KRAKATAU

Pra B Dharma, Fretless “Slendro” Bass :

Pra B Dharma uses special Fretless Bass with particular tuning based on Gamelan pentatonic scale called S’lendro. Different than equal tempered standard tuning

Dwiki Dharmawan, Micro-tuned Keyboards :

Besides regular diatonic keyboard, Dwiki Dharmawan uses specially tuned keyboards and sampler into particular tuning based on Gamelan pentatonic scale called S’lendro. Different than equal tempered standard tuning, Krakatau music utilizes 10 tones division in an octave with 1 additional note for Balinese style or certain purposes. Keyboard sample contains various kinds of sounds from Indonesian traditional instruments and music sampling such as Gamelan Orchestra, choirs, group of percussions or voices.

Yoyon Dharsono Plays Various Traditional Instruments :

T A R O M P E T : Indonesian (Sundanese) double reed instrumenst : its sound resembles a clarinet or oboe but more brittle and harsh. In Sumatra and Malaysia this instrument is called the serunai. Consisting of a pipe with six holes tarompet can produce the same pitches as suling (bamboo flutes). The playing of tarompet in West Java is commonly associated with the traditional Sundanese martial art known as pencak silat, as the instrument is used to accompany the pencak dance. The tarompet is played by circular breathing, a blowing technique that produces long continous notes without pauses or gaps.

S U L I N G : Sundanese end-blown flute. The suling is a bamboo pipe with six holes. Another type of suling. Called suling degung, has four holes. The suling produces soft, middle ” to low ” pitched sounds. Skillful solo players are able to play long bending notes and impressive, drawn-out melodic contours. Suling come in different lengths which determine their “key” or pitch range.

B A N G S I NG : Sundanese transverse bamboo flute. While suling us the general name for different types of flute, the bangsing is the name of a specific variety of flute used by musicians in the West Javanese city of Cirebon. It produces louder and higher-pitched sounds than the Sundanese suling. Bangsing are also used for dangdut music, Indonesia’s most popular commercial music genre.

R E B A B : Indonesian (Sundanese, Javanese or Balinese) fiddle. This two-stringed bowed instrument resembles a member of the violin family and is the most important stringed instrument in Karawitan (traditional music from Java and Bali island) esembles. The rebab in gamelan music embellishes the vocal melody and serves as a melodic guide for the composition. The sound of the rebab can be abrasive or smooth, depending on the player’s taste and the type of song being played. Its sound can be harsh and strident or as melancholy as a Western violin. Conventional rebabs have resonating chambers made from stretched snake or thin goat skin, while the tarawangsa, a special type of rebab, has a larger body made of wood. The distinctive sound of tarawangsa fiddle is characteristic of the traditional music of Baduy, a remote area in West Java.

Ade Rudiana plays various percussions

K E N D A N G : A set of kendang consist of one large drum and an additional two small drums. The kendang is hand drum made of wood shaped into tapering cylinder and is played while seated on the floor. One side of the big drum is smaller than the other, and produces high-pitched “tak” and “plak” sounds. The bigger drum head has a sound similar to a bass or floor torn; its size is about 14 inches in diameter and it can also produce tones with variable pitches controlled by the heel of the player’s foot. The two small drums are placed on each side of the large kendang : these small kendang are called kulanter and produce sounds like “toong” and “poong”. Ade Rudiana is presently Doctorate candidate in ethnomusicology at the Indonesia Institute of Arts (ISI Jogya), and an adjunct faculty member at Bandung Institute of Arts (STSI-Bandung).

R E B A N A : Rebana are similar to tambourines but have a thicker skin cover and only two or there pairs of metal disks fitted into slots parallel to the head. Rebana come in different sizes, the smallest can be as small as 5 inches in diameter and the biggest rebana can have a diameter of 18 inches. Larger instruments sometimes lack metal disk. Rabana are usually played by a group of 4 to 8 percussionists who play counter-rhythms or in unison. Sometimes rattan sticks are used to strike the drum heads in order to creative louder, more percussive sounds.

Zainal Arifin plays Gamelan

S A R O N : Sundanese keyed rnetahlophone instruments consists of iron, steel or bronze keys laid across a wooden trough and held in place with posts. The keys are padded slightly with rubber or cotton rope where the metal keys come into contact with the wood. The sound is crisp and brittle. The saron is a standard instrument of Javanese and Sundanese gamelan but is fairly uncommon in Bali. The tonal range of the saron I is higher than saron II and it is struck by wooden hammer stricks instead of mallets.

B O N A N G : Indonesian (Javanese or Sundanese) gong chimes. Bonang are important instruments of the traditional gamelan. The bonang is a set of small knobbed gongs which are placed horizontally on a rack in one or two rows. They are part of a family of similar rack gong sets that differ in the number and sizes of gongs used as well as in the number of rows. The bonang does not usually play the main tune; instead it play patterns of rapidly struck notes that complement the melody. Its timbre is softer and lower than saron and has a longer sustain envelope. Bonang are played by mallets.

Ubiet, Voice

Ubiet has been exploring various genres of music. From the richnest of Indonesian  traditional music to contemporary. She has been working together with many musicians, music group and composer. She received her PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her dissertation topic was on Acehnese Music.

Gerry Herb, Drums

Gerry Herb has been one of the most in demand drummers in Indonesia, capturing the attention of the international music scene.  Gerry Has performed or recorded w ith various Artists.

Quat:

On Line Jazz Journal

July 2004

Krakatau at once offered some new, even exotic ideas, and yet remained very true to the promise of American fusion-proving that the band has successfully found a way to honor both its Indonesian roots and its American forbearers.

JAZZ TIMES Magazine

June 25-30, 2004

TORONTO DOWNTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL

Krakatau is Indonesian jazz-rock fusion, a sextet from playing funky backbeats with gamelan

Krakatau, the music of Indonesia

Superb musicianship and creative artistry

Victoria Lindsay Levine, Ph D., Professor of music :Director, Hulbert Center for Southwestern Studies _Colorado College

Krakatau, Amazing sounds that creating tuneful soundscapes

Vancouver Jazz Festival 2004

Russel Ferrante (Pianist and Composer)

” His impressions of Indonesian music and Dwiki himself solidified once he got to play with the group. “It definitely had the flavor,” Ferrante says. “It was built on different scales, but it was a nice blend. You could do your thing and be yourself in this music, but it had the influence of those traditional scales. Everything made sense and it wasn’t difficult, though technically, there were some difficult things. There were some unison runs and a few lines that kicked our behinds. Dwiki’s revenge! But it was challenging in a good way.” (Keyboards Magazine USA July 2008)

Steve Thornton (Legendary Percussionist)

“What struck me about Dwiki’s band was that they were playing jazz world music, but I could feel the traditional sound,” he says. “For me, that was the first time I’d ever heard that sound. The rhythm was definitely happening. The singing had Indonesian textures and it was something different for me. I had never heard anything like it before and I played their CD over and over. Then I met Dwiki and performed with him many times. I really love playing with him. This man has such a passion for music and he has inspired me very much.” (Keyboards Magazine USA, July 2008)

KRAKATAU, up coming 2011 Project

CELEBES FANTASY, Exploring the music of Celebes Island

CONTACT:

dwikidharmawan@yah00.com

Buat anda pecinta atau fans Krakatau, kini tersedia merchandise t-shirt 25th Krakatau seharga IDR 60.000,- yang tersedia dalam dua warna yaitu hitam dan coklat tua. Jika anda berminat, silakan mengirimkan email ke sales@wartajazz.net

Krakatau-036 Brown

Krakatau-036 Black

Berangkat dari kepedulian para insan Jazz Indonesia, maka akan digelar konser Jazz for West Java sebagai wujud dari nyata kegiatan untuk menggalang dana, mengumpulkan donasi guna membantu saudara-saudara kita yang mengalami musibah gempa di Jawa Barat.

Kegiatan ini merupakan persembahan dan hasil kerjasama Dewan Kesenian Jakarta, Simpay Wargi Urang, WartaJazz.com, Palang Merah Indonesia dan Farabi Music.

“Insya Allah seperti halnya kepedulian kita pada korban Tsunami Aceh dan Gempa Yogyakarta, kali ini kita menggelar konser amal untuk para korban gempa Jawa Barat”, demikian diungkapkan Dwiki Dharmawan pengagas acara saat melakukan pertemuan koordinasi panitia konser Jazz for West Java bersama Adang Daradjatun dari Simpay Wargi Urang, Muhammad Thoriq dari Palang Merah Indonesia, Agus Setiawan Basuni dari WartaJazz.com, Gideon Momongan dari Indiejazz Inc.

Acara akan digelar pada hari Minggu, 13 September 2009 mulai pukul 19.00 wib hingga 23.00 wib bertempat di Graha Bakti Budaya – Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jl. Cikin Raya 73 Jakarta Pusat. Anda yang tertarik menonton dan beramal, undangan sebesar IDR 100.000,- dapat diperoleh dengan menghubungi salah satu nomor telepon berikut:

DKJ 021-39899634 / 3162780 Ranti
Farabi Music 021-7226270 / 7224407 Dina
WartaJazz.com 021-8310769 Dewi
PMI 021-32084400 Indah / Winda
Simpay Wargi Urang 3100551 Yane

Para musisi jazz Indnesia yang berkenan hadir hingga berita ini diturunkan antara lain Benny Likumahuwa, Krakatau, B3, Rio Febrian, Dwiki Dharmawan, Fariz RM, Maya Hasan, Tompi, Idang Rasjidi, Andien, Budjana-Tohpati, World Peace Orchestra, Agam Hamzah,Adi Darmawan, Kulkul, Donny  Suhendra, Riza Arshad, Bintang Indrianto, Arief Setiadi, Yance Manusama, Tere, ES.QI.EF,Totong Wisaksono, Gerry Herb, Audiensi Band, Otti Jamalus Quartet, Clorophyl D’next Generation, Tompi, Yeppi Romero, Erik Sondhy, Barry Likumahuwa Project, Jilly Likumahuwa,Mahagenta, Oppie Andaresta, Bram,Aldhi,Gerald Trio, Notturno, Rio Moreno, SOL Project, Vodka, Ryo The Malay.
Farhan dan Denny P-Project akan bertindak selaku MC atau pembawa acara.

Selain itu panitia juga merilis merchandise khusus edisi Jazz for West Java dengan harga sebesar IDR 100.000,- (seratus ribu rupiah) dan tersedia dalam ukuran XXS, S, M, L, XL, 3L dan 4L. Anda bisa mengontak info@wartajazz.net untuk pembelian merchandise Jazz for West Java ini.

Source http://www.wartajazz.com/2009/09/07/jazz-for-west-java-bentuk-kepedulian-musisi-jazz-indonesia-pada-gempa-jawa-barat/

In the festival, Krakatau presented traditional music and dances, such as double masks dance performed by a dancer Didik Nini Thowok and traditional songs and two Korean songs such as Arirang by Peni Candra Rini. The performance of the group band received high appreciation from North Korean people.

In each performance, Krakatau Band received applause and warm welcome from the audience. The organizing committee expressed their appreciation and satisfaction on Indonesian team’s performances and hoped Krakatau Band would be able to perform at the next festival with larger formation.

The biennial festival was taken part by about 23 countries which presented various art and cultural attractions, such as music, singing, dance, acrobat and circus.

Penggalan kata diatas adalah deskripsi yang terpampang disitus Festival International Cervantes di Mexico yang mengundang kelompok Krakatau untuk tampil disana 16 Oktober 2008.

Krakatau yang akan berangkat dengan formasi Pra Budi Dharma (slendro fretless bass); Dwiki Dharmawan (keyboard); Adhe Rudyana (kendang & perkusi); Zainal Arifin (gamelan & perkusi); Gerry Herb (drums); juga melibatkan Ita Purnamasari, Didik Ninik Thowok beserta 4 penari dari STSI Bandung. Sementara Ubiet (voice) yang sedang menyelesaikan program doktoralnya di Universitas Wisconsin akan terbang langsung menuju Mexico City dari Madison USA. Satu personil berhalangan hadir yaitu Yoyon Dharsono (rebab, tarompet, voice) sedang menjadi gamelan artists in residence di Perancis.

Ditemui kala tengah berbuka puasa bersama personil Krakatau di sekolah musik Farabi Dharmawangsa minggu lalu, Pra Budi Dharma yang didampingi Dwiki Dharmawan mengatakan akan menyiapkan sebuah lagu berjudul “Mexican Spirit” sebagai persembahan dalam pertunjukan mereka di Mexico nanti.

Tak hanya itu, mereka juga akan melakukan kolaborasi dengan Sociedad Acoustica dan Mexico Orchestra dalam lagu berjudul “The Spirit of Peace”. Khusus dengan kelompok ini, Krakatau tampil dalam acara terpisah yaitu memperingati 55 tahun Hubungan Diplomasi Republik Indonesia dan Mexico bertempat di Sala Nezahualcoyot UNAM Mexico City tanggal 12 Oktober 2008. Sementara Ita Purnamasari – penyanyi yang juga istri Dwiki Dharmawan akan tampil membawakan lagu Bengawan Solo.

Krakatau dijadwalkan bertolak menuju Mexico via Amsterdam tanggal 8 Oktober dan kembali pada 19 Oktober 2008.

After their successfully performance at Beijing Concert Hall Beijing P.R China last November 2007, Krakatau schedulled for MEXICO Tour 2008 including  KRAKATAU in CONCERT for celebrating  ’55 Years Anniversary of Mexico – Indonesia Diplomatic Relationship”  on 12TH October at Sala Nezahualcoyotl – UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) Insurgentes Sur, Centro Cultural Universitario- Ciudad Universitaria UNAM
Mexico DF Mexico. http://www.musicaunam.net/

On 16th October KRAKATAU will be performing at CERVANTINO FESTIVAL – Plaza/explanada de  La Alhondiga , Guanajuato. GTO

info :
www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx

http://festivalcervantino.gob.mx/fic08/node/712

http://festivalcervantino.gob.mx/fic08/node/87

Krakatau Mexico Tour 2008 supported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia and Embasy of Indonesia in Mexico.

Setelah sempat tujuh tahun vakum dari dunia rekaman, pada tahun 2000, Krakatau kembali merilis album “Magical Match”. Pada album ini, Krakatau memperkuat barisannya dengan kehadiran Kang Zainal Arifin, Kang Oseng dan Kang Effix Zulfikar. Seusai penggarapan album ini, Krakatau kembali memenuhi undangan pertunjukkan, diantaranya event bergengsi, seperti Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Toronto Downtown Jazz, Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center Summer Festival, Esplanade, Sziget Festival, Midem dan lain-lain.

Pada perjalanan Krakatau North American Tour (2004), Ubiet (Nyak Ina Raseuki) mulai bergabung dengan Krakatau, menggantikan Trie Utami pada vokal. Bergabungnya Ubiet yang juga merupakan peneliti sekaligus sarjana ethnomusicology, menambah kaya warna musik yang disajikan Krakatau. Karena Ubiet menguasai olah vokal dengan bunyi-bunyian tradisional, seperti yang ia teliti selama ini.

Pada tahun 2006, dua album, “2 Worlds” dan ‘Rhythm of Reformation”, sekaligus diluncurkan Krakatau. Kali ini formasi Krakatau menjadi Dwiki Dharmawan, Pra Budidharma, Ubiet, Gerry Herb, Zainal Arifin, Ade Rudiana dan Yoyon Darsono. Di bawah label independen Musikita Records, album “2 Worlds” direkam di Jakarta, Chicago dan Toronto, karena melibatkan pula musisi dari Amerika Serikat dan Kanada, antara lain Howard Levy, Carlo Actis Dato, Ron Davis, Reg Schwaggerdan lain-lain. Bagi Krakatau, kolaborasi dengan musisi dan kelompok dari negara setempat baik pada pagelaran maupun rekaman menjadi bahasa yang ampuh bagi diplomasi budaya Indonesia serta untuk meningkatkan kerjasama kebudayaan antar bangsa. Sementara itu, salah satu pendiri grup Krakatau, Dwiki Dharmawan mempunyai pengalaman luas bermain bersama baik dalam konser maupun rekaman dengan banyak musisi jazz internasional diantaranya Mike Stern, Jimmy Haslip, Russel Ferrante, Sadao Watanabe, Frank Gambale dan lain-lain.

Baru-baru ini, dalam rangka meningkatkan kerjasama budaya tersebut, Krakatau berhasil memukau publik Beijing pada ‘The Rhythm of Indonesia’ yang diadakan pada tanggal 7 November 2007. Pada kesempatan tersebut, Krakatau berkolaborasi dengan Central Conservatory World Music Ensemble, Beijing dan Asian Harmony Orchestra, Beijing. Ditambah lagi Krakatau turut melibatkan pesinden Jawa asal Solo, Peni Candrarini, yang selama ini kerap tampil bersama Rahayu Supanggah dan Wayan Sadra. Penari Didik Nini Thowok pun menari bersama Krakatau pada nomor ‘Impen-impenan’ dan ‘Genjring Party’.

Pada penghujung tahun 2007 ini, Ubiet, yang baru saja menyelesaikan album terbarunya “Kroncong Tenggara”, berencana kembali ke Madison, Amerika Serikat demi menyelesaikan program doktoral ethnomusicology-nya di University of Wisconsin atas bimbingan Profesor Anderson Sutton. Sedangkan Dwiki mulai sering diundang menjadi visiting lecture di Musician Institute, Hollywood yang membuatya semakin sering bolak-balik ke Amerika Serikat.

Tahun 2008 yang akan datang, Krakatau berencana untuk mengadakan pagelaran di Forbidden City, China dan berkolaborasi dengan National Symphony Orchestra serta Central Conservatory World Music Orchestra. Setelah itu, grup kebanggaan Indonesia tersebut akan pula melakukan pagelaran di Mexico City dalam rangka memperingati 55 tahun hubungan diplomatik Meksiko dan Indonesia, serta turut ambil bagian dalam sebuah pagelaran di Wina, Austria bertajuk Expo Indonesia.

Sebagai anak bangsa, setiap anggota Krakatau merasa bersyukur dan bangga memiliki kesempatan membawa kekayaan seni musik dari budaya nusantara ke hadapan publik dunia yang memiliki latar belakang kebudayaan yang berbeda-beda. Seluruh anggota Krakatau berterima kasih atas dukungan dan doa dari keluarga, rekan-rekan seniman, teman-teman dari media massa, dan saudara sebangsa indonesia. Semoga seni budaya Indonesia makin berkembang dan pelaku seni tradisional Indonesia di setiap daerah tidak henti mencintai dan berkarya. Terima kasih Indonesia.

“Ilir-ilir” Concert in Beijing
by : Frans Sartono

Ilir-ilir, that sung Javanese poetry, appeared with a touch of Sundanese and jazz in the country of China. It was one of Krakatau’s contribution in the concert “The Rhythms of Indonesia” at Beijing Concert Hall, Beijing, China, on Wednesday (7/11) night.

Beijing Concert Hall, which is located about a kilometer from the historical Tiananmen field, became the cultural intercourse event. There Krakatau and Chinese musicians collaborated in playing Indonesian traditional pieces. Dwiki Dharmawan, Pra Budidharma, and friends performed together with strings from Asia Harmony Orchestra, and World Music Ensemble, a Chinese traditional music instrument ensemble with fourteen members who are students at Chinese Music Conservatory.

From that collaboration, thus flowed Bengawan Solo composed by Gesang, sung by Ita Purnamasari and Yong-Yong in Bahasa Indonesia and Mandarin. Following that, Ilir-ilir from Java, Janger Bali, Ayo Mama from Maluku, even Yamko Rambe from Papua. Those songs Lagu-lagu itu disuguhkan di depan sekitar seribu penonton dari berbagai bangsa.

Krakatau was very clever in communicating through music. They used jazz as some sort of musica franca, the “language” of intercourse for ears from various cultural background. In this jazz part, there were Dwiki Dharmawan on piano, bass from Pra Budidharma, and drum from Gerry Herb. At the same time, they brought the Indonesian flavor through a set of traditional instruments. There were Sundanese drum played by Ade Rudiatna, rebab and tarompet by Yoyon Darsono, also kecapi (West Javanese plucked zither), multi-sync bonang, and taganing Bataknese percussion from Zainal Arifin.

At Beijing, Ilir-ilir started with an intro of solo piano improvisation from Dwiki who used acoustic grand piano. The sung poetry melody was then developed in piano improvisation. This was some sort of appetizer, the introduction course to be able to go into the next composition. From the flavor of jazz, Ilir-ilir continued to kecapi and recorder that created the atmosphere of Pasundan land. Only after that did singer Peni Chandra Rini showed up with a very beautiful Javanese accent singing bowo (a kind of song intro): “lir-ilir, lir-ilir tandure wis semilir, tak ijo royo-royo….” At the moment, the atmosphere has gone very Indonesian, with the combination of Javanese and Sundanese that are similarly comfortable, calm, and harmonic.

Ilir-ilir in the next composition part received a touch of China through traditional instruments, such as dizi recorder, Yangqin string instrument, Erhu rebab, and an instrument similar to guitar called Pipa. This traditional version of ensemble was combined with the string section playing a melody which was more or less the same so that it gave the impression of merely playing music together. The communal situation ended when Ilir-ilir was then pulled to the flavor of swing jazz. This method was very communicative. At least it’s shown from the audience in the balcony seen tapping their feet along with the tempo.

Krakatau’s music’s ability to communicate was strengthen by the performance by dancer Didik Nini Thowok in Genjring Party and Impen-impenan. Genjring or a kind of tambourine became the backbone of Genjring Party composition that bring out the percussion element. Didik performed his old creation, which is the Dwimuka dance that’s very popular because it’s frequently performed by Didik in various opportunities, including weddings. He wore two masks on the face and the back of the head. When he’s not facing the audience, Didik’s body and motion gave the impression as if he’s actually facing the audience.

The very percussion-y composition spoiled Didik with impulsive free motion that gave comedic effect. The audience was laughing, enjoying the combination of Kratau music and Didik’s dance that are both spontaneous and full of improvisation.

Fusion

With its jazz ”plus” format all this time, Krakatau fluently accomodated various ethnic elements in their music contribution. As was mentioned by music lecturer and observer, Franki Raden, in a jazz workshop in Jakarta at the end of October, Krakatau’s music gave a certain distinction outside Indonesia that’s not used to Indonesian traditional music. Krakatau stood by jazz, but opened itself for traditional flavors.

Krakatau was born from young musicians from early 80s who are very high spirited in playing fusion. At first, said Pra, they started with American “fusion-ish”. Pra (52), who grew in Bandung, then initiated fusioning jazz with Sundanese music element. “Sunda was what’s close to me since I was small,” said Pra who lives at Cipaganti, Bandung.

The idea was not fulfilled yet because comercially the Indonesian music industry at that moment did not have any room for experimental music. Krakatau that then formed with Pra, Dwiki, Indra, Gilang Ramadhan, and Donny Suhendra plus vocals Trie Utami turned to be popular for its four pop albums.

Krakatau stopped once. Pra experimented by making a creative Sundanese pop album with Trie Utami and Sundanese karawitan artist, Yoyon Darsono. This project became the so-called seed of Krakatau. Later, Pra and Dwiki fulfilled the prior idea, which is to play fusion, a fusion between jazz and Sundanese music. Accidentally, Dwiki Dharmawan owned a strong auditive memory of Sundanese karawitan. Dwiki’s house is only a concrete wall away from Kampus Akademi Seni Karawitan Indonesia (ASKI – Indonesian Karawitan Art Academy) Bandung that now becomes STSI and almost every day, he heard the students practice.

To fulfill the idea, they invite two Sundanese karawitan artists, Yoyon Darsono and Ade Rudiatna. Both are lecturers at STSI Bandung. This time Krakatau is strengthened by a drum player, Budi Haryono. They explore in entering the Sundanese element into jazz. “For three years, we synchronized the pattern of kendang and drum beats,” said Ade Rudiatna.

Their exploration started to be presented in front of public in 1993. The jazz lovers gave an exciting response to Krakatau’s creation. A year after that, “Mystical Mist” album was born. Krakatau kept on exploring the rhythm, sounds, and ethnic nuance potention through “Magical Match” (2000), “2 Worlds” (2005), to “Rhytms of Reformation” (2005).

Jazz still became the creative attitude of Krakatau’s artists. They don’t deny change with exploration. Jazz is also still their composition platform. Jazz became the foundation to give place to ethnic elements that are given such vast space in Krakatau to explore.

“Organizationally, I played kendang. We play with traditional approach, but that tradition has been modified. When we play swing, then kendang became a normal percussion. I gave meaning through kendang. I realize I’m not in the area of tradition. I became one in the totality of playing kendang. So, on one hand we’re invited, but not as additions,” said Ade Rudiatna.

“The identity of Sunda does not disappear. I treat rebab as a Sundanese rebab. Not like the style of a person playing violin, for example,” said Yoyon Darsono.

This identity and creative room clarity for each individual is what makes Krakatau able to explore the various sounds and rhythms. They could put the flavors of Indonesia and even China comfortably, just like what they contributed at Beijing.

The event supported by the Indonesian Cultural and Tourism Ministry and Indonesian Embassy in China became a kind of window for the Indonesian culture. Chinese musicians were invited to play Indonesian music and presented it to the audience coming from various countries.

“We hope that people will know Indonesia and want to come there. After that, for a friendship to happen between China and Indonesia through music,” said the Indonesian Vice Ambassador, Mohammad Umar.

Ilir-ilir, tembang Jawa itu, hadir dalam sentuhan Sunda dan jazz di negeri China. Itulah salah satu suguhan Krakatau dalam konser “The Rhythms of Indonesia” di Beijing Concert Hall, Beijing, China, pada Rabu (7/11) malam.

Beijing Concert Hall yang terletak sekitar satu kilometer dari lapangan bersejarah Tiananmen itu menjadi ajang pergaulan budaya. Di sana Krakatau dan musisi China berkolaborasi memainkan lagu-lagu daerah dari Indonesia. Dwiki Dharmawan, Pra Budidharma, dan kawan-kawan tampil bersama orkes gesek Asia Harmony Orchestra, serta World Music Ensemble, sebuah ensemble instrumen musik tradisional China yang berawak 14 mahasiswa Konservatori Musik China.

Dari kolaborasi itu mengalirlah Bengawan Solo gubahan Gesang yang dibawakan Ita Purnamasari dan Yong-Yong dalam bahasa Indonesia-Mandarin. Kemudian Ilir-ilir dari Jawa, Janger Bali, Ayo Mama dari Maluku, sampai Yamko Rambe dari Papua. Lagu-lagu itu disuguhkan di depan sekitar seribu penonton dari berbagai bangsa.

Krakatau sangat cerdik berkomunikasi lewat musik. Mereka menggunakan jazz sebagai semacam musica franca, “bahasa” pergaulan bagi telinga dari berbagai latar kultural. Pada bagian jazz ini ada Dwiki Dharmawan pada piano, bas dari Pra Budidharma, serta drum dari Gerry Herb. Bersamaan dengan itu, mereka membawa rasa Indonesia lewat seperangkat instrumen tradisi. Pada bagian ini ada kendang Sunda yang dimainkan Ade Rudiatna, lalu rebab dan tarompet oleh Yoyon Darsono, serta kecapi, bonang multilaras, hingga perkusi Batak taganing dari Zainal Arifin.

Di Beijing, Ilir-ilir dimulai dengan intro berupa improvisasi piano solo dari Dwiki yang menggunakan grand piano akustik. Melodi tembang dikembangkan dalam improvisasi piano. Ini menjadi semacam appetizer, suguhan pengantar untuk masuk ke dalam komposisi lebih lanjut. Dari rasa jazz, Ilir-ilir bersambung ke permainan kecapi dan suling yang menghadirkan atmosfer tanah Pasundan. Baru setelah itu muncul pesinden Peni Chandra Rini dengan cengkok sangat Jawa yang merdu melantunkan bowo atau semacam pembuka lagu: “lir-ilir, lir-ilir tandure wis semilir, tak ijo royo-royo….” Kali ini suasana telah mengindonesia—paduan Jawa dan Sunda yang sama-sama nyaman, teduh, dan harmonis.

Ilir-ilir pada bagian komposisi selanjutnya mendapat sentuhan China lewat instrumen tradisi seperti seruling dizi, alat berdawai Yangqin, rebab Erhu, serta alat serupa gitar bernama pipa. Ensemble versi tradisi ini berpadu dengan seksi gesek memainkan melodi yang kurang lebih sama sehingga memberi kesan sekadar main rame-rame, bareng-bareng. Suasana rame-rame itu berakhir ketika Ilir-ilir lalu ditarik ke rasa jazz swing. Cara ini sangat komunikatif. Setidaknya itu terlihat dari penonton di balkon yang terlihat mengentak-entakkan kaki seturut ketukan.

Kekomunikatifan musik Krakatau diperkuat oleh penampilan penari Didik Nini Thowok pada Genjring Party dan Impen-impenan. Genjring atau semacam rebana menjadi tulang punggung komposisi Genjring Party yang menonjolkan unsur perkusi. Didik menampilkan kreasi lamanya, yaitu tari Dwimuka yang populer karena sering dibawakan Didik di berbagai kesempatan, termasuk di hajatan perkawinan. Ia mengenakan dua topeng pada wajah dan bagian belakang kepala. Ketika dalam posisi membelakangi penonton, tubuh dan gerak Didik memberi impresi seakan-akan tengah menghadap penonton.

Komposisi yang sangat perkusif itu memanjakan Didik dengan gerak bebas yang impulsif hingga memberi efek komedik. Penonton terpingkal-pingkal menikmati paduan musik Krakatau dan gerak tari Didik yang sama-sama spontan, improvisatif.

Fusi

Dengan format jazz “plus”-nya selama ini, Krakatau luwes mengakomodasikan berbagai unsur etnis dalam suguhan musik mereka. Seperti disebut dosen dan pengamat musik Franki Raden dalam workshop jazz di Jakarta akhir Oktober lalu, musik Krakatau memberi distingsi tersendiri bagi penikmat musik di luar Indonesia yang belum terbiasa dengan musik tradisional di Indonesia. Krakatau berpijak pada jazz, tapi membuka diri untuk masuknya rasa tradisi.

Krakatau lahir dari musisi muda era awal 1980-an yang sedang semangat-semangatnya memainkan fusion. Awalnya, kata Pra, mereka mulai dengan “fusion-fusion-an” gaya Amerika. Pra (52) yang tumbuh di Bandung kemudian menggagas untuk mem-fusi-kan jazz dengan elemen musik Sunda. “Sunda itu yang dekat dengan saya sejak kecil,” kata Pra yang tinggal di bilangan Cipaganti, Bandung.

Gagasan itu belum bisa terwujud karena secara komersial industri musik di Indonesia saat itu belum memberi ruang yang layak untuk musik eksperimental. Krakatau yang kemudian terbentuk bersama Pra, Dwiki, Indra, Gilang Ramadhan, dan Donny Suhendra plus vokal Trie Utami malah populer dengan empat album popnya.

Krakatau sempat vakum. Pra bereksperimen dengan membuat album pop Sunda kreatif dengan Trie Utami dan seniman karawitan Sunda, Yoyon Darsono. Proyek ini menjadi semacam cikal bakal Krakatau. Belakangan, Pra dan Dwiki mewujudkan gagasan awal, yaitu memainkan fusion, fusi antara jazz dan musik Sunda. Secara kebetulan, Dwiki Dharmawan mempunyai memori auditif yang kuat dengan karawitan Sunda. Rumah Dwiki hanya berbatas pagar tembok dengan Kampus Akademi Seni Karawitan Indonesia (ASKI) Bandung yang kini menjadi STSI dan hampir setiap hari ia mendengar mahasiswa berlatih.

Untuk mewujudkan gagasan itu diajaklah seniman karawitan Sunda, yaitu Yoyon Darsono dan Ade Rudiatna. Keduanya adalah pengajar di STSI Bandung. Kali ini Krakatau diperkuat pemain drum Budi Haryono. Mereka melakukan eksplorasi untuk memasukkan unsur Sunda dengan jazz. “Tiga tahun kami menyelaraskan pola pukulan kendang dengan drum,” kenang Ade Rudiatna.

Eksplorasi mereka mulai dipresentasikan di depan publik, 1993. Penikmat jazz merespons seru kreasi Krakatau tersebut. Setahun kemudian lahirlah album “Mystical Mist”. Krakatau terus menggali potensi ritme, bunyi-bunyian, dan nuansa etnis dalam balutan jazz lewat “Magical Match” (2000), “2 Worlds” (2005), sampai “Rhytms of Reformation” (2005).

Jazz tetap menjadi sikap kreatif seniman Krakatau. Mereka tidak menabukan perubahan dengan terpencarian dan terus bereksplorasi. Jazz juga tetap menjadi platform komposisi. Jazz menjadi dasar untuk mewadahi unsur-unsur etnis yang di Krakatau diberi ruang luas untuk bereksplorasi.

“Secara organologis saya bermain kendang. Kami bermain dengan pendekatan tradisi, tapi tradisi itu sudah mengalami modifikasi. Ketika kami main swing, maka kendang menjadi perkusi pada umumnya. Saya melakukan tafsir lewat kendang. Saya sadar tidak sedang berada di wilayah tradisi. Saya melebur dalam totalitas bermain kendang. Jadi, di satu sisi kami diajak, tapi tidak sebagai tambahan,” kata Ade Rudiatna.

“Identitas Sunda tidak sampai hilang. Saya memperlakukan rebab sebagai rebab Sunda. Tidak dengan gaya orang main biola, misalnya,” kata Yoyon Darsono.

Adanya kejelasan identitas dan ruang kreatif dari setiap individu inilah yang menjadikan Krakatau bisa bereksplorasi dengan beragam bunyi dan ritme. Mereka bisa memasukkan rasa Indonesia dan bahkan China sekalipun dengan nyaman, seperti yang mereka suguhkan di Beijing.

Acara yang didukung Departemen Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata Republik Indonesia serta KBRI di China ini menjadi semacam jendela kebudayaan Indonesia. Musisi China diajak memainkan musik dari Indonesia dan diperdengarkan untuk hadirin dari berbagai negara.

“Harapan kami orang menjadi kenal dengan Indonesia dan mau datang ke negeri. Selanjutnya, lewat musik bisa terjalin persahabatan antara China dan Indonesia,” kata Wakil Duta Besar Indonesia Mohammad Umar.

Sumber: http://www.kompas.com/kompas-cetak/0711/11/nasional/3982042.htm

“Yang unik, musisi tradisional China diajarkan musik Barat. Jadi, saya bisa menulis musik Krakatau dengan not balok. Padahal, musik Krakatau tak pernah dinotasikan. Uniknya lagi, kami belum pernah bertemu,” kata Dwiki yang mendapat dukungan Departemen Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata.

Di Beijing, Krakatau juga berkolaborasi dengan penari Didik Nini Thowok. Dwiki menyiapkan dua karya Krakatau, Impen-impenan dan Genjring Party untuk ditarikan Didik.

“Mas Didik sudah turun dari pertapaan di ’kayangan sundul langit’ dan mendapat inspirasi untuk membuat tarian dari musik kami, he-he,” ujar Dwiki mengutip e-mail Didik.

Acara The Rhythm of Indonesia juga menampilkan Ita Purnamasari, istri Dwiki, dengan lagu Bengawan Solo. Ita akan berduet dengan penyanyi China. “Tetapi, Ita nyanyi dalam bahasa Indonesia,” lanjut Dwiki.

Source: http://www.kompas.co.id/ver1/Hiburan/0711/03/061827.htm