dharmawan, published by Sony Music, 1999.
6. Idul Fitri, composed by Tompi, interpretated by Tompi, taken from album Soulful Ramadhan by Tompi, published by e-Motion, 2010.
7. Fajar 1 Syawal, composed by Wandi and usep Romli, interpretated by Bimbo, Yanti Bersaudara, Lingga Binangkit, taken from album Wudhu, by Bimbo, published by Musica, 1990.
8. Lebaran, composed by Rhoma Irama. Interpretated by Rhoma Irama, taken from album Lebaran Bersama Soneta, published by Pelangi Record, no date releasing.
9. Lebaran, composed by Ibeng and AB. Utomo, interpretated by Osby, Ibeng, Aditya Gumay, AB Utomo, Sita and Nuke, arrangement: Agus Hendra Jaya, taken from album Nada & Dakwah by Garis, published Ceepee, 2000-ies.
10. Idul Fitri, composed by Tri Utami and Analta, interpretated by singer Gito Rollies, taken from album Tembang Lebaran under music director Dwiki Dharmawan, published by Sony Music, 1999. *
The daily Koran Tempo (Jakarta, Indonesia) publish a brief review on Ten Selected Indonesian Pop Islamic Albums (10 Album Pop Religius Islamis Terpilih) to day (August, 8, 2011). This newspaper did not rank the lists, and did not use the term “best album”, because of any reasons.
As far as my memory, so far there was no such Indonesia media ever publish the list of best Islamic pop music album, due to lack of music libraries in this country. So this such effort should be appreciated by all stakeholders of Indonesia music — especially musicians and goverment. *
Giant Step is a progressive rock band from Bandung City (Indonesia) which founded by Benny Soebardja, Yockie, Deddy Stanzah, and Sammy in 1973. Later on, the line up of this group was changed many times. Since it’s genre is not so popular among Indonesians in that time, so this group is not as popular as Favourites group or the Mercys, two of pop bands in that era.
But actually, their contribution to the history of Indonesian music was giant. So far untill 1985, they released 7 albums. So it is such a blessing in disguisse if their group was called Giant Step, since this band’ works was such a giant step for Indonesian music. It is because Giant Step was a leading band which introduced progressive rock genre for Indonesian music lovers, beside Guruh Gypsy (1976), and Harry Roesli (1971 ect).
LP album "Persada Tercinta" by Giant Step, Irama Tara, 1978
It is undeniable that Giant Step music was influenced by prog-rock and rock music from the west in that era, notably Gentle Giant, and Frank Zappa. One of band member ever quoted as saying in Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine that his music was influenced by Gentle Giant and Frank Zappa. Even Giant Step ever release a pop-rock album, but their best albums was still the prog-rock ones (Giant on the Move, and Kukuh Nan Teguh).
We have one LP of Giant Step album entitled Persada Tercinta (released by Irama Tara, 1978). Listening to this album, the people who are familiar to the music of Gentle Giant, they will remember the relatively same atmosphere between the two. Off course not identical. *
Reference: 1. Book “Musisiku”, Republika and KPMI, 2007; 2. Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine
Album Keagungan Tuhan, by A. Kadir (Lokanta, 1970-ies, CD version 1980-ies)
Album Menanti Musafir by A. Kadir (Lokananta, 1970-ies, CD version 1990-ies)
Lokananta lovers now can get old Indonesia albums released by Lokananta in CD format. These CD’s are sold in some stores in Yogyakarta, such Popeye Store in Mataram street, and Mirota Batik in Malioboro street. On January 2011, I bought two albums of A. Kadir entetitled Keagungan Tuhan, and Menanti Musafir. These two albums originally released in LP format on 1970-ies, and may be cassettes. This CD version was rereleased by Perum PNRI Surakarta, local government agent for state printing on 1980-ies. So it is not something new. But it is supposedly that when those albums was rereleased, public were not yet being aware on such old albums. So the albums were not succes commercially. Fortunately, that in these years, the situation is different. Some people start to like such old Indonesian songs as we can see after an organization KPMI start to pay attention on old Indonesian recorded music.
These two albums are truly superb recording. It consists of Melayu songs in term of traditional genre. This Melayu song is a second evolution of Melayu music before later on become dangdut. Mostly the songs composed by A. Kadir and interpretated by singer Ida Laila. The music sounded traditional, and the band was a traditional Orkes Melayu — with acoustic bass ect. The key works: Keagungan Tuhan, and Malam Pengantin. *
