Mesra LP16 - Various Artists " Ini & Itu "

MESRA LP 16
Various Artists:
"Ini & Itu"
Band: Zaenal Combo
Conductor: Zaenal Arifin.
Year: approx. 1968

"Apakah Arti Mimpilu" ( What is the meaning of my dream ) Tuty Subardjo. Good solid voice and timbre.
Typical indonesia-early modern sound
"Janggo" ( Django ) Lilis Surjani. In Japanese language. It is about a Cowboy movie.The Japanese are intrigued the cowboy character because of the similarity to a samurai, both brave lonesome fighters.
"Kisah Asmara" ( Love story ) by Sandra Sanger. A more delicate voice.
"Dung Ditonga Borngin" by Alfian. A Batak song. Its differs also in melody.
"Lambaian Bunga" ( Waving flowers ) by Elly Kasim. Good monumental song. Alas there is a bump due to a scratch on the record, its ooverall quality is still rather good, so its sad just this song is affected by this damage.
"Katakanlah" ( Speak, sy something ) Onny Surjono. The composer is Mustafa. Same as Mus K. Wirja ?
"Tiada Cinta Seindah Cintaku" ( No love is more precious than mine ) by Elly Kasim. A monumental composition, typical for Zaenal Arifin's work.
"Bintang Leo" ( The sign of leo ) by Lilis Surjani. Not just some statement, she was really from this constellation. Just in the nick, 22 aug 1948.
"Mungkin" ( Possible ) by Sandra Sanger.
"Bintang Taurus" ( The sign of taurus ) by Alfian. Another singer who reveals his sign of birth.
"Mungkin Disabrang Lautan" ( Maybe across the ocean ) by Tuty Subardjo. Fine song.
"Walaupun Tiada Lagi" ( Although not being here ) By onny Surjono.
All artist belong to the early modern stage of Indonesian popmusic, which goes roughly from 1960 to 1967.
Characteristics: Nice original compositions often by Zaenal Arifin. Songs from regional areas, often modernized, also to be found in this period songs in a latin american fashion.
Other artists from this period: Titiek Puspa, Diah Iskandar, Mus D.S., Oslan Husein, Rachmat Kartolo, Retno.

Apakah Arti Mimpiku - ( Rachman A. )              Tuty Subardjo        
Janggo                                                      Lilis Surjani        
Kisah Asmara - ( Muslihat )                  Sandra Sanger        
Dung Ditonga Borngin                              Alfian        
Lambaian Bunga                              Elly Kasim        
Katakanlah - ( Mustafa )                              Onny Surjono        
Tiada Cinta Seindah Cintaku - ( Zaenal Arifin )         Elly Kasim        
Bintang Leo - ( Zaenal Arifin )                  Lilis Surjani        
Mungkin - ( Muslihat )                              Sandra Sanger        
Bintang Taurus - ( Zaenal Arifin )             Alfian        
Mungkin Disebrang Lautan - ( Muslihat )             Tuty Subardjo        
Walaupun Tiada Lagi - ( Mashadi )             Onny Surjono        

Irama LPI17576 - Various Artists

LPI 17576
"Bertemu Kasih"
Various Artists and Bands
Year: approx. 1963
"Bertemu Kasih" ( Seeing my lover ) Band: "Kumbang Tjari" conductor: Nuskan Syarif
Nice orkestration, I like it. Its not sung in the Minangkabau language, like Elly Kasim mostly did.
"Kasiah Bacarai" ( My love,divorced? ) it is in Minang language, difficult for me, the Music is not Minang styled, but like a Latinamerican combo, Not uncommon in the early sixties. Band: " Osria " Conductor: Oslan Husein.
"Di Utara Minahasa" ( In the north of Minahasa ) this is the northern part of Sulawesi, Its in the regional language. Never heard before of the two singers. Band: Gaja Remadja ( Gaya Remaja in new spelling ) Conductor Eugene Maulana ( Also known by the name Ireng Maulana )
"Mada Pujangga" Mazef had to look it up in a dictionary, because it was not in his own vocabulary. It appeared to be something like:
"according to the sayings of a learned man" I learnt from Budiman "Made Pujangga" is a Composition by Rahman Ali / Sharif Rahman from Malysia in the year 1951. It has the typical solemnity of Malaysian songs more than 40 years ago. Band: "Pamor" conductor:Fred Firmanshah
"Parenai" another songtitle I cannot translate because it is in the language if the Minang people. Its very nice in its happy modernity.
I like it. Never heard of other recordings bu Mieke Widjaja. Band: "Pamor"
"Pesanku" ( My request ) on the record label is printed by Onny, but just in nick of time I came uo in my mind:, oh than he must be Onny Surjono.A bariton voice, like Bing Slamet. Band: "Osria"
"Bareh Solok" It is in Minang again, it means "Rice from Solok" because the city of Solok is amidst a rice growing region.
Band: "Kumbang Tjari"
"Erawati" That must be a girl's name. Ireng Maulana acting as vocalist this time. His Band: "Gaja Remadja"
All songs are in a kind of happy modernity nice to hear. The middle class people in the suburds would have like it.
All Minang songs are polished up in a way to please everyone in the country fom east to west.
In those days not so many people upcountry could buy records, because to operate a gramophone or record player one needs
110 or 220 volt power, which was mostly available in the cities, mostly just the business areas and the wealthier districts.
So maybe this caused the immense popularity of the cassette player in the seventies, to operate it just a few batteries are needed. Music came to the kampung. Maybe this accounts for the change in musical taste in the seventies and the newer interests in Pop Melayu, Dangdut, and the many Boys Rock Groups. Also the regional styles became more authenitic, each region could operate its own recording studio now. Before that making a record was a costly affair, it could only take place in Jakarta.

Bertemu Kasih - ( M. Jusuf )                  Elly Kasim        
Kasiah Bacarai - ( Mawardi Ms. )             Oslan Husein        
Di Utara Minahasa                              Anita & Djuria        
Mada Pujangga                                          Ida        
Parenai                                                      Mieke Widjaja        
Pesanku - ( Hasmanan )                  Onny Surjono        
Bareh Solok - ( N. Sjarif )                  Elly Kasim        
Erawati - ( E. Maulana )                              Ireng Maulana        
                          

Maja Sopha - Canary Records CLP17006

CANARY RECORDS CLP 17006
MAJA SOPHA
"Tanda Tanja"
Band: Eka Sapta
Genre: Regular - Pop
Year: approx. 1970
Not many records of this singer to be found: Maybe 3 or 4 tottally.
Another Canary record she can be heard with Bing Slamet.
In the song "Hadiaku Di Ulang Tahun" ( My Birthday present ) the typical Eka Sapta sound can be heard. The song is about a shirt she has bought for a boy friend's birthday. But when opening the parcel it appears to be a ladies blouse.
Maybe it is because of the language, like in English. When the seller asks "Is it for you Madam?
the answer is: No, it is for a friend ( untuk teman ) undetectable it is about a boy or a girl.
In this case Dutch language is more practical, a boy friend is "vriend" and girl friend as "vriendin"
So when a husband comes home late and questioned by his wife about its whereabouts he can answer without fear: "I met an old"vriend"." ( male friend )
There something strange on this record: The songs "Kuharap Akan Jumpa" ( I hope we will meet) and "Bila Kembali" ( When Back ) are the same lyrics and melody.
"Dalam Kerinduan" ( Longing ) is one of the nicest songs on this record, in my opinion.
"Cinta Abadi" ( Eternal Love ) sounds almost like a modern version of a mandarin song. I don't know the male voice is Ireng Maulana's or someone else's. Bing Slamet, also a member of Eka Sapta and also a vocalist had a lower voice.
"Si Petruk Jadi Raja" ( Petruk became king ) its about Petruk a wayang-shaped comic-book character, also known from the wayang theatre. He is always playing the funny part, so it is understandable what happens when such figure becomes king.
"Kawin Lari" ( Runaway marriage ) has an eery "asylum" sound.
Tanda Tanya - ( Jasir Sjam )                          
Si Bagong - ( Tom R.S. - Tati )                          
Milikmu Dan Milikku - ( Jasir Sjam )                          
Hadiahku Di Ulang Tahun - ( Jessy Wenas )                          
Kuharap Akan Jumpa - ( Tom R.S. - Tati )                          
Bila Kembali - ( Hengky F. )                          
Dalam Kerinduan - ( Tom R.S. - Tati )                          
Takkan Pergi Lagi - ( Mus K. Wirya )                          
Cinta Abadi - ( Lyrics - Ireng Maulana )                          
Si Petruk Jadi Raja - ( Mus K. Wirja )                          
Teman Baru - ( Tom R.S. - Tati )                          
Kawin Lari - ( Kiboud - Ireng Maulana )