Notturno – Volume 1: Akoustika Adventure
Artist : Notturno
Album : Volume 1: Akoustika Adventure
Released Date : April 24, 2009
Label : NotJ422 Production/deMajors Indie Music Industry
A fresh breath of Indonesian jazz with attitude. Notturno is a band with the freedom of expression in the name of creativity. It’s great to know that some musicians still dare to go boldly with their creativity, exploring jazz in a very challenging adventure into the dark side. While many musicians or labels are trying to provide what the market wants, following the trend, this trio serves something different. They have enough guts to go against the market, but as mentioned before, with attitude. Their creativity, skills and chemistry are packed together in a fresh and clear concept.
Notturno, an Italian word means the darkest night, consists of three musicians. Joshua Arifin (contra bass), cak Hend (drums and percussions), and Masmo (piano, fender rhodes, analogues, and organ). They are from different backgrounds, ranging from rock, pop even gamelan, the Javanese percussions. They had their own adventures but finally joined together as one in Notturno, a perfect melting pot of all their past adventures and backgrounds. That’s how Notturno emerged, blending everything freely in their music, having their creativity melted together in total freedom. As the result, listening to Notturno is like getting into an endless multi dimension musical adventure.
Beside the main personnels, Notturno also has some very talented additional players and a singer. Adhyuta Abandhika, a singer with a nice vocal timbre that really fits in its concept, Yudha Gautama, a young tenor saxophonist, Fido Inabuy, the alto saxophonist and Christina Martha Ayu, the flutist.
Notturno’s debut album is “Volume 1: Akoustika Adventure”, the first of the trilogy. This album has a free jazz at the dark side concept. This “noir” concept is served elegantly and can be felt clearly through its original compositions. There are many elements embedded inside each song. They can be smooth and calm, but can also be edgy, provocative and wild. The album starts with “Red Moon (The Antithesis of Blue Moon)”. This is a surprising song. As how they called it, the Antithesis of Blue Moon, this song is the dark-colored version of the classic Blue Moon. The twist of this one will surely make you stunned. This song also gives a brief example of Notturno’s music style. Its first single that starts to appear on the radios, “La La La La” comes next, describing the narcissism in an interesting 5/4 signature composition. Adhyuta Abandhika’s voice blends perfectly with the music. “In Search Of the Seventh Victim” is a composition inspired from the process of finding the last member of a family who became victims in a landslide tragedy in Central Java. Fido’s alto sax goes up and down nicely in this song. The smooth and mellow “15 Minutes From Seattle” captures the loneliness of a friend who lives in a town 15 minutes from Seattle. Yudha’s tenor sax adds more touch to the song. Then taste the wild side of Notturno’s dark jazz with a song that has a very long title, “Freedom is Always and Exclusively Freedom for the One Who Thinks Differently”, quoting from Rosa Luxemburg, a revolutionary leader and socialist theorist who killed in Berlin during the German revolution in 1919. This is an interesting totally free-jam song that describes the real freedom of sound. Taste how wild drums, piano and Fido’s alto sax could go together shaping a totally unique song. The next one, “For Hendy (Khayal Tak Bertepi)” is a sad song for a brother with many wishes. Again, Adhyuta’s voice swings nicely as usual. The last song, “He Told Me about Bean” is a song about looking at the weirdness of Mr Bean through the eyes of 9-year-old kid.
Notturno’s Volume 1: Akoustika Adventure is simply a very interesting debut album that promises many things for them in the future. They have enough ingredients to be successful in the market which might not go towards their path. Hopefully they will also become the trend setter in the young generation’s sound of jazz in Indonesia. This first installment of a trilogy is an invitation to follow their adventure, their journey of immeasurable motley visions of music. If you’re ready to go deep into the dark side of jazz in an unforgettable adventure, you have to check this one out.
Tracklistings:
1. Red Moon (The Antithesis of Blue Moon)
2. La La La La
3. In Search Of The Seventh Victim
4. 15 Minutes From Seattle
5. Freedom Is Always and Exclusively Freedom For The One Who Thinks Differently
6. For Hendy (Khayal Tak Bertepi)
7. He Told Me About Bean
Personnels:
Joshua Arifin (contra bass)
cak Hend (drums and percussions)
Masmo (piano, fender rhodes, analogues, and organ)
Additional player:
Adhyuta Abandhika (vocals)
Yudha Gautama (tenor sax)
Fid Inabuy (alto sax)
Christina Martha Ayu (flute)
Booking and Media Enquiries:
Titis Sapto Raharjo (+62 818 831 218/+62 811 941 407)
Check out our exclusive interview with Notturno at Jazz Break Revival XI
The album is available at music stores in Indonesia. If you live outside Indonesia, you can contact them at notturnotrio@yahoo.co.id, or visit their facebook , myspace or website.
Reviewed by: Riandy Kurniawan
Special thanks to : Alhenri Wijaya
pictures taken from Notturno’s myspace
Popularity: 31% [?]
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Nice review! Thanks a lot brother!
my pleasure bro. I’m glad to be able to contribute something for a great band with a strong and clear concept like yours!
Great performance! Solo Jazz Up Batik