Exclusive Interview with Kayon
Talking about Kayon means talking about a journey of three great friends. They are all outstanding musicians that have been together for more than 2 decades exploring what they like best, and how they can fit their idealism and creativity into the right form of music that can represent them perfectly. Indra Lesmana, Gilang Ramadhan and Pra Budidharma were listed in the formation of Krakatau band some times in the mid 80’s until Indra and Gilang decided to resign in the late 80’s. The Krakatau era was over, but not their friendships, as they still carried on their journey in various different forms of music until now. Now they are together in a group called KAYON Tree of Life, presenting delicious forms of ethnical musics from different cultures around Indonesia inside free jazz and hard bop pattern. And I’d say this form suit their skills and creativities perfectly.
It was all started in 1986 under the band name P.I.G, the initial of their names. They went boldly with free jazz and released an album entitled “Lost Forest”. In 2007 this group reformed again. This time they took a more deeper path, fusing various cultural richness of Indonesia into their free jazz signatures. They launched “Tree of Life” this time under the name of KAYON, and decided to established it strongly after their performance at The House of World Culture in Berlin, Germany in the late 2007.
Until today they are still going on strong, even stronger than ever. Just recently they held a great and successful concert at Salihara Theatre Jakarta. (check out the report from that event). The room was full with their fans that seemed to miss their appearance on stage together. Standing ovation in the end marked their return. They are absolutely a rare diamond that urgently needed to be jazz and cultural ambassadors of Indonesia, we hope they will continue their collaboration for long time to come.
Our reporter Novan and Bayu interviewed one of the man behind KAYON, Indra Lesmana after the concert. After the long exclusive interview with Indra Lesmana we made recently, this time we digged deeper about Kayon in particular. Here’s the interview with Indra Lesmana.
Together with Gilang and Pra, you have been going through a journey in various different shapes besides Kayon. How could you manage your existence together from the early 80’s until now?
Actually we have been friends since we were still young. We are really great friends. Besides we have been playing together a lot. We share the same hobbies and likings, that’s why we can keep doing it together till now.
The first album was a total free jazz, why you decided to change the course and brought some ethnical music in with Kayon?
It’s because we wanted to try something different. Another thing, it happened when we performed in Berlin. (Their performance at House of World Culture in Berlin, Germany in the late 2007.) The theme at that time was Asian Bop. That was when we decided to explore the richness of our own authentic rich ethnical music in the spirit of modern jazz.
If we look at Krakatau, the band that also deliver ethnical nuances in free jazz form and combine modern/western and traditional instruments played together, in Kayon we see mostly modern instruments with unbelievable improvement. The bass tuned to slendro scale and some additions on Gilang’s drums. Was it because you planned to bring free jazz from P.I.G. with the addition of ethnical touch in it?
It was actually different. The first and second albums were totally different. We wanted to change our concept to something new. Playing Jazz means playing serious music. Swing, Be Bop, Hard Bop. I feel that modern jazz and hard bop are my kind of music, the truest music in my heart, among every style of jazz that I have played. The only thing is hard bop is really hard to play, especially in Indonesia. But finally I feel safe to pour out the freedom of hard bop with this trio. We played free jazz in P.I.G. with the attitude of hard bop. In Kayon we still play with the spirit and energy of hard bop. Only the rhythmic theme, scales and soul of the music blended with inspirations that came from various cultures that we tried to learn together.
On stage you mentioned about the unreleased album in between “Lost Forest” and “Tree of Life”. How is that “new” album like?
I can’t say that it’s a new album. You know, because that term would sound weird for an album that has made before the latest one. Kayon is always in evolution. The three of us are always evolving. So, if I release an album, it means I want to share our journey together musically. There got to be Lost Forest in it, there got to be Kayon in it. And I think that album is right in the middle of them, because the music is totally different. It’s mostly free jazz, but with electronic.
How do you see the development of ethnical jazz in Indonesia?
I think it’s rare to find..not many people played it, but some has tried though..
What make you play ethnical music in free jazz form?
Well… I was raised with western instruments. So, for me, I feel comfortable to play a piano because I think jazz music is acoustic music, especially hard bop/modern jazz. For me personally, I will keep playing with my main instrument, grand piano. When I play a piano, I would find some different backgrounds that might turn to bring something new, becoming a new style. I have tried it before Kayon, I felt forced to only bring out pentatonic scales at that time. I didn’t feel comfortable. But in Kayon, I changed one point of view to make me feel comfortable. That is by trying to find the soul. If you only try to bring pentatonic scales, you’ll feel forced.
What’s the difference between playing music in front of Berlin’s audiences and tonight’s audiences?
It’s almost the same because our music is chamber music. When playing in a chamber, we feel the energy from everyone inside it, the interaction between player and listener is created and that’s actually the essence of jazz music. When it happens, there should be lots of magic in the music.
Interviewed by Novan Yahya Renatal
Photographer: Bayu P. Warjiyo
Editor : Riandy Kurniawan
Special thanks to: Alhenri Wijaya
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indra lesmana is my favorites pianist in indonesia, so far on kayon make me disappointed whats he plays. just wanna hear how their plays “autumn leaves” or kind of jazz song by real book. can kayon or indra play biten, hagh…hagh. hehe. spesific on pianica, what this? poor sound and melody. indonesian pentatonic unblend with runing scale of blues. thxfor this place.
errr,, poor sound and melody?? I thought i’m the newbiest because, truthfuly, it’s hard for me to understand the meaning of any instrumental musics, well because there are not any words in it, different from pop or rock which has words to help me understand what’s the meaning behind the song, but poor sound and melody?! When i watch the concert with my friend who likes metal and rock, especially progressive rock, he even can give a proper appreciation “crazy beat, improvisation and melody” he said, and i said (no offense to Indra Lesmana) Indra Lesmana can show his real identity by playing in Kayon, better when he decided to play in Pop.
I dont know how deep your knowledge in jazz but i thought your knowledge about jazz is all written in the book. And in jazz, in all music, it’s all about feeling, how the right tune come with the right feeling
Sorry if my english is bad, and sorry if something is incorrect in my comment, thanks