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? *

Two Classic Eid el-Fithr Songs

Indonesian music lovers should be proud because they have two classic songs about Lebaran which almost became national anthem. Those two songs are Hari Lebaran (The Day of Eid el-Fithr) composed by Ismail Marzuki (published by IRAMA) and Selamat Hari Lebaran (Happy Eid el-Fithr) which was popularized by singer Oslan Hussein. Malaysia who has similarity with Indonesia in culture, tradition and religion, has also songs to celebrate Eid el-Fithr season as compiled in album entitled Ragam Hari Raya (BMG record, 1992).

Those two songs Hari Lebaran and Selamat Hari Lebaran have it’s similarity and it’s differences. Ismail Marzuki version has caricatural lyric on Lebaran celebration, meanwhile Oslan Hussein version has descriptive lyric on Lebaran celebration. Both songs were closed to pop-Latin-cha-cha-cha genre, with faster tempo for Oslan Hussein version than Ismail Marzuki version. We hope that some day there will be a major label industry who republishes these two songs in such compilation album for Lebaran season. *

The Prototype of Dangdut

Thank God for bringing me these two albums Kafilah and Ya Mahmud of Kelana Ria directed by musician Adi Karso, and interpretated by legend singer Mashabi, Munif, Djuhana Sattar, and Adi Karso himself, in a single cassete. It was produced by Media and Disco record, with no date of releasing and with no appropriate image and title Keluhan Anak Tiri. Despite a bad cover and packaging of this cassete, these two albums are rare and valuable matter for Indonesian music history especially dangdut, or Melayu folk music. But for this post, let me talk an other aspect of album Kafilah.

The album Kafilah consists of 12 songs. This album actually consists of various genres, not only dangdut, even cross over. Musthafa is gambus-folk, Gelang Sipaku Gelang is chachacha-pop-with ketimpring percusions. Ja Gadzibny is gambus-Melayu-chachacha. Hati yang Luka is Melayu-Indian. Tong Sampah is pop-chachacha.

But what I want to talk is this album may be such prototype for dangdut music. Since this album consists of various genres, so the arranger and composer Adi Karso actually made any prototype for various kinds of dangdut-Melayu music. Song Termenung which interpretated by singer Ellya Agus is such a mellow-Melayu-Indian which supposed to be a prototype of mellow-dangdut for the next musicians.

Just check it to albums which released later entitled Penyakit Asmara by singer A. Rafiq (Naviri, DD record, no date). This album is about Melayu-Indian music, and song Hilang Tak Berkesan is likely prototype for Lirikan Matamu, a big hit of A. Rafiq.  Or album by Ida Laila and S. Achmadi the seventh edition (Indra, Golden Hand record, no date). This album is about a mellow-Melayu-pop-dangdut with it’s two hits Khayalan Masa Lalu, and Dip Dip. Is there critic dangdut music out there who can explain this?.  *

Teruna Ria’s Story

It is very rare to find Indonesian long play in 50-ies which included profile of the band. The exception is this album entitled Suling Bambu (Bamboo Flute) of Teruna Ria. Wrote by critic CH Hasmanan, the liner note talked about the story of Teruna Ria. Let me quote this note in it’s original version but with such modification. For non-Indonesian readers, I beg your pardon.

1. Teruna Ria berdiri kurang lebih pada 1956. Band ini sering show ke Bogor, Bandung, Tjirebon, Serang, Bumiaju, Jogja, Semarang, Madiun, Surabaja, Malang, Modjokerto, Palembang, Medan.

2. Pada mulanya, nama band ini Irama Cubana Teruna Ria, namun kemudian diubah menjadi Teruna Ria saja. “Hal mana tentulah lebih tjojok dan sesuai dengan kepribadian nasional kita”.

3. Sejak 1959, Teruna Ria secara teratur membuat rekaman di Irama. Pada mulanya ph standar 78 rpm, lama-lama menjadi ph djangka-pandjang (long play). Album Suling Bambu adalah long play ketiga.

4. Lagu-lagu mereka terdengar juga di beberapa film nasional, antara lain Teruna Djenaka, Gadis di Seberang Djalan, Detik-detik Berbahaja, dan Pesta Musik La Bana.

5. Pada 1956, Irama Cubana Teruna Ria terdiri dari: Zainal Arifin (gitar, leader), Rozaman, Rachmat, Indroto, Hans Runtukahu, Icksan, dan Sofjan. Oslan Husein dan Mus DS menjadi penyanyi tunggalnya. Oslan bisa menyanyikan lagu-lagu Minangkabau. Mus DS biasa menyanyikan ” lagu dengan irama hangat”, dan belakangan “menggali repertoar lagu-lagu Sunda”.

6. Teruna Ria secara teratur tampil pada acara malam musik di taman hiburan Wisma Nusantara setiap minggu. Formasi terakhir diperkuat Margono (pianis), dan Onny Surjono (bas dan penyanyi).

7. Musik Teruna Ria tidak menggunakan aransemen yang terlalu sulit, kata-kata lagu praktis, mudah dilafalkan dan ditiru dalam waktu singkat. Pernah mereka menemukan seorang botjah tjilik menyanyikan bait-bait Sinandi-nandi, di suatu dusun kecil di pantai Samudera Hindi jang sunji. *   

The Legend P. Ramlee

Indonesian young generation may do not know well P. Ramlee, a Malaysian composer. I know his name for the first time from album Legenda by Malaysian singer Sheila Madjid (EMI record, 1990). One of it’s song entitled Engkau Laksana Bulan (You Are Like A Moon) was composed by P. Ramlee. Interpretated by Sheila Madjid and arranged by Malaysian musician Roslan Aziz/Mac Chew, song Engkau sounded modern as well as classical.

Thank God that a year a go, I found a long play album by P. Ramlee entitled Ramlee’s Serenade (Rajuan Ramlee). One of it’s songs is Engkau Laksana Bulan which was interpretated by P. Ramlee and his orchestra. This song is absolutly the orginal and classical version. P. Ramlee actualy is Indonesian. According to Wikipedia, Ramlee was Teuku Zakaria, his birth name. Teuku is a title for descendants of noble families from Aceh of Sumatra, Indonesia. His father Teuku Nyak Puteh was a sailor from Lhokseumawe in the province of Aceh, Indonesia.

Born in Penang Malaysia, March 22, 1929, Ramlee died at May 27, 1973 in his 44 years old. As composer, he has wrote 300 songs. Ramlee was also an actor. During his career he directed and acted in sixty-six films. Among his films received awards from Asian Film Festival. *

What is the First Indonesian Pop Song?

This album Papaja Mangga Pisang Djambu by various Indonesian artists was selected as one of 150 Best Indonesian album all the time by Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine, December 2007. This album is truly valuable matter for Indonesian music history. Why?

First, it is an album by various artists who were on top lists in 50-ies, such as Teruna Ria, Kelana Ria, Adi Karso, Oslan Husein and so on.

Second, song Papaja Chachacha is cited as the first pop Indonesian song ever recorded on long play format.

Third, song Bengawan Solo was interpretated by legend singer Oslan Husein, one of important Bengawan Solo versions.

Fourth and so on, let me wait your comment on this my post. *

Track list
Album: Papaja Mangga Pisang Djambu
Artists: Various Artists
Bands: Lima Serama (directed by A. Usman), Kelana Ria (directed by Adi Karso), Teruna Ria (Zainal Arifin), Si Guntang (A. Chalik).
Publisher: Irama record

Side one:
1. Bengawan Solo (Gesang) – Oslan Husein
2. Embun Pagi (Soegito) — Emmi
3. Markonah (Adi/A. Usman) – Adi
4. Melati Berbunga (A. Usman) — Fatty
5. Papaja Chachacha (Adi Karso) — Adi
6. Bualan Alam (A. Usman) — Tuti
7. Tukang Solder (A. Usman) — Adi

Side Two:
1. Tamasja Gembira (A. Usman) — Rien/Tuti
2. Bangun Pagi (Adi Karso) — Adi
3. Bisikan Alam Maja (AA. Usman) — Titiek Puspa
4. Lenggang Kangkung (NN) — Mus. Ds.
5. Tiada Kasih (A. Usman) —- Fetty
6. Farida (Adi Karso) — Adi
7. Patung Kusangka Dia (A. Usman) — Adi
*

The Soul of Indonesia Raya

Trijaya FM, one of radio channels in Jakarta airs a programme entitled Sketsa Negeri. The first debut at 7 April 2008 is featuring speaker Hardi, painter and culture critic, with a topic about Indonesia Raya, a national anthem. Hardi said that Indonesia until now does not cultivate yet his soul, while awakening the soul is the essential message from Indonesia Raya lyric: “Bangunlah jiwanya, bangunlah raganya”.

Indonesia Raya was composed by Wage Roedolf Soepratman (1903-1938) when he was 21 years old. Born as Javanesse, WR Soepratman later study music especially violin, after getting such fund from Duetchman. Actually WR Soepratman wrote Indonesia Raya for song writing competition on 1924, as Hardi said to Trijaya quoted from Timboel magazine.

According to Wikipedia, the song Indonesia Raya was introduced by its composer at 28 October 1928 in a national youth convention in Batavia (now Jakarta). The song marked the birth of the all-archipelago nationalist movement in Indonesia. Though Indonesia Raya was chosen as the national anthem when Indonesia proclaimed its independence at 17 August 1945, but WR Soepratman was recognized by government as national hero on 1971. *

Museum for Long Playings, Why Not

One of Indonesia television channels ANTV airs a programme entitled Berbagi Cerita (Sharing Stories) every Saturday. On 5 April 2008, they featured some museums in Indonesia, such as Museum Kretek (Museum for Cigarettes), Museum Kereta Api (Train), even Museum Makam (Cemetery). This programme attracts viewers like me not because it’s host Irfan Hakim, but because it’s content is really unique and inspiring — like Irfan Hakim tags.

But what makes me curious so far, is there a museum for recorded music? Is there museum for long playing? The record industry owned by government Lokananta once ever opened it’s door for public to show their products and later become their long play collections on August 2006, but what’s next? Who cares to this long play Puspa Ragam by Thung Boen Liong which was not published by Lokananta any way? I think we need a museum for recorded music, even a data base for Indonesian musicians. This blog I think is such kind of that effort. Do you support my idea? *

Sam Saimun, The Mystery

The name Sam Saimun, keroncong singer in 60-ies for me is such mystery, until I get this album including his photograph on February 2008. The first time I know his name is from a cassette album which compiled Indonesian national anthems by old singers. They are Sam Saimun, Bram Atjeh, and so on.

Why Sam Saimun is such a mystery? Because we as 80-ies generation feel difficult to find his album. Also may be because his album is only a few, and is not produced anymore by record industry. What makes his name more mysterious is because legend singer Bing Slamet once upon time in a book Musisiku (2007) quoted as saying that Sam Saimun is his teacher in learning to sing keroncong. Wow? Even Bing Slamet recognized him that so high? Come on, who is Sam Saimun? This album at least can show you his talented voice. *

Chinesse Musician Plays Keroncong

Some time keroncong music is identified as Javanesse music (including Betawi). But what will you say if there is a keroncong orchestra conducted by Chinesse name. Look at this album which features Orkes Krontjong Irama Baru, under direction Thung Boen Liong. This is Chinesse name, although I am not yet sure that musician Thung Boen Liong is Chinesse.

This album is truly artefact that show to us that some Chinesse individuals have their contribution in developing Indonesian music. Who is Thung Boen Liong? I think I have to ask Mr. Gesang, the living legend as keroncong composer, since his song Bengawan Solo interpretated in this album. Is this the first version of Bengawan Solo song?.*

Discography

Artist: Roldiah, Sulastri, Abdullah Sidjaja
Album: Puspa Ragam
Band: Orkes Krontjong Irama Baru, under direction Thung Boen Liong
Publisher: PUTRI, no date.

Track list
Side one:
1. Krontjong Kemajoran (n.n.)
2. Mangle (Mang Koko)
3. Bintang Surabaja (n.n.)

Side two:
1. Bengawan Solo (Gesang)
2. Kembang Katjang/Stambul Dua
*