14 February 2006
Krakatau set to erupt at Taman Ismail Marzuki
Posted by admin under: Album; Gigs .
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Fresh from its worldwide tour, seminal fusion band Krakatau is set to stage a homecoming at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) this evening at 8 p.m.
Billed as the 2-Worlds Live In Concert, the seven-member band will bring an attraction that has become the biggest draw of their overseas concerts, a blend of pentatonic Indonesian ethnic music (traditional gamelan music in particular) and diatonic Western-style jazz music.
In the TIM concert, Krakatau, however, will broaden its musical horizons by incorporating elements of Acehnese traditional music with a song from Acehnese vocalist Teuku Rafly.
The show will also be tinged with flavors of World Music with the presence of Farabi Percussion Ensemble.
After the group’s musical excursion to these exotic lands, renowned saxophonist Arief Setiadi is expected to bring back a jazz flavor to the show, the first in a year for Krakatau.
The band staged its last gig early last year at the first International Java Jazz Festival.
It will also be the first time in a year that Krakatau will play a venue with its complete lineup: keyboardist Dwiki Dharmawan, bassist Pra Budi Dharma, vocalist Nya’ Ina “Ubiet” Raseuki, trumpeter Yoyon Dharsono, percussionist Adhie Rudhiana, gamelan specialist Zainal Arifin and drummer Gerry Herb.
The concert also doubles as the official launch for the band’s double-disc album, 2-Worlds and Rhythm of Reformation.
Krakatau, one of the jazz supergroups in the country, was founded in 1985 by Dharmawan, a classically-trained musician, and Budhi Dharma, who had just returned from music studies in the U.S.
Later, veteran bassist Donny Soehendra and rock drummer Budhy Haryono joined.
In subsequent years, some of the country’s best musicians entered the lineup, among them session drummer Gilang Ramadhan, jazz prodigy Indra Lesmana and female singer Trie Utami.
Krakatau made its international debut at the 1985 Yamaha Bands Explosion in Tokyo where Dharmawan bagged a Grand Prix as the most talented keyboardist.
Thus far, the band has performed in 19 countries on four continents, including some of the most respected events in jazz, such as the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam and the Vancouver International Jazz Festival.
The band will start another leg of its European tour later this year
