The Shortest Song Title: If

“If” may be the shortest song title in the world, but which impress the world everlast. This song was popularized by a band named Bread, a rock band from Los Angeles. "If" is a song written by American singer-songwriter David Gates in 1971. About this song, Wikipedia wrote: this song is often of interest to guitarists because of the unique tremolo/wah-wah effect on the electric guitar in the intro.

“If” is the signature work of Bread. Thru this song, many people introduced to Bread. Thank God that I find this album in Jakarta and I bought it because there is a song “If”. And thru this album “The Best of Bread”, I know other hit songs of Bread. *

Between Thijs Van Leer and Windhamhill Trend

After listening to this album entitled Introspection by Thijs Van Leer (one of FOCUS band members, 1972), I remember some of Windham Hill Collection' albums especialy thru album Romantic Moments (Windhamhill, 1996) which consisted of some classical songs which interpretated in modern taste. Windhamhill version played by popular group such as Night Noise. This Windhamhill version is truly superb, and elegant-modern version of classical songs. But those romantic songs are off course selected.

I dont know whether Windhamhill producer was inspired by Thijs Van Leer or not, but the album Intrsopection is truly a neo-classical album in the term of Windhamhill approach to some classical songs. What do you think?*

Long Time No Post (OOT)

A long time a go, I did not remember the time, I never post a new message in thos blog. I beg your pardon for that, I thank to everybody who has visited my blogs and wrote comment but no response. This blog is still "on-line" and will continue post some things about non-Indonesian recorded music. Thank your for your patience.

Starting Blogging Again

Hello readers. After long time I did not used this blog, now I am thinking to use this blog for posting my commentary on non-Indonesian music. I mean that in this blog, I just talk about non-Indonesian music, while on my other blog (piringanhitam.wordpress.com), I post only Indonesian music. What is your comment?

Kelik M. Nugroho, owner of piringanhita.blogspot.com

Moving to Wordpress

Announcement:

After a year blogging in piringanhitam.blogspot.com, since April 2008 we move to piringanhitam.wordpress.com. The new update will be published only in the new blog.
Thank for your attention.

Kelik M. Nugroho
piringanhitam.wordpress.com

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. *

Popularizing Keroncong

Making keroncong song popular is not easy. It needs an extra effort. May be this album is such effort to make keroncong music popular by using pop singer May Sumarna and Sandra Singer. Especially May Sumarna who has mild voice and timbre, comparing to Bing Slamet who has baritone timbre.

An other experiment toward keroncong music was ever done by Djaduk G. Verianto, an avant garde composer from Yogyakarta. With his friends like Bobiet, he released a keroncong album entitled Musik KATeBE - Model - Ngetrend - which was experimental one (Gema Nada Pertiwi, 1995). They featured popular theme in writing lyric, and arranged the music eclectically -- keroncong mixed by rap, blues, and so on. But so far, this album failed to get it's popularity. Though this album is very recommended to be collected. *


Track list
Artist : Diselina, May Sumarna, Sandra Singer ect
Album : Diselina
Band : Diselina band under direction Ismet Januar
Producer : Mesra records

Side one
1. Bunga Mawar (nn) -- Sandra Singer
2. Malam Sunji (May SUmarna) -- MAy Sumarna
3. Di Suatu Sendja (Sandra Singer) -- May Sumarna
4. Stambul Djakarta (nn) -- May Sumarna

Side two
1. Lagu Untukmu (May SUmarna) --- May Sumarna
2. O Minahasa (Sandra SInger) -- Sandra Singer
3. Kerontjong Kemajoran (nn) --- Ismet
4. Pergi Ke Desa (sandra S) --- Sandra S

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? *

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. *