SARINADE by Aida Mustafa

 

SARINADE

Feeling tropical humid and regional ? We usually think tropical music being Spanish or Latin or Cuban.

What about South East Asian? Isn't that tropical as well?

Check out Aida Mustafa (b. 23 September 1951, Medan) of Indonesia sang in what we think is the most iconic pop album ever for South East Asia. SARINANDE released in 1972 by Popsound, Philips in Singapore. This album featured an all star jazz folk band called Dengan Irigan Okestra (actually I think album cover basically meant she was accompanied with an Orchestra). The band comprises of a jazz drums bass guitar flute and organ. The album sings traditional favorite probably from the 30's to 60's.

Song List
Side 1:

1. Bengawan Solo - written by Gesang Martohartono
2. Dayung Sampan - traditional
3. Selendang Sutra - written by Ismail Marzuki
4. Angin Mamiri - written by Arsed Basir
5. Gugur Bunga - written by Ismail Marzuki
6. Bandung Selantan - written by Ismail Marzuki

Side 2:

1. Sarinande - traditional
2. Tudong Priuk - credited as Rubiah
3. Dondong Opo Salak - traditional
4. Mojang Priangan - credited as Iyar Wiyarsih
5. Lambaian Bunga - traditional
6. Kebile-Bile - written by Aoges Korie Ali

It has a mixture of songs from a wide range of tropical composers like Gesang Martohartono a Javanese singer/composer famous for Bangawan Solo (1940). As you know, Bangawan Solo although a Keroncong composition, borrowed the American 32 bar sensibility running at about 80BPM. Written during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, the Japanese loved this song and became a hit in Japan!

Ismail Marzuki a Sumatran composer who wrote a patriotic Gugur Bunga (The Fallen Flower in the Garden of Devotion) 1945. It was written in honor of the Indonesian soldiers who died fighting the Dutch colonial army.At one time, this would had been a compulsory song to know in Indonesia. It is sometimes used during a funeral. Maruzuki also wrote Selendang Sutra & Bandung Selantan that is found on this album.


Aida in 2011

Rubiah is singer from Medan credited as the author of Tudung Prieuk in this album. It is sometimes credited as P Ramlee because his movie Sumpah Orang Minyak (1958) that had this song. There are claims that it is a traditional folk song originating from East Sumatra that is 48 bars long. The version rendered by Mustafa was somewhat more pop and simplified.(Less South East Asian vocal tremolo)

Sudanese (West Java) song Mojang Priangan by Iyar Wiyarsih (probably the remembered performer instead of composer) played here with gamelan in the midst of a Keroncong arrangement. The fantastic part is at the end of the song, where the band ended the music with a Japanese scale. (Perhaps Philips was after the Japanese market)

Iyar Wiyarsih's version (did not have a Japanese scale ending)

Dayung Sampan, probably a traditional folk song has some relations with Osman Ahmad who did movie music for P Ramlee's ALOHA (1950). This song was covered by Teresa Teng as Tian Mi Mi with new Chinese lyrics.

Sarinande is a traditional song from Ambon, Maluku that has a wide ethnic range of Indonesians and a long colonial past.

Kebile-Bile written by Aoges Korie Ali has its origins from Palembang which has a Srivijayan heritage.

Dondong Opo Salak starts with a modish grove interfacing the modern 70's sound with tradition. Almost invoking Chan Mali Chan.

Angin Mamiri feature the use of Anklung. Written by Arsed Basir of Sundanese origin evoking harmony of the land.

Bandung Selatan has a subtle raggae chime and a uplifting flute melody expressing the spatial fell of Buindung in West Java.

We do know there is so much to understand about this album and perhaps because it was made in Singapore, it could capture a wider spectrum of Indonesian/ South East Asian in music which perhaps could not be produced in Indonesia because of the diverse ethnicity. The recording were financed by Philips Singapore which has their roots in Dutch Company Koninklijke Philips N.V. This label obviously became Polygram which was bought by Seagram which owns Universal Music.

Aida worked very hard in Singapore from 1969 as a 18 year old teenager singing in festivals/ restaurants and night clubs till 1973 where she got married and settled down. She occasional made a few more albums and remained noted Indonesian performer.