Biography
Formed in Jakarta during 1993, the Indonesian jazz fusion group simakDialog originated with keyboardist Riza Arshad, whose self-taught abilities spanned jazz, progressive rock, and various world traditional forms, together with percussionist and drummer Arie Ayunir plus bassist Indro Hardjodikoro on electric. Classical and jazz guitarist Tohpati Ario Hutomo entered the fold that same year, shifting the ensemble from trio to quartet status, and over the ensuing two decades he would rank alongside Arshad as a central figure. Although echoes of Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, and Weather Report surface readily, simakDialog’s distinctive blend also incorporates Indonesian gamelan traditions, with the Sundanese kendang, a two-headed drum central to those ensembles, serving as a defining element of the group’s sonic identity.
The band’s first release, Lukisan, appeared in 1995 and showcased Arshad on acoustic piano and synthesizers, Tohpati on electric and acoustic guitars, Hardjodikoro on bass, and Ayunir on a standard Gretsch drum kit. Ayunir soon left simakDialog, ultimately relocating to the United States, so the 1999 follow-up Baur found Arshad, Tohpati, and Hardjodikoro joined by Jalu D. Pratidina, Endang Ramdan, and Erlan Suwardana, each handling kendang; Suwardana additionally played kethuk, as did Emy Tata, who also contributed vocals. This configuration carried over to the third album, Trance/Mission, issued in 2002, though electric fretless bassist Adhitya Pratama had already replaced Hardjodikoro the year before.
Until then largely confined to domestic releases and festivals, the ensemble gained wider attention when its 2006 album Patahan, captured live the prior year, reached international audiences via the MoonJune label in 2007. The recording presented the core quartet of Arshad, now incorporating Fender Rhodes alongside acoustic piano and synthesizer, Tohpati, Ramdan, and Pratama, augmented by returning guest Tata on assorted Indonesian percussion and vocals or poetry, vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki “Ubiet,” and Marla Stukenberg, whose German-language poetry reading unfolded simultaneously with Tata’s recitation in Bahasa.
Patahan’s positive reception led to simakDialog’s second MoonJune effort, Demi Masa, which surfaced in 2009. Alongside Arshad, Tohpati, Ramdan, and Pratama, the steady lineup now featured a second kendang player and percussionist, Erlan Suwardana, while several guests appeared once more, among them longtime collaborator Emy Tata. Four years afterward the band delivered its third MoonJune album and sixth overall, the aptly named The 6th Story. Released in September 2013 and featuring metal percussionist Cucu Kurnia together with Arshad, Tohpati, Ramdan, Pratama, and Suwardana, the record coincided with a U.S. East Coast tour that included ProgDay in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn; Orion Studio in Baltimore; and the Made in Indonesia Festival in Silver Spring, Maryland, with Rudy Zulkarnaen on bass. MoonJune later issued the two-disc Live at Orion, documenting the Orion Studio performance, in January 2015. Keyboardist and founding member Riza Arshad passed away on January 13, 2017, at age 53.
The band’s first release, Lukisan, appeared in 1995 and showcased Arshad on acoustic piano and synthesizers, Tohpati on electric and acoustic guitars, Hardjodikoro on bass, and Ayunir on a standard Gretsch drum kit. Ayunir soon left simakDialog, ultimately relocating to the United States, so the 1999 follow-up Baur found Arshad, Tohpati, and Hardjodikoro joined by Jalu D. Pratidina, Endang Ramdan, and Erlan Suwardana, each handling kendang; Suwardana additionally played kethuk, as did Emy Tata, who also contributed vocals. This configuration carried over to the third album, Trance/Mission, issued in 2002, though electric fretless bassist Adhitya Pratama had already replaced Hardjodikoro the year before.
Until then largely confined to domestic releases and festivals, the ensemble gained wider attention when its 2006 album Patahan, captured live the prior year, reached international audiences via the MoonJune label in 2007. The recording presented the core quartet of Arshad, now incorporating Fender Rhodes alongside acoustic piano and synthesizer, Tohpati, Ramdan, and Pratama, augmented by returning guest Tata on assorted Indonesian percussion and vocals or poetry, vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki “Ubiet,” and Marla Stukenberg, whose German-language poetry reading unfolded simultaneously with Tata’s recitation in Bahasa.
Patahan’s positive reception led to simakDialog’s second MoonJune effort, Demi Masa, which surfaced in 2009. Alongside Arshad, Tohpati, Ramdan, and Pratama, the steady lineup now featured a second kendang player and percussionist, Erlan Suwardana, while several guests appeared once more, among them longtime collaborator Emy Tata. Four years afterward the band delivered its third MoonJune album and sixth overall, the aptly named The 6th Story. Released in September 2013 and featuring metal percussionist Cucu Kurnia together with Arshad, Tohpati, Ramdan, Pratama, and Suwardana, the record coincided with a U.S. East Coast tour that included ProgDay in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn; Orion Studio in Baltimore; and the Made in Indonesia Festival in Silver Spring, Maryland, with Rudy Zulkarnaen on bass. MoonJune later issued the two-disc Live at Orion, documenting the Orion Studio performance, in January 2015. Keyboardist and founding member Riza Arshad passed away on January 13, 2017, at age 53.
Albums
