For their first international (and MoonJune Records) release, Jakarta-based simakDialog delivers Patahan -- a live recording that suggests how Pat Metheny might sound were he from the Far East rather than the United States. A combination of electric and acoustic instruments, the 14-year-old group is innovatively fueled by two percussionists rather than a conventional drummer (and the results are no less powerful). The result is a powerful blend of cultural and musical stylings.
This intricate offering is a superb-quality live recording, propelled by expansive solos, rich harmonies, telling interplay and driving, spirited rhythms. Weighing in at over 73 minutes, there is a lot of incredibly creative music -- music that is not limited by genre, stereotype or preconception.
Keyboardist and composer Riza Arshad, guitarist Tohpati and bassist Adhhitya join vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki and percussionists Endang Ramdam and Emy Tata for five lengthy, episodic and finely-detailed compositions that create a unique nexus of jazz and less-traveled ethnicity. This is an intoxicating connoisseur's blend of jazz and fusion which truly knows no bounds.
