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Jazz lovers and music lovers generally will be delighted to hear
that Luluk Purwanto and Rene van Helsdingen have
released a new double CD. Entitled AYSHA, this collection is
‘dedicated to our mothers and the mothers of all the children in
the World’.
Together with the drumming of Marcello Pellitteri and the bass
of Essiet Okon Essiet, two superb New Yorkers at the top of
their field, this is a quartet making jazz that stands with the
best there is. Complex polyrhythmic music it is, but never
intellectual for the sake of it. Down to earth it often is,
literally, with some tracks evoking the sounds of the jungle. On
these tracks you hear no violin because Luluk is playing extra
percussion. And Marcello’s drumming at times invokes the
messaging tom-toms of indigenous forest dwellers.
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AYSHA – Luluk and the Helsdingen trio
Jazz lovers and music lovers generally will be delighted to hear that Luluk Purwanto and Rene van Helsdingen have released a new
double CD. Entitled AYSHA, this collection is ‘dedicated to our mothers
and the mothers of all the children in the World’. Together with the
drumming of Marcello Pelliteri and the bass of Essiet Okon Essiet, two
superb New Yorkers at the top of their field, this is a quartet making
jazz that stands with the best there is. Complex polyrhythmic music it
is, but never intellectual for the sake of it. Down to earth it often
is, literally, with some tracks evoking the sounds of the jungle. On
these tracks you hear no violin because Luluk is playing extra
percussion. And Marcello’s drumming at times invokes the messaging
tom-toms of indigenous forest dwellers. Swing this set certainly does.
Some tracks seem to be pure extended improvisation, while others hook
you with compelling repeated riffs. Indeed there is plenty of variety to
cater to different tastes. Go to www.luluk.com to get more info and to
order your excellent value double CD. You’ll be glad you did. Luluk’s
sometimes driving, sometimes sentimental violin has been well-known in
her native Indonesia for many years and is now getting better known in
other countries. Out onto the stage comes this diminutive girl with a
big talent and presence, radio-miked up ready for her signature
scat-unison voice and violin choruses. Rene is a phenomenon. He does all
the organizing and marketing, drives the stage bus, for which he had to
get a special license, sets the up the stage, lighting and sound and
then changes his clothes - and persona - sits down and plays inspired
piano. At home in Holland he is busy arranging new tours and overseeing
the recording and production of CDs and DVDs. In recent years Luluk and
the Helsdingen trio have made tours in the USA, Greece and Canada, as
well as one in Indonesia synthesizing jazz and gamelan, including wayang
shadow puppets and dance. The latter tour is captured on a fascinating
DVD (sadly for Americans, available only in PAL format). The lineup is
always the same, producing a familiarity and symbiosis such that they
consistently spark and inspire each other. We first saw Luluk and the
trio here in Athens for the cultural Olympics with the two Stage buses,
one sponsored by the Dutch embassy and one by the Indonesian Ministry of
Culture. Myself and Harina had the privilege to travel with them on part
of the Indonesian tour around the Peloponnese, organized by Mikhail and
Ary David, the creators of the JakArt festivals. In every venue the
audience applauded long and went away happy. |
