Nial Djuliarso – New Day New Hope
Artist : Nial Djuliarso
Album : New Day New Hope
Released Date : 2008
Label : Omega Pacific Production (OPP Records)
Just a couple of years back then we heard about a young but superb pianist who at that time still studied at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. We knew that he was a potential star for the future of Indonesian Jazz scene. He’s not a diamond in a rough anymore now, as he becomes an important jazz pianist in Indonesian music catalogue today. Skilful, talented, and capable at making cool compositions all embedded in him. And he’s still in his young age. Bright future lies ahead of him, we all sure about that. We are talking about Nial Djuliarso, the new generation of Indonesian Jazz Pianist.
Nial got his music DNA from his parents. His dad was a singer, bassist, guitarist, alto-saxophonist and also a pianist, while his mom was also a singer and pianist. His dad brought him to watch many live concerts and let him listen to many recordings at home. Nial was introduced to music at a very young of age. He started to have piano lesson when he was still at the age of two and a half years. Once he went to Pat Metheny’s concert and from that moment he was seriously motivated to live as a jazz musician, a thing that he has achieved today.
Nial Djuliarso graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2004. He also got a Jazz Diploma from Juilliard in New York. Through all his education, he studied with many jazz stars such as Wynton Marsalis, Hank Jones, Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron, Danilo Perez, Wycliffe Gordon, Joanne Barckeen, Benny Golson, Hal Crook, Carl Allen, Renee Rosnes and many others. He got the chance to perform his talent at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York and of course the International JakJazz Festival and Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival in his hometown, Indonesia. 
He also appeared in many other stages across the globe, such as Canada, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and the recent one at “Thailand Jazz Conference” at Mahidol University, Thailand. He also hosted a workshop and became one of the juries (others are Tiger Okoshi from Japan and Eugene Pao from Hong Kong) of a jazz competition there. He got all these wonderful experiences as well as many awards and achievements listed on his profile such as 1st Prize in the 2005 USA Songwriting Competition for the instrumental category, the winner of the 2008 First Annual International Center for Arts at SF State International Competition for Emerging Jazz Artists in San Francisco, The 2003 Horace Silver piano competition at the University of Southern California, LA, got some Scholarship Competitions and many more. With all these experiences and achievements, Nial rises fast to the top list of Indonesian jazz musicians, drawing attention not only in his own country, Indonesia but also abroad.
Gita Wirjawan, a successful banker, musician and a producer with his own music label, Omega Pacific Production (OPP) knew his talent. Nial got his chance to sign a contract under OPP. While the first album, “Nial Djuliarso at Juilliard” made a good start for him by playing more in smooth jazz/easy listening genre, this second one, “New Day New Hope” promises him a fresh new day with bright new hope. In “New Day New Hope”, Nial got his opportunities to show what he is all about. Wider and cooler explorations are all over the album, and what makes it even better is the fact that he brought many of his own original compositions in this one.
In “New Day New Hope” he asked two of his former colleagues at Berklee to join him. There is Warren Wolf, a percussionist/drummer that has studied with many prestigious musicians just like Nial. In Nial’s words, Warren is said as a multi instrumentalist. Primarily he plays vibes, but he’s also capable at playing a piano and a bass as well. He has a spontaneous reaction to whatever another musician does musically, and it makes a pleasure for Nial to have him in. Another great young musician in this album is the bassist Yasushi Nakamura. He also holds bachelor degree from Berklee and Diploma from Juiliard as well. Learning from jazz big stars and performing at many big events have been gracing his profile too. Together, these trio young talented jazz musicians work together, producing a stunning album.
Let’s see the songs found in the album. “Horace” is a song that was inspired by one of Nial’s all time favorite pianist/composer/band leader, Horace Silver. Nial captured Horace’s uniquely funky personality in a playful rockin’ blues composition. The second song, “Memories” was meant to depict many memories a person acquires throughout his life, served in an average tempo, flowing gently through one’s flashback memories. “Mr Silver” is another song dedicated to Horace Silver with funky jazz mainstream rhythm, again capturing the funky personality of Horace. The next song, “Reminescence” is a song with a retrospective look at our past experience. It’s a nice song to chill, away from our busy schedules to think over how we have been doing so far. As a tribute to his family who has been supporting him heavily through his career, the next song “Song For My Family“ is dedicated to them. There’s nothing better than presenting a “thank note” musically to them, especially Nial’s parents who have deep background in music as well. “Sabda Alam”, taken from the classic Indonesian songbook, is one of the songs written by a very well known masterpiece of Indonesian legendary composer, Ismail Marzuki. As how Ismail Marzuki got heavily influenced by jazz, Sabda Alam appeared lovely in the hand of Nial, Warren and Yasushi. Outstanding improvisation in rising tempo by Nial colored up this song nicely.
Taking a path to the samba world, “Hip Hop Hopping” is the next. This is a song with cool samba breeze, smooth but energetic, and just enjoyable and pleasant to be listened. The next one is “Today for Tomorrow”, a manic composition served in speed. It captures our busy days, our effort each day as an important preparation for tomorrow. Then comes the sweet romantic composition on “Mutiasari”. This is a song written especially for a very special person in Nial’s life who now has become his wife. This is the kind of song that will soften you right away while facing your loved one in a candle light dinner. The title track “New Day New Hope” shouts loud for optimism. A bright composition with a happy feeling describes our hope for a better day and a better life. As Nial said “We have to believe that as each day comes, there is this inspiring hope within us for something better.” And that captured in this moving composition. “Hi-Lo” is a delicious funky beat song with a slight be bop texture in the tradition of smooth jazz contemporary that will easily be accepted by many music lovers from various backgrounds. Surprisingly “Hi-Lo” was written by Nial when he was at the age 16. The last but not least, “My Smooth One” closes the album. With this song, Nial won 1st Prize in the 2005 USA Songwriting Composition for the “instrumental” category. This is the song, according to Nial, that he’s done in the “smooth jazz” vein. “My Smooth One” is just as nice as David Benoit’s version of “Linus and Lucy” and the rest of the song in Benoit and friend’s “Here’s To You Charlie Brown”. That’s how entertaining “My Smooth One” is, no wonder this song won the first prize.
In the first album, “Nial Djuliarso at Juilliard” made a brief introduction in an easy listening standard, while this second album of Nial Djuliarso, “New Day New Hope”, has given more room for him to explore and improvise. All songs except “Sabda Alam” composed by Nial himself show himself as a great jazz composer as well as a stunning player through each and every song listed in the album. Together with his former colleagues from Berklee, the vibraphonist/drummer Warren Wolf and bassist Yasushi Nakamura, Nial delivered seriously well done compositions with lots of space to improvise, but still easy to listen and to love. What we get as the result is that we have an amazing world-class jazz pianist from the new generation shelf, with big passion and talent, that definitely will hook up tightly with jazz connoisseur wherever they are. Seriously, this album will blow you away.
Tracklistings:
1.Horace
2.Memories
3.Mr. Silver
4.Reminiscence
5.Song For Family
6.Sabda Alam
7.Hip-Hop Hopping
8.Today For Tomorrow
9.Mutiasari
10.New Day New Hope
11.Hi-Lo
12.My Smooth One
Check out Nial Djuliarso’s official myspace, Warren Wolf’s official myspace, Yasushi Nakamura’s official myspace and website
Buy Nial Djuliarso – New Day New Hope from Amazon
Reviewed by: Riandy Kurniawan
Special thanks to :
Alhenri Wijaya
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