reggae nusantara

Samalona

2010-01-09T02:14:00.000-08:00

SAMALONA REGGAE, a Reggae band from Surakarta - Solo at Central Java Indonesia. The Band born since August 22 th 2000 and grow inna Fine art Communities at Solo. The name Samalona was inspired by an amazing and beautiful beach island that spotted at Makassar City in South East Sulawesi Province Indonesia. In early year of 2000 some of Samalona personels came to Samalona beach and make some art performance for a couple of day.

8 person inside was Arif Worry Setiawan and Laili Rokeem: Vocal, Sandi Jeur: Lead Guitar, Ramone Bakhtiar: Rhythm Guitar, Tisnu Ithing: Bass, Nangki Prasetyo: Keyboard, Dilli Cenul: Drum, Budi P. Bud: Percussions dan 4th of their best friends additional player: Yuventius Doni: Saxophone Tenor and Clarinet, Gendot Dekanepa: Saxophone Alto and Flute, Savina Adis: Backing Vocal, Praba Denok: Backing Vocal.

The main reason they take Reggae is because the pulse of reggae musics could make people dance. With different musics background from each personel give more color inna musics that they created. There are some fusion between Jazz, Blues, Reggae Roots, Ska and Keroncong, it make a difference sense of reggae music from other reggae bands.

The album tittle KAYARASA is a proof of their existentions. Appropriate with the tittle, these album got some unique touch with universal lyrics, rich of sense and from each songs have a difference color and nuance. -Ya Sudah- are their first single from these album, interested character from these songs are Cheerfull Beat, Brightful Nuance with familiar Indonesian lyrics. The other singles are -Surakarta Jakarta- an easy listening urban songs with jazzy nuance. -Cease Fire- with peacefully contents, -Pagi- and -Share Some Love- that bring the taste of an oldskool ska and reggae beat! -Tree of Love- with strong blues ryhtmic nuance and -Sunshine- with Reggae Roots sense.

Beside of their musics, Samalona was bring those Reggae pulse with Management, Band Crew and Artistic Team in each of their performance. There are some big support from several communities around and nearby Solo city that participate with bring name Samalona getting bigger. With a thousand times Live Performance at Solo and several cities there are some fanatic fans that called temansamalona. The Fans made Samalona getting more mature on their musics and more sure about the expectation from reggae people around the world.

Ras Muhamad

2010-01-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

One of soloist in Indonesian Reggae is Muhamad Egar (known as Ras Muhamad). He spend 12 years in New York. Since 2003 he learn Reggae music from Jamaican Reggae musicians, in Brooklyn Sound Systems Company. He learns how to deejay technique (Jamaican language for Rap), which influence his style until now. He collaborating Tribal Riddims from Dancehall Reggae, traditional Reggae music and Ras Tafari spiritual messages. Besides that, some great International Figure also influence him, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, King Selassie I, Bung Karno(first Indonesian president), Karl Marx,Guevara n many more.
In 2005, he made his debut album "Declaration of Truth", self production, in New York. Aksara Record, an Indonesian label want to re-produced this album. There is 10 songs in this album
His second album "Reggae Ambassador", launched on 2007, distributor Aksara Records. In this album there is 15 songs.After his second album, Ras Muhamad is a representative and an ambassador for his country’s Reggae music. It is one of his mission to accomplish and establish an international relationhip between Reggae artists worldwide, from Jamaica to Indonesia. With the release of 2007’s “Reggae Ambassador”, Ras Muhamad is breaking new frontier by premiering and introducing the 1st Dancehall Reggae sound to the Southeast Asian market.
His third album "Next Chapter" release on 2009 and ready to lead you to somewhere that more Roots & culture, the new one and fresh from the oven, bring a lot of experiences for the youth. 2009's "NEXT CHAPTER more Roots and Culture, Bring Local to Global.

He already performs in several countries in the world. That's wahy he declared his self as Indonesian Reggae Ambassador. No doubt it...!!!

source: Indoreggae and Ras Muhamad Page on facebook

Tony Q Rastafara

2010-01-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

Born in Semarang, a little town located in Central Java, Indonesia, Tony Waluyo Sukmoasih (known as Tony Q Rastafara) came from an ordinary family. His talent and fascination for art especially in music and paintings could be detected easily since early childhood where he got most of the influence from his friends. He was and is, until now, fixated by rock music and blues.

Having finished his education in Technical Intermediate School (STM), Tony decided to start his music career in his hometown as a street singer in 1980; and this made him closer to what it’s called the live of street singers in Semarang. In this city which he loves, Tony had the chance to produce a compilation album of street singers together with his friends and won several competitions on street singers’ festival. Due to his eagerness in plunging himself into new challenges, he moved and tried his luck in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city. And because his in-depth experience with street singers, he visited the similar community in Jakarta.

With the help from a friend who had firstly engaged in Jakarta’s street singers’ community, Tony braved himself to initiate his music career as a pengamen, an Indonesian word for street musician. He entertained and played his music from one place to other places in the street of Jakarta.

In the early of 1989, Tony tried to learn more about reggae music which was coincided with his love and passion for the legend figure in reggae world, Bob Marley. Not only he was inspired by his music, but also the lyrics in each Bob Marley’s songs put Tony in a hypnotized state where it triggered his instinct in music. Thus, he felt certain and fix to choose the career path in reggae music, and launched his existence in it.

Within the same year, he managed to establish his first reggae band which was named “Roots Rock Reggae”. This band had marked his career by performing in Jakarta’s pubs and cafes, delivering Bob Marley, Jimmy Clliff songs, and many others to audience ears with Tony as the lead vocal and lead guitar. Other than Roots Rock Reggae band, Tony set up other reggae bands such as “Exodus”, and then “Rastaman”; while in 1994, he pioneered the band that in later years made him famous in Indonesia’s reggae which was called “Rastafara”.

Journeying with Rastafara, Tony’s music career was starting to take its peak as in that period of time there were scarcely found reggae musicians in Jakarta; that was why the band got its full support and fans from reggae music community. Rastafara was acknowledged as the pioneer in Indonesia’s reggae music because it was the only band that has the guts to present their own original songs, trying to break free from the shadow of Jamaican reggae, and interestingly, the majority of Rastafara’s songs were created by Tony.

In 1995, with a help from a friend, Rastafara managed to get an offer from a recording album, Warner Music Indonesia when finally in 1996, their debut album called “Rambut Gimbal” was released. The album received excellent feedbacks, and brought a new touch to Indonesia’s music industry which was then dominated by Alternative Rock. Almost all of the songs in the album were originally created by Tony, talking about social issues, humanity, love, and daily life routines. The “Rambut Gimbal” song was quite popular at the time where actually the song title taken from a term for Dreadlock hair styles in foreign language and then borrowed into Bahasa Indonesia.

The distinction between Rastafara and other reggae bands was because they had successfully combined and integrated elements of traditional music with Indonesia’s classic style into his own music, so reggae music ala Indonesia was created, free from the influence of Bob Marley, UB 40, or Jimmy Cliff. The usage of traditional music instruments such as Kendang Sunda or Gamelan Java had its contribution to Indonesia’s music industry through Rastafara’s songs. Moreover, the music arrangement slightly received as a mixture of Malay music.

In 1997, both the contract album and the music label weren’t extended and Rastafara decided to quit temporarily from music industry, up until he eventually thought about initiating a new band under the same name Rastafara. A year after that, a band called Tony Q & New Rastafara appeared with an additional player, but it didn’t last as Tony chose to go with a solo carrier and bringing with him the name of the band itself – Tony Q Rastafara and thrived until he released an independent album called “Damai dengan Cinta” in 2000. In his third album, Tony realized this was just only the beginning of his rising career in Indonesia’s reggae music because the next thing he knew there was a Professor in music from America gave him a reference to participate in Bob Marley Festival in America. The festival’s coordinators had instantly liked the album and then later on, they invited Tony to perform in the show in 2002, but regrettably he and his troops didn’t get visa permission from the United States Embassy due to security problems. It was overlapping with the 11th September World Trade Center.

The fourth album “Kronologi” was released in 2003 and it was a compilation of his songs from previous albums and songs which were yet to be released. His close connection with local activists and NGO such as Green Peace, WALHI, and many others had given him inspirations to generate an album embedded with a deep and meaningful social and humanity oriented vision and mission.

Therefore, in the year of 2005 his fifth album “Salam Damai” popped into the surface idolizing the mission and vision on peace, and also in this album, he tried to merge reggae and orchestra music with a touch of strong traditional element. At the end of 2005, a song from his third album “Damai dengan Cinta” called “Pat Glipat” succeeded to seat on one of the best world compilation music album which was known as Putumayo World Music with a title “Reggae Playground” that was released internationally in February 2006. Being the single representative from Asia, this had not only jacked up Tony Q’s name and image, but also Indonesia in the eyes of the world, especially when the world could recognize Indonesia’s own reggae music.

After a lengthy effort in independent label industry, Tony then attempted to return to releasing his album in major label in 2007 with a title “Anak Kampung”. The nuance that radiated from his sixth album still had the combination of reggae music and Indonesia’s traditional elements but more dominated by social theme songs, and eventually caused his music to be more liked by low middle class people especially from outside Jakarta. Soon, Tony’s fans were expansively growing, thus he facilitated his fans wishes by launching fans club which were situated in almost all areas in Indonesia and up to the neighbors such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.

In the early year of 2009, right when the process of Public Election was occurring, Tony back to releasing his seventh album independently titled “Presiden”, and it was fully done in Sydney, Australia. In his new album, he was truly intended to give a strong feeling and nuance of politic for acclaiming and responding to the ongoing Public Election. With his music arrangement getting more varied in each step of the way, it came with it too that he had a nostalgic moment with country music where he tried to mix the sound of banjo in the album. When it came to the middle of 2009, after a prolonged process then finally a demo that was once offered by a music label called Cumbancha in United States - owned by former A&R since 2008 and originated from world music label Putumayo, Jacob Edgar, United States – could reach the deal. Cumbancha gave the opportunity and offer to release Tony’s songs internationally. The album itself will be go public in early 2010, internationally and domestically.

Discography:

1.Rambut Gimbal (1996), Hemagita Record/BMG

2.Gue Fallin In Love (1997), Hemagita Record/BMG

3.Damai Dengan Cinta (2000), AK Production

4.Kronologi (2003), Indonesia Rasta Production

5.Salam Damai (2005), IM Production

6.Anak Kampung (2007), Tony Q Production & 267 Records

7.Presiden (2008), Tony Q Production

Tony Q Rastafara website: http://www.tonyqrastafara.net

Shaggydog

2010-01-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Shaggy Dog was formed in Sayidan, a small neighbourhood on the banks of a suburban river which flows through the heart of Yogyakarta, a quiet and regal city. On the 1st of June 1997, Shaggy Dog consisted of a couple of fun partners: Heru, Richard, Raymond, Bandizt, Lilik and Yoyo’ all of which agreed upon creating their very own special brew of song, ‘Doggy Style’: a mix of ska, reggae, jazz, swing and rock. Vibes from The Cherry Poppin Daddies, Hepcat, Bob Marley, Long Beach Dub Allstars to name a few, along with the ups and downs of daily life, colour the Dog’s sound.

As time went by, the boys played gig after gig, in malls, cafes, headlining college music festivals and in 1999 they released their first self-titled LP, under the management of their own label, ‘Doggy House’. Their debut album sold a staggering 20,000 copies and could be heard all over the archipelago. Due to the demands of touring, the boys threw the book at the man and chucked in their academic ‘careers’ to devote their time solely to the band.

After a hiatus of 2 years, in 2001 Shaggy Dog released their second album ‘Bersama’, with little back-up or support. The album was really a labour of love; the manager pawning his bike, the boys seen busking to raise bus money home. Not as romantic as it sounds…

2003 was to be the break that the boys needed. Head hunted by EMI Indonesia, Shaggy Dog was to turn major. Not only did the deal help their financial situation, cracking a deal with a major label helped them reach the kind of notoriety they could only dream of. Ears all over Asia pricked up and saw the guys being invited to be part of a Japanese compilation, “Asian Ska Foundation” which featured Ska from all over the continent.

Finally, in 2004 the boys got the incredible opportunity to play at the Festival Mundial in Tilburg, The Netherlands invited by the FESTIVAL MUNDIAL PRODUCTION. Not bad for a couple of pissy lads from downtown Yogyakarta!

It sure has been a bumpy ride for Shaggy Dog, filled with blood sweat and tears and plenty of booze. There is sure to be more to come…

from some compilation with the foreign bands and with some good connection, people began to recognize shaggydog,internationally.in 2004,shaggydog signed a tour contract with festival mundial.they hit the road for 14 gigs and 8 cities in holland,and get a chance to records some of their songs in Wisselord Studio.

Because of some reason, in 2005 shaggydog decided to resign from EMI indonesia,this resign causing the delay of upcoming album release. then they decide to join POPS records in 2006, this time the production of the album is totally on their hands.

Shaggydog hit the solo tour one more time in holland on march 2006 under the festival mundial production.they hit on the road for 11 cities…

End of 2009, shaggydog released their new album. "Bersinar". All songs recorded at their own studio (doggyhouse recs)…

source: Shaggydog Page on Facebook

The Paps

2010-01-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

From west java, there is a potential reggae-dub band, The Paps. The Paps taken from "Papier" (kind of paper for smoking). The Paps established on 2003. Now they had formation: Dave (vocal), Sagiet (gitar), Daniel (Guitar / Sampler), and Ganjar (drum). On 2007, they released a debut album “Hang Loose Baby” (2007), produced by Zyape'O'Zyure Records.

Gangstarasta

2009-12-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

Gangstarasta formed in Desember 19th, 2001. they choose reggae because soul of reggae can represent their own personel. Gangstarasta has mission to spread love and peace without separate religion, race, and social status. They known as a reggae band which rarely perform in the east fo Indonesia such as East Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, besides in Jakarta as their base camp. Until now they has one album, titled Unite, with Fame Label as their producer.

Souljah

2009-12-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Souljah was formed back in 1998. At first, it was named Arigatoo. Then along with the expanding music that they make, they decided to change the name to Souljah at 2005. With Arigatoo, they did some compilation albums. One with Authority Records from Japan, titled Asian Ska Foundation in 2003 and the other was with Sony Music Indonesia, titled Ska Mania back in 2000. And in 2003, they released Arigatoo full album titled Kami Bukan Perawan Lagi (We're Not Virgins Anymore). Later on, in 2005 they released Souljah first album, entitled "Breaking The Roots", with hit single Jamaica's Away. And in 2006, Souljah released second album, titled "Bersamamu" (To Be With You), with hit single Bersamamu. Finally they released their third album, Mestakung, in 2009

Mbah Surip (RIP)

2009-12-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

Mbah Surip (born Urip Achmad Ariyanto) (6 May 1957 - 4 August 2009) was an unique singer. Mbah Surip grew up and lived part of his life in poverty. From working as a street performer in 1989, he became famous in 2009 for his single "Tak Gendong" ("I will carry you"). He died from heart failure on 4 August 2009. His other popular song is Bangun tidur tidur lagi. He has an unique personality. He also known as a funny person, with his special laugh. Beside as a singer, he also playing in some movies.

Discography:
Ijo Royo-Royo (1997)
Indonesia I (1998)
Reformasi (1998)
Tak Gendong (2003)
Barang Baru (2004)
Bangun Tidur Tak Gendong (2009) - Kompilation

Marapu

2009-12-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

MARAPU band form in Jogjakarta on 10 November 2000. MARAPU name taken from the flow of public belief in animism Sumba, which means "Hidden." Beginning from the start stand often with its relaxed, and the similarity hobby with reggae music. performance starting from the event MARAPU campus to campus, and become large in the community "Mapala" in Jogja. Because the amount of interest in friends with the music MARAPU, MARAPU then start writing the song, and bring in on campus, schools, public event. 2003 MARAPU make a demo song that is 3 pieces Mawar funky, delivery, and Enough, which was then in turn on the radio jogja, and some radio in the area such as laen makasar, Bali, Sumba, etc. Salatiga. response from the listener to 3 hits with a single MARAPU seen many a request, also support the momentum for a large MARAPU to remove the album itself bertitle "THE COLOR "In 2006 with the indie label. MARAPU album contains many of day-to-day realities that occur around us, and become self-is. With the new spirit, a solid management, MARAPU plan to issue a new album, the concept of a more mature and more soul.

source: Marapu's myspace