West Java Syndicate is back in the studio

In progress for next album.
More info at www.westjavasyndicate.com

Bukan Musik Biasa #38

West Java Syndicate played at an event called "Bukan Musik Biasa" on January 28, 2014 at Wisma Seni Taman Budaya Surakarta, Solo-Indonesia.
Bukan Musik Biasa is a musical event initiated by Balinese composer I Wayan Sadra. In the show, West Java Syndicate played right after Surabayan ethnic group Arek Wetanan. And after the last performer, Plenthe & Bukan Pitu Langit from Solo, there was a free discussion. The artists express ideas and arguments about their musical the work, speakers come to discuss, and some visitors also expressed his appreciation. Speaker for this edition was Aton Rustandi.
At this event, West Java Syndicate also brought the new member of the group, Randy Gevenk on woodwind section.

Photography supplied courtesy of mr Daniel La

About The Song: Tembang Katresna

Tembang Katresna in Sundanese language means Love Song.
This song tells us about the cycle of life which love gave a big role in it. In the first verse we can feel repetition of melody which trying to develop itself, then it fade to different tone, different color.
Second verse tells about that in life of love we often meet problem whether big or small, then we struggle as hard as we can to figure it out and solve it as soon as we can, and we feel relieved when we survived it.
But that's life, it always rolling like wheel, and we don't know what will going to happen next.

About the Song : Gending Rame Ku Kendang

This song is a proof that a percussion instrument--in this case is the sundanese kendang and drums--in addition to just a beat keeper but may have a role to give color and rhythmic melodies can provide additional color to the music itself. Gending is the arrangement of percussion rhythmic patterns or patterns that in the chain into sentences, which are repeated. Definition of drumming is not limited to the gamelan instruments, but non-gamelan instruments was included in it, such as Kacapi (sundanese sitar), Calung , Angklung and others and did not rule out the possibility that modern music instrument also included. We can hear in this song that there is a merger of two different musical elements, namely, modern music is the music of western and traditional Sundanese music . To be able to hear modern music genre Jazz Rock are pretty thick were accommodated by the pattern of rhythmic melodies by Keyboard, Bass Guitar, and Drums. elaborated with Waditra Sundanese Kendang and other traditional instruments, so in this song generates a new color in this song using pattern pat Sundanese tradition.

EP available on iTunes

West Java Syndicate EP is available for download.

Resonansi TVRI

On April 10, 2013 West Java Syndicate did a taping for TVRI's music program called Resonansi hosted by country singer Baby Astheria. The program then aired on April 14, 2013 through television and streaming via TVRI's website.

Played four songs, West Java Syndicate came up with formation  Zahar Mustilaq (Drums),  Dede SP (Bass), YD Nafis (Keyboards), Asep Hadiat (Kendang),  Ludi Heryanto (Rebab and Kacapi), Mang Agus (Kendang and Suling). And for the very first time, West Java Syndicate featured a female singer, Maharannie in two songs.

Here's the West Java Syndicate's band documentation video

Jazz Nagari

KlabJazz's Jazz Nagari at Siete cafe. It was such a pre-release party for West Java Syndicate's upcoming EP. Showcased all four songs on the EP--West Java Syndicate also gave away free CDs for the audience. And although some West Java Syndicate's original traditional section couldn't perform that night, some substitutes done their job well.. 

YEAY... Thank you for the CD @WestJavaSynd #JazzNagari | @klabjazztwit 😬 pic.twitter.com/PzJ1GZFibo
— Siete Cafe Bandung (@SieteCafe) February 21, 2013