Imel Rosalin is a superb jazz pianist, accordionist and vocalist from Indonesia. I have known her for such a long time, when we both compete in National Bina Musika competition back in 1981. Then, when I took the different road, out from music, she still continued to play and now she emerges as a strong and superb jazz artist. She is a smart and multi talented girl that has many dreams to achieve. Still continuing her degree in architectural field, still active in social organization and also focusing on her music career. Amazingly, she can do all those activities greatly.

She has performed in many places, from hotels, restaurants, many events, from small to big ones such as Java Jazz. She once said that cafes and restos also have such an important meaning for jazzers. Those places can be perfect to build a strong base of jazz community a place to built self-actualization and appreciation. “we can’t get it all if we only think about big event or festival” she said.

Imel Rosalin has many experiences. She has played with the maestro Bubi Chen, Imam Pras, Bambang Nugroho and many more.She also has her own band, Imel & Friends, a member of the Bhaskara 2008, and Salamander Big Band’s pianist/vocalist.

Margie Segers said this about Imel. “not many girls can play piano in such a great way like she does nowadays.. she’s also fun to hang around with and very down to earth.. I just met her for couple of days, but it feels like I’ve known her for years.”

I got the chance to interview her right after she finished her performance together with Salamander Big Band and Margie Segers at ITB Big Band Concert 2008. Here’s the interview.

Imel, you played many styles of jazz.. what kind of jazz style actually you like most of all?
Mainstream.. but I also love swing, latin jazz, like bossanova.. i also like swing, fast and slow, also bop.

Did you learn all of those from Imam Pras?
Imam Pras was one of them. But first of all I learned from Elfa Secoria. At first I learned classical. Then I attended National Bina Musika competition. It was the first time I saw chord partitur. After that I played brass band, then I came on piano, and so on. After playing for quite some time, then I met Imam Pras.

How was the story with Imam Pras?
First he broke all my chords down. I learned only for a while with him. We played together often, with Rudy Aru (bass). Later when there were too many people wanted to jam,I forgot to continue learning with him.. so finally I practiced myself.

Once in one holiday at high school, I learned chords for a month. But it wasn’t the right jazz chords. So, actually from Imam Pras I learned jazz voices, blues, and so on.. the principles, some scales, diminished chords, pentatonic etc.

Was it enough to play more than 40 jazz genres?
Well it can be applied to all.. but you have to play often and listen to many songs regularly

How long was it take until you’re ready to appear as a jazzist?
Well.. I really like to study. I keep on continuing my study. When I was just a fresh graduate, I continued with magister program. Then I was also active in Human Rights, and so on.. and in 2002 I came back to jazz, that was when I met Imam Pras.

No one can teach you how to learn phrasing.. it has to be learned by listening. So, between 2002-2004  I “quarantined” my ears. At that time, I didn’t know any bands at all. If somebody asked me about a certain popular band, I wouldn’t know at all.

At that time I met a friend and learned together, Rudy, acoustic bass player. He was just started at that time, and I learned a lot from him. Then I met Amir (Amir Ishak, guitarist). And he critisized me a lot. I had to learned about jazz models, I started to learn encore.. I remember I got a job to play at Malya Hotel at that time, so that job was used by us to practice for about 2-3 years. Because we performed regularly, we had the chance to play all the kind of songs that I liked. Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Charlie Parker.. we just had to play their songs. At least one song from them would appear on stage. From that moment, we started to get invitation to play here and there.. and we never stopped learning.

You made one album, Di Ladang Stroberi (In Strawberry Field). Can you tell us about the album?
That album was released in 2003. It was because my sister (Key Simangunsong, movie director) made a tv series called Strawberry. She said it would be perfect if I made the songs. That album was actually very pop, but then, I don’t understand why, the album was categorized in jazz. The album got 5 nominations at AMI Awards, all in jazz categories. But at that time, Rumah Ketujuh was also there at the nomination, and luckily, Rumah Ketujuh was the one which won the award.

Lucky that you didn’t win? why?
yeah, I could be cursed if I won (laugh). I don’t want to end up like La Luna case before. (La Luna beat Indra Lesmana’s Reborn album in 2001, and that was a big controversy at that time). It’s Indra Lesmana, come on.. (laugh)

You are an architect.. do you still continue to reach higher degree?
Right now I got an offer to continue my Doctoral degree. For 13 years in a social organization in Germany I had many ideas, thoughts.. and I have been feeling uneasy to see our condition.. so, it would be great if I can get a scholarship, and if everything goes fine as planned, I can give something real for the planet earth (laugh)

Then.. will you leave music?
I think it’s impossible.. I’ve been doing many things all these time, I have many dreams to achieve, still I never leave music.

Thank God.. there are many people can play piano, but not all of them have the good sense and feel. It would be a big loss if you leave the Indonesian jazz world. Do you have any tips on how to be a good player?
You have to play often and willing to try just about anything. Don’t be discriminative to music. Yes, I “quarantined” my ears once, and listen only to jazz, but at that time I still played everything. Orientals, Indonesian folk songs, dangdut, even country, I played them all.

Tell us about “Imel & Friends”. Does it still active?
Imel & Friends is always exist, but who the “Friends” are, is up to me (laugh). Because sometimes Rudy and Ari had their own schedule, so I gotta perform with someone else. For example, next week I’ll perform at Asian Jazz Festival in Batam, I’m asking Salamander Big Band’s rhythm sections to join me. Rudy & Ari have their own schedule to performat JGTC (Jazz Goes To Campus) in Jakarta.

What about “Four Brothers”?
Four Brothers was my band when I was still in high school until the first college year. I was a singer at that time. I played piano only when the pianist got sick or having exams. It was the time when I did learning by watching. I learned by watching the pianist play, but almost never got the chance to play (laugh)

Which one do you like more, singing or playing piano?
I like playing piano better.

But you also have a good voice
Actually I haven’t work enough to build my vocal because I’m not too serious into singing. It’s easy if I sing the arrangement I made myself, but in big band it’s difficult and tiring. Sometimes we have to follow the arrangement that’s out of my range and so on

Okay, all the best to you, keep up the good work!
thanks!

Reporter: Riandy Kurniawan (jazzuality.com)
Photographer: Novianto

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