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. *

Europe Taste of Massada

Some Indonesian musicians are popular in Europe, but not very popular in Indonesia. Slamet Abdul Sjukur, Tonny Prabowo and Tri Sutji Kamal are mere examples from avant garde genre. While Discus is an other example from proggressive rock.

Massada is an other jazz-latin-ethnic band from Maluku, referring to Johnny Manuhutu fam. Johnny is lead vocalist for this band, and wrote some songs. The name Massada is searchable in internet, but not findable in well-known websites, such as Wikipedia, Britanica, or Indonesia commercial media.

Massada recorded in Netherland studio and released their album in long play format since 1979-ies. It is something unusual for Indonesia musicians in that time. Over all this album shows Massada's international standard for their skill and taste in music, comparing to mostly Indonesian musicians taste in eighties.

This album entitled Pusaka consists of 8 songs. The lyrics used English languages in certain songs, and ethnic language in other songs. Some songs are jazz-latin-fusion, and some other songs are folk and ethnic. It's mean that though they released long play in Netherland, Massada still promote Indonesian culture. *

Track list

Artist : Massada
Album : Pusaka
Publisher : The Company of the Two P(i)eter B.V., Hillersum, England, April/Mei 1980, for Kendari Record.
Musicians :
Johnny Manuhutu (vocal)
Eppy Manuhutu (drum)
Zeth Mastumu (percussion)
Nina Latuny (rhythm guitar)
Rudy de Qoeljoe (accoustic guitar)
Truv Leerdam (bass)
Walther Sell (keyboard, prophet 5, clarinet, fendher rhodes, minimoog
Peterr Kyl (trumpet)
Jan Stam: sax, flute

Side one:
1.Tumbu (DE Quljoe)
2.Akar Bahar (idem)
3.Discrime (Leerdam ect)
4.Feelin' Lonely (J. Manuhutu)

Side two:
1.I never had love like this before (Eppy and Johnny Manuhutu)
2.Ibu dari Adzal-ku (Mustamu)
3.Toto Buang Tomah (J. Manuhutu)
4.Sajang e (J. Manuhutu/D. Qoeljoe)

Salanti and HOS Tjokroaminoto

Some reasons to buy this Salanti Bersaudara album is because it's song Pitik Tjilik, and it's Titi Qadarsih name, beside a mysterious name HA Tjokroamanito as one of it's composers. Who is HA Tjokroaminoto? Has he close ties with Haji Omar Said Tjokroaminoto (1882-1934), influential leader in early Indonesia history, who tutored young Soekarno who-then became the first Indonesia President?

If it is true, history told an ironic story about Salanti Bersaudara, because this group did not enjoy freedom of expression especially in music. As it was well-known, that Soekarno era banned such western-like-Beatles music, so that Salanti life under that repression. While HOS Tjokroaminoto is a founding-father who promoted freedom.

According to Budi Setiyono, a journalist who managed budisetiyono.blogspot.com, Salanti group consists of Titi Qadarsih, Anny Cokro and Siti Salamah Koerniati (a.k.a. Sally Sardjan). This group grew up in the time of Bimbo, Tiga Dara Sitompul and Koes Plus. They launched the first long play album entitled Pitik Tjilik in 1965. It was likely that this group disbanded after they released the second album. By the way, Titi Qadarsih later became popular as a catwalk model and still active untill now. *