San Ul Lim (산울림) – Hourglass at Noon (한낮의 모래시계) [1979]

03 Friday Oct 2014

Tags

1979, ballad, disco, funk, fuzz, garage, hard, hippy, k-rock, mellow, organ, oriental, pop, prog, psychedelic, synth

San Ul Lim aka Sanulrim, is a South Korean power trio combo, the name is the combination of words, San (산, mountain) and Ullim (울림, echo). The band is considered one of the most influential figures in the Korean Rock scene, its musical experiments varied from songs for children to progressive and psychedelic rock.

They broke up after the death of the drummer, Kim Chang-ik (김창익), in 2008 (RIP). Upon its release in 1977, their first LP sold over a half-million copies and paved the way for many further volumes. The songs are full of fuzz guitar, tinny keyboards, unique timbres and simple production, reminding one of the American garage and pop-psychedelic groups from the 60’s, but with a very special Asian flavor. (!)

Let’s go to our artist:

The three members of San Ul Lim are brothers, they were Kim Chang-wan (김창완, 1954-), Kim Chang-hoon (김창훈, 1956-), and Kim Chang-ik (김창익, 1958-2008).

San Ul Lim, 70’s

The band, formed when the three were university students, was initially called Mui and was never meant to be professional. Kim Chang-hoon’s other college band, named Sand Pebbles, won the MBC College K-pop Festival with their song, What Shall I Do?; Mui was initially nominated to win with their song, Please Open the Door but wasn’t qualified because Chang-wan had already graduated from the university.

Gaining confidence, the band looked for a music agency, changing the name into San Ul Lim by their new manager’s demand. At first, they recorded a demo tape, the brothers had already over one hundred songs written before its debut, to then finally arrive at SRB label. Willing to sound like AC/DC heavy guitars, they’ve stumbled into insufficient technological know-how, thus, only depending on psychedelic ad lib or fuzz guitar, this ironically made their sound unique, founding a longlasting stamp!

Live

Their first album entitled Vol.1 아니벌써 (What, Already?) came out in December 1977, the Lp largely impacted the Korean music scene, becoming both critically and commercially successful, revealing a new type of music which Koreans had never heard before, people were totally absorbed with the psychedelic/hard rock sound.

San Ul Lim’s stellar appearance was much significant because they vitalized the Korean popular music scene, that was currently devastated after several musicians were charged and arrested for marijuana possession. The dictatorial government of Park Chung-hee leaded mass boycotts on pop/rock music around 1975. (!)

During 1977-1984, they released more than 10 albums, ending in the middle of the disco boom (a bit late in South Korea) in 1984. With the K-pop retrospective revival during the 90’s, all of their Lp’s were reissued and a tribute album was released.

K-Rock Portrait

They performed in Seoul on July 5th, 2007 for their 30th anniversary and planned to release a vol. 14 album within the same year, unfortunately, on January 29, 2008, drummer Kim Chang-ik was killed in a work-related accident in Vancouver, Canada. Ever since, Kim Chang-wan announced the end of the band, though he recently reformed it and occasionally plays with another formation. He also has been actively performing as a musician, painter, actor, writer and broadcast celebrity!

Let’s go to our album:

Today we’ve got very special album, of an extremely important band! Still unknown to large Western audiences, (still expecting an official re-release of their albums), but thanks to the blogosphere work from Gold Korea Vinyl (for instance), the Vol. 1 and 2 can be easily heard on youtube, soundcloud, etc. Here, let’s go a little further.

Last Revival

Together with Vol. 3 this Vol. 5 are my favorite, even if the compositions seem a bit naive in terms of harmony and arrangements, this power trio REALLY understands about colors and effects, maximizing the (holy) punk aesthetic of less is more.

There’s a previously unseen disco offshoot here, San Ul Lim’s vision and concept of it are quite unique, embracing multiple passages and genres. Lastly, Arirang’s cool series of documentaries, are available with legends in english, scrutinizing every detail of the rock development in the country, with an exclusively chapter on the band, its history and idol status. Needless to say more, check it out and ການເດີນທາງທີ່ດີ!

The ‘IM’ highlights are: 무녀도 (No Women Island) and 백자 (White Porcelain).

Tracks Include:

A1 한낮의 모래시계 (An Hourglass in the Afternoon)

A2 오솔길 (A Trail)

A3 봄 (The Spring)

A4 포도밭으로 가요 (Let’s Go to a Vineyard)

A5 무녀도 (No Women Island)

B1 이렇게 갑자기 (All of a Sudden)

B2 연 띄워라 (Fly a Kite)

B3 왜가 (Why, Leave)

B4 백자 (White Porcelain)

Credits

Chang Wan Kim (김창완): guitar, keyboards, vocals

Chang Hoon Kim (김창훈): bass

Chang Ik Kim (김창익): drums

Released on September 1979

SRB SR-0171

Bibimbap (Korean Cuisine)

Pavlos Sidiropoulos (Παύλος Σιδηρόπουλος) & Σπυριδούλα (Spyridoula) – Φλου (Flou) [1979]

27 Saturday Sep 2014

Posted by gabaguillar in greece

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Tags

1979, art rock, ballad, blues, brass, chorus, classic, folk, funk, fuzz, jazz, pop, prog, psychedelic, reed, rock n roll, strings, synth, woodwinds

Composer, lyricist/singer Pavlos Sidiropoulos (July 27, 1948 – December 6, 1990), only lived until the age of 42, though he left behind a remarkable musical legacy and influence amongst young artists. He was the great grandson of Zorba, nephew of the poet Elli Alexiou and since his early age showed a musical aptitude. A truly legend, despite the few musical releases in life, the today’s entry is simply considered as the most important rock album of all time in Greece! Fortunately, there’s plenty of information (in greek) available about Pavlos, your site/tribute, deserves a lookout!

Over time other albums will come and we’ll try to bring more details about the life of this fabulous artist, we count on to help from our Greek friends, rest in peace Pavlos.

Let’s go to our artist:

Mural

Sidiropoulos began his career in 1970 in Thessaloniki, where he was studying maths in Aristotle University. Together with Pantelis Delleyannidis they set up the folk-duo Damon and Phintias; though does not graduating he returns to Athens, disappointed with the revolutionary youth, there he worked to his father’s factory. He soon met, at Kittaro’s, Dionysis Savvopoulos and his group Bourboulia, he joined the band and released the 45 release Damis The Tough (Ντάμης ο σκληρός) in 1972. There, he stayed until 1974, and therefore first experimented with combining folklore and rock.

Afterward Sidiropoulos collaborated with the Greek composer Yannis Markopoulos, singing his compositions with lyrics by the poet Dimitris Varos. In 1976, together with Spiropoulos brothers, he founded the music group Spiridoula. It took three years for their first release, the cornerstone album Flou, with the homonymous theme song that inspired many musicians, opening a completely different path to Greek audience!

Pavlos Sidiropoulos & Spyridoula

At 1975, he made its two film appearances. He had the leading role in the film (and OST) O Asymvivastos, directed by Andreas Thomopoulos, at the same time, he starred with Dimitris Poulikakos another movie by Thomopoulos, Aldevaran.

Sidiropoulos joined the band Οι Απροσάρμοστοι (The Misfits), in 1980 where he remained until his death. They released 3 studio albums and numerous live performances. En Lef̱kó̱ was published in 82′, and many of the songs were censored!

Παύλος Σιδηρόπουλος

In 1985, Zorba the Freak came out and in 1989 they released (their lastly) Without Make-up, which was recorded live at Metro club in Athens. In the summer of 1990 and after his mother’s death, his left hand started getting paralyzed, as a result of his long term drug use that he was trying to overcome for many years. He continued his live performances but the deterioration of his health had serious implications. On December 6, 1990 he died from heart attack, caused by heroin overdose. (RIP)

Let’s go to our album:

Considered by many the most important album in Greek rock music, i was completely surprised first time i heard him a and it touched me really deep!

Live

Pavlos are simply the best, always with a tight band, he delivers nice guitars, horns, elements from prog, psychedelic and jazz, folk and (beautiful) classic rock, wow!

The ‘IM’ Highlights are: Oi Sovaroi Klooun (Serious Clown) and I Ora Tou Stuff (The Time of Stuff). Safar Wanaagsan!

Tracks Include (polytonic, romanized and translated):

A1 Ο Μπάμπης Ο “Φλου” – O Babis O Flou (The Father Flou)

A2 Μου ‘πες Θα Φύγω – Mou Pes Tha Fygo (You Told Me I Will Go)

A3 Που Να Γυρίζεις – Pou Na Gyrizeis (Where To Turn?)

A4 Ξέσπασμα – Xespasma (Outbreak)

A5 Οι Σοβαροί Κλόουν – Oi Sovaroi Klooun (Serious Clown)

B1 Το ’69 Με Κάποιο Φίλο – To ’69 Me Kapoio Filo (The ’69 With a Friend)

B2 Στην Κ. – Stin K. (In K.)

B3 Η Ώρα Του Stuff – I Ora Tou Stuff (The Time of Stuff)

B4 Τω Αγνώστω Θεώ – To Agnosto Theo (Tm Unknown God)

B5 Εν Κατακλείδι – En Katakleidi (In Conclusion)

Credits

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet: Γιάννης Φαναριώτης (John Fanariotis)
Bass: Τόλης Μαστρόκαλος (Tolis Mastrokalos)
Bass, Guitar (Slide): Νίκος Πολίτης (Nikos Politis)
Drums: Ανδρέας Μουζακίτης (Andreas Mouzakitis), Τάσος Φωτοδήμος (Tassos Fotodimos)
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar: Βασίλης Σπυρόπουλος (Vassilis Spyropoulos)
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer, Flute: Νίκος Σπυρόπουλος (Nikos Spyropoulos)
Music, Lyrics: Παύλος Σιδηρόπουλος (Pavlos Sidiropoulos)
Piano: Δημήτρης Πολύτιμος (Dimitris Valuable)
Tenor Saxophone: Μάκης Παπαθεοδώρου (Makis Papatheodorou)
Trombone: Ανδρέας Γκαβογιάννης (Andreas Gkavogiannis)
Trumpet: Δημήτρης Λεονταρίδης (Dimitris Leontaridis)
Violin: Γιώργος Μαγκλάρας (Yorgos Maglaras)
Vocals, Percussion: Παύλος Σιδηρόπουλος (Pavlos Sidiropoulos)
Female Vocals: Dimitra Galani

Recorded: Γιώργος Κωνσταντόπουλος (George Konstantopoulos)

Engineer (Assistant): Γιώργος Τζάννες (George Tzanes), Εμμανουήλ Ψαρράς (Manolis Psaras)

Cover, Design, Photography: Γιώργος Μανιάτης (George Maniatis), Δημήτρης Αρβανίτης (Dimitris Arvanitis)

Producer: Θόδωρος Σαραντής (Theo Sarantis)

Coordinator: Μάνος Ξυδούς (Manos Xydous)

Made, Printed: EMI Greece S.A.
Pressed: Columbia, Athens – 7608

Harvest ‎– 14C 062-70913

1984 (Rock On!)

Osamu Kitajima (喜多嶋修) – Benzaiten (1974)

25 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by gabaguillar in japan

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

1974, ambient, art rock, clavinet, electronic, ethnic, folk, folklore, funk, fusion, fuzz, instrumental, live, organ, oriental, percussion, prog, psychedelic, reed, synth, traditional

The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 (ongaku), combining the kanji 音 ‘on’ (sound) with the kanji 楽 ‘gaku’ (enjoy). Many instruments, as the koto, were introduced in the 9th and 10th centuries, the accompanied recitative of the Noh drama dates from the 14th century and the popular folk music, with the guitar-like shamisen, from the 16th century. Western classical music, introduced in late 19th century, now forms an integral part of Japanese culture. The imperial court ensemble Gagaku has influenced the work of many modern Western composers.

Notable classical composers from Japan include Toru Takemitsu and Rentarō Taki.

Biwa & Koto by Utagawa Kunisada, 1848

Popular music in post-war Japan has been heavily influenced by American and European trends, which has led to the evolution of J-pop (popular music). Japan is the second largest music market in the world, with a total retail value of over 3 billion dollars in 2013, dominated by Japanese artists. Karaoke is also the most widely practiced cultural activity, ahead of flower arranging (ikebana) or tea ceremonies. Traditional Japanese music is quite different from Western music as it’s based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical timing. (!)

Toru Takemitsu

Let’s go to our artist:

Osamu Kitajima (February 3, 1949) was born and raised in the beach town of Chigasaki (Kanagawa Prefecture), as a young man he studied classical guitar and piano; his first band the Launchers, was led by pop idol and actor Yuzo Kayama, the group disbanded in the late 60’s, after Kitajima began to work on his own.

After graduating from Keio University, and already a successful composer of TV and advertising jingles, he moved for one year to the UK in 1971, which brought him in to contact with British folk and psychedelia. Inspired by The Beatles, T. Rex and Syd Barrett, he dubbed himself Justin Heathcliff and issued a lone eponymous album.

Dr. Osamu Kitajima, 1972

His first solo album in 1974, Benzaiten, was a mix of modern pop and traditional Japanese music, and was well received in Japan and later released abroad (Antilles label in U.S.) where it received some underground radio airplay and sold moderately. Also in 1974 Kitajima relocated to the Los Angeles area and later opened East Quest Studios; the late 70’s and 80’s saw the establishment of its career, with more than a dozen Lp’s, he has become one of Japan’s biggest selling artist internationally!

During the decades, Osamu Kitajima expanded his work to include commercial and soundtrack work, he provided part of the music to the blockbuster mini-series Shogun and contributed to the soundtrack of Sharkey’s Machine. He also arranged the scores for PBS documentaries on Japan, Chinese/Japanese film Mandala and produced a number of artists. Nowadays, inside East Quest Records, he continues to release his own albums (new and re-issues), as well as works by countless artists.

Osamu’s Portrait

Let’s go to our album:

This is truly a melting pot of Western rock and Japanese traditional music, very few have pulled it off so well as Kitajima does here. Either they usually fall prey to new age sappiness, or move towards amateurish exploitation, fortunately it does not happen here, a real serious work, the type of rock influenced world music that still hasn’t been much explored at all. The album also featured Haruomi Hosono and it utilized various electronics: synthesizer, rhythm machine, and electronic drums.

A bit different from our previous entry Buddha Meet Rock, this is a more elaborate record, with brilliant musicians and cinematic feelings, being a cornerstone of japanese folklore, be enlightened by Kitajima’s masterful work and Bono Trinus!

Benzaiten Goddess

The ‘IM’ highlights are: Taiyo (The Sun) and Benzaiten (Reprise).

Tracks Include:

A1 Benzaiten (The God of Music and Water)

A2 Taiyo (The Sun)

A3 Tengu (A Long Nosed Goblin)

B1 Benzaiten (Reprise)

B2 Whoma (Immortality)

Credits

Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer, Percussion, Electric Guitar, Koto, Biwa, Drums (African, Mexican), Electronic Drums (Rhythm Machine): Osamu Kitajima
Bass: Dennis Belfield, John Harris
Biwa: Masako Hirayama
Drums (African): Kinji Yoshino
Drums (Tsuzumi), Percussion (Narimono): Kisaku Katada
Electric Bass: Haruomi Hosono
Electric Guitar: George Marinelli
Flute (Hayashi-bue): Haruyoshi Hosei
Keyboards: Brian Whitcomb
Shakuhachi: Tatsuya Sano
Sho: Yosei Sato

Engineer: Kinji Yoshino
Engineer (Assistant): Yutaka Matsumoto
Producer: Kinji Yoshino, Osamu Kitajima

Distributed and Manufactured: Island Records Inc.
Antilles U.S. release of album first released by Island Records (Japan) in 1974.

Recorded through Jan/Aug 1974 at Hit Studio of Jean Jean Theater, Tokyo

Whoma recorded live at Nikkei Hall.

Antilles ‎– AN 7016

Cherry Blossom Festival

Alla Pugacheva (Алла Пугачева) – Mirror of the Soul (Зеркало Души) [1978]

21 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by gabaguillar in russia, USSR

≈ 2 Comments

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1978, art rock, ballad, blues, brass, chorus, cinematic, classic, classical, eastern, electronic, female, folk, funk, fuzz, march, mellow, orchestrated, organ, OST, pop, prog, reed, strings, synth, virtuoso, vocal

The 60’s and 70’s saw the beginning of modern Russian pop and rock music, it all started with the wave of VIA’s (vocal-instrumental ensemble), a specific sort of music bands performing radio-friendly pop, rock and folk, composed by members of the Union of Composers, approved by censorship. This wave begun with Pojuschie Gitary and Pesnyary, popular VIA bands also included Tcvety and Zemlyane.

That period also saw individual pop stars such as Iosif Kobzon, Sofia Rotaru, Alla Pugacheva, Valery Leontiev, Yuri Antonov, many of them remain popular and active to this day. They were the mainstream of Soviet music media, headliners of festivals such as Song of the Year, Sopot, and Golden Orpheus. The year 1977 saw the establishment of Moskovsky Komsomolets hit parade, Russia’s first music chart.

VIA Singing Guitar

The term VIA represented a model under which the Soviet government was willing to permit domestic rock and pop music acts to develop. To be able to break through the state-owned Soviet media, a band needed to become an officially-recognized VIA. Each VIA had an artistic director who served as manager, producer, and also state-appointed censor. In some bands the artistic director was the band’s leading member and songwriter, while in others he played the role of an impresario.

Songs varied from pop ballads, dance disco and new wave to mainstream rock (although bands avoided the rock music label until the late 70’s, because rock was considered a bourgeois art and formally banned) (!). The typical VIA consisted of 6 to 10 band members, lead vocalists usually did not play an instrument, virtually every member of a VIA was a professional musician, with formal musical education.

VIA Charivni Guitar

The Soviet government had strict rules governing how members of a VIA were to behave on stage and conduct themselves in public. Performers were only allowed to wear suits, folks costumes, or military uniforms. Movements around the stage was discouraged and anything outside of the conservative norm, such as long hair, tattoos, leather jackets, or metallic accessories were strictly forbidden. Due to state censorship, the lyrics of VIAs were family-friendly, typical topics were universal emotions like love, joy, and nostalgia, or idealized vignettes from usual daily life.

VIA song recordings were done by Melodiya, the State owned record company, and the concerts/performances were organized by professional associations such as Soyuzkontsert (Union Concerts), Moskontsert (Moscow Concerts), Lenkonsert (Leningrad Concerts), Roskontsert (Russian Concerts), along with regional groups.

Let’s go to our artist:

Alla Pugacheva & Kristina Orbakaitе

Alla Borisovna Pugacheva (April 15, 1949) started performing when she still was at junior school. In 1965, she composed and recorded The Robot, her first song for the national radio. After high school, Pugacheva continued education in Moscow State Music College, at the department of conducting and choir singing. Later, in 1981 she also got a degree in theatre directing at the (arrant) State Theatre Art College.

Alla Pugacheva started a professional singing career in the early 70’s, as a leading singer of VIA’s Funny Guys, but real recognition only came when she won the Grand Prix of the Golden Orpheus song contest with the song Harlequin in 1975.

Afterwards, she went to work in what would be the turning point of its career: the musical film The Woman Who Sings, in 1977. In co-op with the band Rhythm, she played the leading lady, a pop singer who sacrifices her personal life for her career.

60’s Pugacheva

The soundtrack, which was co-written by her, included a myriad of pop songs, the Soviet audience, regarding the film as autobiographical, brought the OST to reach record audience of the year in 1979, as it was bought by 55 million people! (phew)

Though for many she grew to represent the government-pop culture that was forced upon the people, her popularity skyrocketed, and she released many albums throughout the decades. Her contributions to Russian music were recognized when she was bestowed the title of People’s Artist of the U.S.S.R. in 1991. She enjoys an iconic status across the former Soviet Union and has overshadowed long time rival Sofia Rotaru as the most successful Soviet performer in terms of record sales and popularity. Her last album was released in 2008 and lately Pugacheva are the main judge on Factor A, Russia’s version of the British X-Factor television series.

Let’s go to our album:

Primadonna

Mirror of the Soul was Alla Pugacheva’s first studio album, published in the Soviet Union in May 1978, as a double album, and later re-released in two parts. The Lp includes songs performed by her, recorded in 1975/1977 primarily composed by (master) Alexander Zatsepin. It became one of the most sold in the USSR in late 70’s early 80’s. By 1983, it had sold 7,753,500 copies, and with a general circulation exceeding 60 reissues, the album approached the terrific mark of 10 million copies!

A collection of singles, which had previously appeared in the film or in separate publications, it firmly stands as a kaleidoscope of genres, ranging from kitschy hits, funk-rock, orchestral ballads, prog synths, art pop, funny marches and much more from a devilishly talented singer and composer, prepare yourself for Alla’s realms.

The ‘IM’ highlights are: Приезжай (Come) and Мы Не Любим Друг Друга (We Do Not Like Each Other). хорошая поездка!

Tracks Include:

A1 Бубен Шамана (Tambourine Shaman) / Centerline of The Skies OST

A2 Верю В Тебя (I Believe in You) / Basketball OST

A3 Сонет Шекспира (Shakespeare’s Sonnet)

B1 Приезжай (Come)

B2 Не Отрекаются Любя (Do Not Deny Loving)

B3 Песенка Про Меня (Song About Me)

B4 Женщина, Которая Поет (The Woman Who Sings)

C1 Все Могут Короли (Kings Can Do Everything)

C2 Куда Уходит Детство (Where Does Childhood?) / Fantasy Vesnuhina OST

C3 Волшебник-Недоучка (Wizard-Dropout) / Brave Chirac OST

C4 Полно Вокруг Мудрецов (Fully Sages Around) / Brave Chirac OST

D1 Мы Не Любим Друг Друга (We Do Not Like Each Other) / Cook & Singer OST

D2 Если И Долго Мучиться (If You Long To Suffer) / Cook & Singer OST

D3 До Свиданья, Лето (Goodbye, Summer) / Centerline of The Skies OST

D4 Любовь Одна Виновата (Love One to Blame) / Centerline of The Skies OST

D5 Найди Себе Друга (Find a Friend) / Fantasy Vesnuhina OST

Credits

Conductor: V. Terletsky (B2), A. Avilov (A2, A3, B1, B3, B4), V. Kleynot (A1, C1 to D5)

Ensemble: VIA B. Kleynota (A1, C1 to D5), Rhythm (A2, A3, B1, B3, B4)

Music: Alexander Zatsepin (A1, A2, B3, C2 to D5), Boris Gorbonos (A3, B1, B4), Boris Richkov (C1), Leonid Garin (B4), Mark Minkov (B2)

Lyrics: William Shakespeare (A3), Boris Gorbonos (B1), V. Tushnova (B2), Kaisyn Guliyev (B4), Leonid Derbenyov (A1, B3, C1 to D5), Onegin Gadzhikasimov (A2)

Arrangements: Alexander Zatsepin (except B2 and C1)
Photographer: Vyacheslav Maneshina
Supervised: A. Kachalina

Мелодия ‎– 33 С 60-09799-802

Vasilissa the Beautiful by Ivan Bilibin

Chrisye – Sabda Alam (1978)

19 Friday Sep 2014

Posted by gabaguillar in indonesia

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

1978, ballad, chorus, classical, clavinet, disco, female, folk, indorock, mellow, organ, oriental, pop, prog, strings, synth

Gamelan is traditional ensemble music of Java and Bali in Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. The most common instruments are metallophones played by mallets as well as a set of hand played drums called kendhang which register the beat. It also includes xylophones, bamboo flutes, bowed instrument called rebab, and even female vocalists called sindhen.

The popularity of gamelan has declined since modern pop music, though gamelan is still commonly played in formal occasions and in many traditional ceremonies. For most Indonesians, gamelan is an integral part and a symbol of Indonesian culture.

Gamelan Ensemble

They are distinguished by their collection of instruments and use of voice, tunings, repertoire, style, and cultural context. In general, no two gamelan ensembles are the same, and those that arose in prestigious courts are often considered to have their own style. Certain styles may also be shared by nearby ensembles, leading to a regional style. The varieties are grouped geographically, with the principal division between the styles favored by the Balinese, Javanese, and Sundanese peoples.

Typically, players in the gamelan will be familiar with dance moves, poetry, while dancers are able to play (along) in the ensemble. In wayang, the dalang (puppeteer) must have a thorough knowledge of gamelan, as he gives the cues for the music.

Certain gamelans are associated with specific rituals, such as the Gamelan Sekaten, which is used in celebration of Mawlid an-Nabi (Muhammad‘s birthday), other pieces are also believed to possess magic powers, and can be used to ward off evil spirits!

Children’s Gamelan Orchestra at Peliatan, Bali

The gamelan has been appreciated by several western composers (Colin McPhee, Béla Bartók, Francis Poulenc, Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Boulez, Benjamin Britten, Steve Reich, Phillip Glass, György Ligeti and John Cage), most famously Claude Debussy who heard a Javanese gamelan in the premiere of Louis-Albert Bourgault-Ducoudray‘s Rapsodie Cambodgienne at the Paris Exposition World’s Fair of 1889.

The gamelan that Debussy heard in it was in the slendro scale and its equal-tempered whole tone scale appears in his music. A Javanese gamelan-like heterophonic texture is emulated on occasion, particularly in Pagodes, from Estampes (solo piano, 1903), in which the great gong‘s cyclic punctuation is symbolized by a prominent perfect fifth.

XIX Century Gamelan

There is a famous Javanese saying that sums up Gamelan’s role importance in Indonesian habitual daily life: ‘It is not official until the gong is hung’. (!)

Let’s go to our artist:

Chrismansyah Rahadi (16 September 1949 – 30 March 2007) was born in Jakarta, as the second of three brothers from Laurens Rahadi and Hana. He graduated from high school in 1967, and had the opportunity of studying Architectural Engineering in APP Trisakti, but he dropped out on its third year. Chrisye initiated his career in music by joining the Sabda Nada Band in 1968, the short-lived group morphed into Gipsy (later famous Guruh Gipsy) in 1969 along with some change of personnel.

70’s

Gipsy became a well respected band from Jakarta and had the most luxurious equipment of the day. In 1971/1972 they flew to New York and played in the Ramayana Restaurant for about a year. Back to Indonesia, Chrisye managed to popularize the song Lilin-Lilin Kecil (Small Candles) winning the Youth Contest Prambors Songwriting Contest in 1977. His first albums Badai Pasti Berlalu and Sabda Alam managed to be very popular and successful in the domestic market.

This would only be the beginning of a highly consolidated career through the 80’s and 90’s, he’s merely one of the biggest record sellers from all-time in Indonesia!

Let’s go to our album:

In May 1978 Chrisye began work on his first (solo) album Sabda Alam (Nature’s Order), incorporating several songs by other artists and some written by himself, including the title song, which he recorded it after locking himself in the studio. The album, greatly influenced by Badai Pasti Berlalu (OST Lp) and drawing on the double tracking technique (the vocals are recorded twice to achieve fuller sound), was released in August that year. Heavily promoted in a campaign during which Chrisye was interviewed on the national television station TVRI and on radio.

Chrisye (RIP)

The album eventually sold more than 400,000 copies! (phew)

This renowned artist (still) remains unknown to most of the Western public, today we exclusively presents one of his greatest releases, full of melodic and harmonic beauty, Chrisye’s soulful interpretation are quite something. Supported by a sharp band with the always welcome participation of Yockie on keyboards, once more splitting the arrangements with Chrisye, the Lp got prog ballads, folk, disco, a fantastic version of Smaradhana (Guruh Gipsy’s song), female chorus, and one of the greatest Indonesian songs in my opinion, Anak Jalanan, this album are no joke!