Simak Dialog

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This Jakarta-based combo was formed in 1993 by Riza Arshad (keyboards) and Tohpati (guitars).
The band plays an unique blend of musical styles: with jazz-rock/fusion in its core, heavily influenced with Gamelan music, as well as another Indonesian musical forms, to electronica, psychedelia and various aspects of rock. 
Their two only international albums has been released through Moonjune Records and both are recommended. I got in touch with Riza Arshad for the story.

==========================================================

Your
biography has been covered in your ProgArchives profile so let's
bypass the biography details. But which bands were you influenced by
and what does your name means?

A lot! It’s difficult for me
to specify only 10 or less or even more than that, but if I may say I
have in mind at the moment are ELP, Yes, Genesis, Led Zeppelin,
Return to Forever, Weather Report, any format of Miles Davis band,
any format of Keith Jarrett’s, early Pat Metheny’s group, the
Beatles after 1967 and many more. ‘simakDialog’ means to listen
carefully to the Dialog

How is
it to run a band in Indonesia ?	

Depends on which track you are
in, if you are in pop/industrial music seems easily to run but you’d
have ‘so many similar sound yet type of music’ as your
competitors. If you are in ‘cutting edge’ kind of music less
competitors, but less spectators, means there must be bunch of works
you have to handle. Pretty much the same with in any other part in
the world.

Your
music is fusion/jazz with a mix of an Indonesian type of folk music
called Gamelan. Please tell us more about Gamelan.

Gamelan is an orchestra of a
collective of metal, wood, leather made instruments which has certain
scale the way it harmonically arranged and sounds. simakDialog
adapted only the way it sounds which represents gamelan ensemble, but
it is not necessary by playing its harmony and scales. 

You
have five albums so far, three of them are not relased
internationally, according to my information. Will the first three
album get international distribution ?

I guess out if 3 only one
album I might put out in the international distribution – the third
‘trance/mission’ – our first album that marks band’s format
and sound metamorphosed.

Please
tell us more about your debut album Lukisan from 1995

Was completely big influenced
of ECM style of music. 

Please
tell us more about your second album Baur from 1999

Still with heavy ECM style of
music, but we had started to expand the way we compose all materials

Please
tell us more about your third album Trance/Mission from 2002

The beginning of a major
significant change both format and sound of the band. We have started
to commissioned sundanese kendang 
to replace drums to make the band sounds more contemporary.

Please
tell us more about your fourth album Demi Masa from 2009

It’s the next chapter of
‘patahan’

Please
tell us more about your live album Patahan from 2005

It’s the next chapter of the
band’s continuous changes mostly on composition/harmony issues

How is
your creative processes from coming up with a theme/riff/idea to you
got it down onto an album ?

We do a weekly rehearsal and
workshop twice in a week 8months in a year just to try and figure out
‘new thing’. If we think it might work - we continue to pursue
the material to become a complete composition, if it doesn’t we put
it aside.

Just
to give those of us who are unknown with your music a bit of a
reference point or two: How would you describe your music ?

West meet southeast Asia, a
progressive ethno jazz group – maybe

Your
guitarist Tohpati has just released an album called Save The Planet
through Moonjune. Please tell us more about this album.

He is such a talented player I
ever meet in the history of this band. And well known as a talented
session player as well. The album is great and depicts the
involvement, contributions and influenced simakDialog has given and
vice versa in 17years he’s been joining simakD.

Besides
of Tohpati and his solo album; are any of you Simak Dialog members
involved in any other bands or projects ?

Adhitya – the bassist is
joining a high demanded combo in the national music scene, all those
three percussionist are busy musicians too both in traditional and
contemporary music scene.

While I keep myself
maintaining my involvement in underground music (particularly jazz)
community

To
wrap up this interview, is there anything you want to add to this
interview ?

There is nothing can stop
someone in sharing positive yet good things that coming from ones
area to the world

Thank you to  Riza Arshad for this interview

Their PA profile is here and homepage here

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toroddfuglesteg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Retired Joined: March 04 2008 Location: Retirement Home Status: Offline Points: 3658	Topic: Simak Dialog Posted: October 09 2010 at 12:25
	This Jakarta-based combo was formed in 1993 by Riza Arshad (keyboards) and Tohpati (guitars). The band plays an unique blend of musical styles: with jazz-rock/fusion in its core, heavily influenced with Gamelan music, as well as another Indonesian musical forms, to electronica, psychedelia and various aspects of rock. Their two only international albums has been released through Moonjune Records and both are recommended. I got in touch with Riza Arshad for the story. ========================================================== Your biography has been covered in your ProgArchives profile so let's bypass the biography details. But which bands were you influenced by and what does your name means? A lot! It’s difficult for me to specify only 10 or less or even more than that, but if I may say I have in mind at the moment are ELP, Yes, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Return to Forever, Weather Report, any format of Miles Davis band, any format of Keith Jarrett’s, early Pat Metheny’s group, the Beatles after 1967 and many more. ‘simakDialog’ means to listen carefully to the Dialog How is it to run a band in Indonesia ? Depends on which track you are in, if you are in pop/industrial music seems easily to run but you’d have ‘so many similar sound yet type of music’ as your competitors. If you are in ‘cutting edge’ kind of music less competitors, but less spectators, means there must be bunch of works you have to handle. Pretty much the same with in any other part in the world. Your music is fusion/jazz with a mix of an Indonesian type of folk music called Gamelan. Please tell us more about Gamelan. Gamelan is an orchestra of a collective of metal, wood, leather made instruments which has certain scale the way it harmonically arranged and sounds. simakDialog adapted only the way it sounds which represents gamelan ensemble, but it is not necessary by playing its harmony and scales. You have five albums so far, three of them are not relased internationally, according to my information. Will the first three album get international distribution ? I guess out if 3 only one album I might put out in the international distribution – the third ‘trance/mission’ – our first album that marks band’s format and sound metamorphosed. Please tell us more about your debut album Lukisan from 1995 Was completely big influenced of ECM style of music. Please tell us more about your second album Baur from 1999 Still with heavy ECM style of music, but we had started to expand the way we compose all materials Please tell us more about your third album Trance/Mission from 2002 The beginning of a major significant change both format and sound of the band. We have started to commissioned sundanese kendang to replace drums to make the band sounds more contemporary. Please tell us more about your fourth album Demi Masa from 2009 It’s the next chapter of ‘patahan’ Please tell us more about your live album Patahan from 2005 It’s the next chapter of the band’s continuous changes mostly on composition/harmony issues How is your creative processes from coming up with a theme/riff/idea to you got it down onto an album ? We do a weekly rehearsal and workshop twice in a week 8months in a year just to try and figure out ‘new thing’. If we think it might work - we continue to pursue the material to become a complete composition, if it doesn’t we put it aside. Just to give those of us who are unknown with your music a bit of a reference point or two: How would you describe your music ? West meet southeast Asia, a progressive ethno jazz group – maybe Your guitarist Tohpati has just released an album called Save The Planet through Moonjune. Please tell us more about this album. He is such a talented player I ever meet in the history of this band. And well known as a talented session player as well. The album is great and depicts the involvement, contributions and influenced simakDialog has given and vice versa in 17years he’s been joining simakD. Besides of Tohpati and his solo album; are any of you Simak Dialog members involved in any other bands or projects ? Adhitya – the bassist is joining a high demanded combo in the national music scene, all those three percussionist are busy musicians too both in traditional and contemporary music scene. While I keep myself maintaining my involvement in underground music (particularly jazz) community To wrap up this interview, is there anything you want to add to this interview ? There is nothing can stop someone in sharing positive yet good things that coming from ones area to the world Thank you to Riza Arshad for this interview Their PA profile is here and homepage here

Kazuhiro Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: January 14 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Status: Offline Points: 1336	Posted: October 09 2010 at 20:31
	There is not so much information on Simak Dialog in Japan. They are interesting bands. Thank you for the interview.