We play the music as what the heart says. Music is fun and the creation is limitless. Ligro defines ourselves perfectly, we are ORGIL (= crazy people in Bahasa) because we just listen to our hearts in turning the noise into music where the exploration is endless and the transformation is rich.
(MoonJune Records MJR047. CD Review by Chris Parker)
If the quantity and quality of the fusion bands MoonJune Records has documented in recent months is a reliable guide to musical trends in the country, Indonesia has embraced progressive and jazz-rock with all the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Finns for tango.
And like the Finns, Indonesians have taken an apparently âalienâ musical genre and subtly and intelligently customised it, incorporating into it local rhythms and sounds to produce intriguingly original and individual music.
Ligro, a power trio who cast their net far and wide to draw in influences ranging from Stravinsky and Bach to Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix, are a compact, fiercely interactive but subtle and considered unit, their rich varied themes in odd, tricksy time signatures sparking lengthy, hard-driving jams led by the wonderfully multi-textured guitar of Agam Hamzah, and propelled by one of the most powerful but sensitive rhythm sections this side of Dave Weckl and Tom Kennedy: thunderous drummer Gusti Hendy and virtuosic, astoundingly deft bassist Adi Darmawan.
âVolcanicâ, âbruisingâ, âhyperkineticâ and âelectrifyingâ are the adjectives that pepper the accompanying press release, and they are by no means hyperbolic; Ligro, whether romping through anthemic flagwavers, creating drama with multi-hued space-rock or simply striking sparks off each other in exhilarating studio jams, are the real fusion deal and Dictionary 2 is a superb calling card.
Recorded in Jakarta (Indonesia) in 2011, Dictionary 2 presents the first international release from one of Indonesia's most acclaimed jazz-rock fusion trios: Drummer/percussionist Gusti Hendy, bassist Adi Darmawan and guitarist Agam Hanzah. (Hendy doubles as a member of Indonesia's pop-rock sensations GIGI.)
Written to honor the departed trumpeter, "Miles Away" kicks a limber groove which Hanzah's guitar spikes upon jagged funk riffs and then slowly turns inside out. Darmawan opens "Stravinsky (with Bach intro)," Ligro's variation on Stravinsky's "An Easy Piece Using Five Notes," with an enchanting solo bass Bach meditation, while Hendy drums with a combination of power and fluidity heard in few drummers other than Bruford.
"Etude Indienne" exhaustively explores Ligro's "east meets west" instrumental horizons: Hanzah's guitar intro casts McLaughlin's style in the sound of grunge before the trio settles into the rhythmic feel of an open rock raga, pulses more than beats, pulses which bubble and crest into waves of melody and rhythm. "Transparansi" opens with a bright, airy percussion and guitar discussion before the trio breaks up the entire structure down to its foundation.
"Future" and "Don Juan" attune more closely to the groove. Ligro's "Future" revels in a biting, edgy sound that flows from blues to progressive jazz-rock without adapting much structure from either. "Don Juan" finally backs off the throttle, and Hanzah chops out guitar chords that settle into a more relaxed and roomy feeling than the compressed, kinetic action throughout the rest of Dictionary 2.
Track Listing: Paradox; Stravinsky (with Bach Intro); Future; Don Juan; Bliker 3; Etude Indienne; Miles Away; Transparansi.
Personnel: Agam Hamzah: guitar; Adi Darmawan: bass guitar; Gusti Hendi: drums, percussion.
I need to investigate how long it will take me to get to Indonesia from NZ, hopefully not that long, and while there I am going to go to Jakarta and make sure that I catch these guys at a gig. I know that Leo says that there is loads of untapped and unknown talent in that part of the world, but bloody hell! These guys are absolutely stunning! Agam Hamzah (guitars), Adi Darmawan (bass) and drummer Gusti Hendy formed the band in 2004 and this is their debut international release. Ligro when read backwards, means âcrazy peopleâ in the Bahasa (Indonesian national) language â but crazy signifying fearlessness and playful abandon.
Pick a song, any song, and prepare to be blown away by a trio that are so tight that it is impossible to separate them and just as you think that one person is the main player another comes along and makes you change your mind. Take âStravinsky (with Bach intro)â for example. This commences as a solo exercise in bass dexterity and control before morphing into an arrangement of Igor Stravinsky's âAn Easy Piece Using Five Notes: with Agam very much in control although he is pushed to the end by his colleagues in time. This is an incredible album, and proves that wonderful musicians can be found all over the world. This may not be a band that is known to many outside of their own country, but I sincerely believe that is going to change as here is a band that has the chops to rise to the top of their field.
Moonjune Records has performed a service for progressive-rock and jazz-fusion aficionados by propagating an influx of stellar albums by Indonesian artists and bands that morph Western traditionalism into a distinct sound spectrum. One such ensemble is the power trio Ligro that, in Indonesian lingo, translates to "crazy people." Formed in 2004, its second release, Dictionary 2 is a propulsive exposition, sparked by unanticipated shifts in direction, demanding time signatures, metallic grooves and more.
The trio oscillates the momentum with spacey interludes and intricate dialogues amid stirring ebbs and flows. Ligro operates on 12 cylinders, but shrewdly tempers the dynamic in such a way that parallels plot development. A stunning program that borrows from the godfathers of jazz-rock and prog rock, while also enlightening the present with an artistic flair, often exercised with high-decibel output.
Track Listing: Paradox; Stravinsky (with Bach Intro); Future; Don Juan; Bliker 3; Etude Indienne; Miles Away; Transparansi.
Personnel: Agam Hamzah: guitar; Adi Darmawan: bass guitar; Gusti Hendi: drums, percussion.
Un altro interessante capitolo discografico âgriffato â Moonjune Records: puntuale esordio discografico per i Ligro, trio di virtuosi provenienti dallâarea indonesiana. Agam Hamzah, Adi Darmawan e Gusti Hendi costruiscono un mosaico sonoro in 8 tasselli, dimostrando una ricchezza âgrammaticaleâ vastissima.
- See more at: http://www.optimaitalia.com/blog/2013/02/27/ligro-dictionary-2/60236#sthash.8IczeDVb.dpuf
Yoo Orgils.. pada datang ya, kita akan perform 2 jam penuh dengan additional instruments: violin, piano dan brass section, donât miss it.. c u there..!!
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1.Paradox 07:10
2.Stravinsky 11:31
3.Future 07:16
4.Don Juan 06:13
5.Bilker 3 10:55
6.Ătude Indienne 12:51
7.Miles Away 04:15
8.Transparansi 13:15
MoonJune Records continues its streak of astonishing musical discoveries from Indonesia with Dictionary 2, the first international release by Jakarta's celebrated jazz-rock trio Ligro. Founded in 2004 by authoritative guitarist Agam Hamzah and rounded out by agile bassist Adi Darmawan and exhilarating drummer Gusti Hendy. Ligro when read backwards, means "crazy people" in the Bahasa (Indonesian national) language â but crazy in the very best sense of the word, signifying fearlessness, playful abandon, and a healthy disregard for shopworn musical conventions.Â
Ligro manage to be both impressively tight and appealingly loose in their execution, combining the energy and enthusiasm of a basement jam session with the assured technique of players thoroughly grounded in the best of contemporary instrumental music, with echoes of Hendrix, Lifetime, Buckethead, Fripp, vintage Rypdal, and the more adventurous precincts of progressive rock and jazz â including Miles Davis, who gets a sly nod in "Miles Away." The result is an arresting combination of the raunchy and the sophisticated that delivers an electrifying jolt to the field of global fusion.
AllâestremitĂ opposta dello spettro, trabocca di vitalitĂ Dictionary 2, prima uscita internazionale del power trio indonesiano Ligro, guidato dallo spettacolare chitarrista Agam Hamzah, ben coadiuvato dal preciso sostegno del basso di Adi Darmawan e dal fantasioso drumming di Gusti Hendi .
Il disco Ăš ricco di spunti di grande intensitĂ , al limite della perdita di controllo, (la seconda parte di Stravinsky, ad esempio), ma non mancano fasi dove si tira il fiato per riprendere slancio, in un positivo equilibrio che determina un prodotto complessivo di buon livello, con un creativo finale âcaos calmoâ nella conclusiva Transparansi, brano che ben rappresenta lâattitudine alla lucida follia identificata dal nome del gruppo anagrammato (ogril, in indonesiano Bahasa).
Ligro is an Indonesian music trio which was founded in 2004 by the guitarist Agam Hamzah, the bassist Adi Darmawan and the drummer Gusti Hendy. âDictionary 2â is the second full-length album of the band, which was released 4 years after their debut âDictionary 1â.
Itâs not so easy to go along with these guys as music knowledge and open-mindedness in music is totally needed. Complexity & progressivity are present on all the tracks of the album, while theyâre quite playful when it comes to tempo changes & various improvisations. I think this ainât only for the musicians/artists but do proceed with caution if youâre not into this kind of music.
As pointed out on the bandâs website, the three members have different cultural backgrounds âwhich might well surprise those Western listeners who are unaware of Indonesiaâs history and cultural diversity. In particular, drummer Gusti Hendi originates from Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo), and a Gondang drum â a percussion instrument of the Batak people of Sumatra, Â which he plays with a âKalimantan beatâ â seamlessly integrates with the rest of his Western-style kit. Ligroâs sound, on the other hand, is for the most part inspired by jazz-rock/fusion greats such as Jeff Beck, Allan Holdsworth, Mahavishnu Orchestra and their ilk â in this, a perfect complement to another excellent 2012 album coming from Indonesia, Tohpati Bertigaâs Riot.
While the lovely, classical-styled piano intro (courtesy of Adi Dimarwan) of the 10-minute âBliker 3â might point to another low-key affair, this is only partly true, because the loose, almost improvisational texture of the track hides a keen sense of tension, complete with eerie spacey effects â and even veering into heavier territory in the trackâs exhilarating climax. Hamzah and Dimarwan duel at often breakneck speed in the virtuoso piece âEtude Indienneâ, which employs Indian scales traditionally played on the sitar; Hendiâs drumming, on the other hand, keeps a low profile until the end, when it resumes its assertive tone. As the tongue-in-cheek title suggests,âMiles Awayâ is the jazziest (and the shortest) number on the album, its choppy, jaunty pace somewhat muted in contrast with the earlier fireworks. The jam-like âTransparansiâ closes the album with a bang, almost drawing together all the motifs previously introduced, and allowing Hendi to indulge in some traditional percussion work that adds a note of warmth to the slightly chaotic texture of the composition.
Clocking in at about 73 minutes, Dictionary 2 is undoubtedly an ambitious endeavour, though â quite unlike the majority of albums with such a hefty running time â it hardly ever outstays its welcome. The sheer amount of energy and enthusiasm that permeate almost every minute of the album make listening a much easier and more rewarding task than it would ordinarily be for an album half of whose tracks exceed the 10-minute mark. While the East-meets-West component is limited, the tantalizing input of ethnic elements increases the interest quotient of the ebullient, jazz-rock matrix of the sound. Last but not least, the striking cover artwork connects the album to the rich cultural tradition of Ligroâs homeland. Â Dictionary 2 is highly recommended to guitar freaks and jazz-rock fans â and, in general, to anyone keen on discovering new frontiers in progressive music-making. Agam Hamzah, Adi Damarwan and Gusti Hendi are indeed âcrazy peopleâ, but in the best possible way.
"Dictionary 2" ist heftige Musik aus Indonesien von der im Trio aufspielenden Band Ligro. An und fĂŒr sich wollte ich diese Rezension strĂ€wkcĂŒr schreiben, weil »Ligro when read backwards â orgil, means "crazy people" in the Bahasa (Indonesian national) language â but crazy in the very best sense of the word, signifying fearlessness, playful abandon, and a healthy disregard for shopworn musical conventions.« Allerdings wĂŒrde es zu weit fĂŒhren, alles rĂŒckwĂ€rts zu schreiben, denn die 2004 gegrĂŒndete Band Ligro sorgt mit ihrem musikalischen Output schon fĂŒr eine Weite, die noch nicht einmal am Horizont enden will. Musik von Ligro ist etwas fĂŒr aufgeschlossene GemĂŒter, die sich an viel Improvisation und freiem Spiel der Gedanken erfreuen können.
Ligro ist nichts fĂŒr ungeĂŒbte Ohren. Da muss vorher schon ein gewisser Erfahrungsschatz vorhanden sein, denn die Band ĂŒbt sich in der freien MeinungsĂ€uĂerung, natĂŒrlich ohne jemanden beleidigend zu nahe zu treten. Wenn man sich die Platte anhört und ignoriert, dass es hier acht Tracks gibt, kommt eine gigantisch gute Jam-Kultur auf einen zu. Ligro kommt einerseits zuweilen fast schon aggressiv daher und andererseits kann man auch ganz entspannt die Seele baumeln lassen. Man muss bei dem Dreier nur mit allem rechnen, weil ihre Musik unberechenbar ist.
Die Wanderschaft durch die Genres ist beeindruckend. Ligro ist Meister im blitzartigen Wechseln von Stimmungen. Manchmal glaubt man gar nicht, dass hier nur ein Trio zugange ist. Ligro klingt opulent, wie ein XXL-Restaurant mit dem wöchentlichen Angebot eines all-you-can-eat-Abends. Gepriesen sei die endlose Weite eines BĂŒffets. Ja, Ligro tischt nur Leckereien auf und nach "Trasparansi" ist man geschafft. Dabei ist der Erschöpfungszustand ein wohliges GefĂŒhl im Körper.
FĂŒr "Dictionary 2" muss man sich nicht in der indonesischen Kultur auskennen, denn Ligros Musik ist international. Das Trio setzt vielleicht dort ein, wo andere Band aufhören. Die drei Musiker gehen abenteuerlich-experimentelle Wege und im nĂ€chsten Moment verzaubern sie die heimischen vier WĂ€nde mit einem reizenden Chaos. Mal schweben sie in der Schwerelosigkeit des Weltraums und dann bewegen sie sich noch unterhalb der Grasnarbe. Was Agam Hamzah auf den sechs Saiten seines ArbeitsgerĂ€tes an Zaubereien liefert, kann der sehr versierte Bassist Adi Darmawan auch. Ligros Fantasien fĂŒllen einen groĂen Saal. Dagegen verfĂŒgen andere Gruppen ĂŒber den Spielraum einer Imbissbude. So fesselt man den Hörer an den Lautsprechern.
Der Dreier versteht es perfekt, mit der Dramaturgie eines Songs umzugehen. Aus verhaltenen Arrangements entwickeln sich monströse Gebirge. Jeder beeinflusst jeden. Man klettert, sich gegenseitig anspornend, ohne Gurt oder Haken im freien Stil bis zum Gipfel. Dort geht es turbulent zu. Ligro verwirrt die gewohnte Wahrnehmung.
Zur Einleitung von "Stravinsky" spielt man Bach auf dem Bass. Klasse! Das Lied wurde von der Combo komponiert. Als Basis diente Stravinskys "An Easy Piece Using Five Notes". Genau das Richtige fĂŒr die Insulaner aus Jakarta. In "Bliker 3" dreht man den SpieĂ um, denn das von Adi Darmawan auf dem Piano gespielte Intro ist Klassik aus der eigenen KĂŒche.
Bei Ligro ticken die Chronometer anders, aber die Zeiger bewegen sich noch in der gewohnten Richtung. Fusion bezeichnete ja gemeinhin das Mischen von Jazz und Rock. Auch hier reicht es fĂŒr die Band nicht, denn in ihrem Schmelztiegel befindet sich so ziemlich alles an Stilen. Mit viel Aufmerksamkeit findet man sogar den Blues. Manche bekommen ihn vielleicht auch. Allerdings kann der Hörer im "Dictionary 2" auch bei z wie Zufriedenheit auskommen. Der im Zitat beschriebene Wahnsinn hat einen Namen... Ligro.
