Serampang Samba

Jazz music has been taking many forms according to a variety of world society. Each represents distinctive characteristics and later assessments of the particular genre across continents, ethnic groups, and traditions. Surprisingly, the depiction encapsulates all the scents of cultural diversity. Tohpati therefore is conscious to sum them up in Serampang Samba. A line of breath-taking guitar strings races up as the first track begins. Mahabarata, as an image of its name, represents a picture of India out of the utmost vibrant environment. Either the use of the traditional Eastern Asia guitar or the representative background of Indian female’s vocal that enchants me personally; the first track introduces the album itself as a melting pot recording without speaking much toward the issue. 

The next line up song is Borneo. It feels like Tohpati is guiding the listener to the heart of the island, on account of the beautiful placement of a handful of tones in the repertoire. At the same time, the tones turn out to be a popular citation to listeners’ ears in the case of its nearly identical harmony to the indigenous music. Next, Barongsai brings the atmosphere of Chinatowns scattered through the archipelago, referring the lively circumstances driven by the people inhabit. The evidence of Indonesian culture affecting overseas Chinese migrating to the island for centuries also takes a significant part in this song. The wide range of chord and the melody, added by the irregular speedy beat are one of the rooting influences. 

Barongsai has tasteful elements a common native music of mainland China does not inherit. Now I go ahead to the center of Tohpati’s artwork. Serampang Samba poses as an ambassador to the preface of the album, affected by Melayu traditional music style. The constant rhythms of rebana and wind instrument support Tohpati playing his electric guitar. Moreover, the chord progression gets along very well to the vast land of Melanesia. No wonder the song acts as reminiscence to the origin of the culture in particular, like what other songs to each supposedly native culture. However, Tohpati’s effort to synchronize his idea to the song Takbir hardly coincides. 

Takbir has an opaque Arabian connotation, thus I presume the music would have inferred to Arab scent as well. But the implementation of electric guitar and other supporting elements does not draw the line between two spots. What I mean here is between the musicians’ imagination and the actual depiction of Arabian culture somewhere out there. Despite the strong tendency as a multi-ethnic jazz album, Tohpati does not lose his sight to insert intermezzo with several tracks, as of this one, Yang Dinanti. Here, he composes a delicate line of melody, the softest ever you could have felt in Serampang Samba. Especially for Kehidupan, the particular track delivers a melodic sound of strings in contemplative fashion. Although it is more like a solo guitar performance rather than jazz, Kehidupan makes an inseparable role in this album, yet does not distract the mood in enjoying the entire CD. 

Penari demonstrates a thoughtful content by including short percussion intervals and likely attachments of high pitch of guitar sounds at the end of every linking part to another chord progression. Last but not least, Tohpati puts the one and only non-instrumental song, in which he collaborates with the vocalist Glenn Fredly in pop-jazz Jejak Langkah. Intended to satisfy the listener, Tohpati even extends with the instrumental version, hence simultaneously ends the album.