Artist: simakDIALOG

Date of Release: 21/08/2007

Catalogue no: MJR015

Label: MoonJune Records

Price: £9

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Track Listing

RIZA ARSHAD acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, synth
TOHPATI ARIO HUTOMO electric, synth & acoustic guitars
ADHITIYA PRATAMA electric fretless bass
ENDANG RAMDAN Sunda kendang, toys
EMY TATA Makassar kendang, ceng-ceng, kethuk, vocals, poetry reading (Bahasa Indonesian language)
NYAK INA RASEUKI "UBIET" vocals on tracks 2 and 5
special guest on track 5: MARLA STUKENBERG poetry reading (German)

A live performance recorded at Goethe Haus, Jakarta, Indonesia April 16 2005.

COMPELLING INDONESIAN ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC JAZZ/FUSION WITH A DISTINCTIVE CULTURAL BENT & ECM FLAVOR. For its first international release Indonesia-based simakDialog delivers Patahan, a live recording that suggests how Pat Metheny might sound if he were from the South-East Asia. A combination of electric and acoustic instruments, the group is innovatively propelled by two percussionists rather than a conventional drummer, but the result is no less powerful. Keyboardist and composer Riza Arshad, guitarist Tohpati and bassist Adhhitya join vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki and percussionists Endang Ramdam and Emy Tata for five lengthy, episodic and finely detailed compositions that create a unique nexus of jazz and less-traveled ethnicity. Expansive solos, rich harmonies, telling interplay and propulsive rhythms make Patahan a genre-busting album that demands to be heard.

Reviews

02/02/2008 CHRIS PARKER - VORTEX JAZZ, UK

“Fleshed out with the aforementioned percussion and the odd vocal, wordless and otherwise, this is intriguing and compelling music from a part of the world that attracts too little attention from the jazz-listening public.”

10/10/2007 FRANÇOISE COUTURE - ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“One of the biggest jazz-related surprises of 2007, and not simply because it is Indonesian jazz, Patahan is truly something to get excited about for the twist it puts on the Pat Metheny side of jazz things. Keyboardist Riza Arshad and guitarist Tohpati Ario Hutomo really have the Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays chemistry down to a science, with feeling and virtuosity to boot. And Adhitya Pratama's basslines are delightfully sinuous and groovy. However, what sets simakDialog apart is the presence of percussionist Endang Ramdan playing traditional Indonesian instruments and the group's seamless integration of traditional classical Indonesian forms to its brand of quiet fusion jazz. The result, as heard on Patahan, is enthralling, with enough familiarity to attract jazz aficionados and enough originality to set the band's music apart from true Metheny copycats. Highly recommended."

02/09/2007 GLEN ASTARITA - JAZZ REVIEWS.COM

“This Indonesian jazz-fusion-world music band generates a horde of refreshing surprises here. Driven by keyboardist Riza Arshad’s resonating chord voicings, performed on acoustic and electric keys, the band spices up its overall sound with blissful themes executed with an energized gait. Arshad and guitarist Tohpati Ario Hutomo occasionally render ascending unison choruses atop gently flowing percussion grooves. But melody is a key a component throughout. In addition, the music is shaded with vocals and the percussionists’ use of indigenous rhythmic instruments. The artists also work thru these pieces with an uplifting sense of buoyancy amid sprawling backdrops. Arshad counters his lush chord phrasings with a forward-moving impetus while Hutomo’s clever use of volume control techniques provide a capacious edge. On some of these works, the artists fuse grunge rock and jazz-rock motifs with soaring solo escapades, all nicely contrasted by the keyboardist’s memorably melodic harmonics. Arshad’s ostinato during “Worthseeing,” is augmented by spiraling movements, where the group dishes out regal choruses amid a multilayered soundstage. And when you think you’ve heard it all, as in jazz-fusion ensemble’s engaging in technical gymnastics sans any substance, then this unit should serve as the antidote for the ho hum onslaught of characterless fuzoid outings. Don’t let this gem pass you by.”

01/09/2007 ERIC PAULOS - 20th CENTUTY GUITAR MAGAZINE, USA

“This is top-end, killer sound quality and beautiful music! Every musician in that band is top notch, with guitarist Tohpati who is in the vein of the John Scofield and Scott Henderson.... it's really difficult these days to come across recordings that have the fusion mojo, and SimakDialog definitely has the mojo! Truly, this is a wonderful convincing record.”