DESCRIPTION:
Studio version of this tune is featured on simakDialog's new album "The 6th Story" on MoonJune Records.
DIrect link:
http://www.moonjune.com/mjr_web_2013/catalog_mjr/056_simakDialog_The-Sixth-Story_MJR056/


RIZA ARSHAD - Fender Rhodes electric piano, acoustic piano, synth, soundscapes; TOHPATI - electric guitar; ADHITYA PRATAMA - bass guitar; ENDANG RAMDAN - Sundanese kendang percussion (left); ERLAN SUWARDANA - Sundanese kendang percussion (right); CUCU KURNIA - assorted metal percussion.

The 6th Story is the exhilarating, full-throttle follow-up to 2009's critically-acclaimed Demi Masa, from the legendary psychedelic/gamela- jazz/world music phenoms, simakDialog. Raising the benchmark in a genre known for its brilliant artists is no easy feat, but the legendary virtuosos are decidedly up to the task: each composition is an exquisite master-class rendering of equal parts elegance and intrigue. This is modern progressive jazz at its most original, most far-reaching and most achieving.

Referencing the discernible influence of a host of the genre's most innovative voices -- from the great Miles Davis, to (early) Return To Forever, to The Zawinul Syndicate, John Abercrombie Quartet, Tribal Tech, and even the late, great Charles Mingus -- the band continues to push the musical envelope: leaping boldly into uncharted territories where progressive music has yet dared venture (and precious few would be brave- or skilled-enough to even consider attempting). Employing formulas that eclipse genre and culture (and any other con- ventional means of categorization!), Riza Arshad, Tohpati and company continue to surprise and astonish listeners ... even after twenty years of playing together!

The guiding work of keyboardist Riza Arshad has never been bolder or more self-assured, with the maestro laying down line after line of flowing, sensitive, unpredictable-yet-wonderfully-articulate passages. Renowned guitar phenom Tohpati is equal to the task, compelled to produce some of his most emotional and ambitious fretwork to date. Framing a profound comprehension and command of the cuts' many intricate complexities, shifts and nuances, his world-class guitar stylings have never been sweeter; his tones, textures and phrases are consistently perfect for the occasion.
Propelling the steady, confident undercurrent, monster bassist Adhithya Pratama, and their three seasoned percussionists Endang Ramdan, Erlan Suwardana and Cucu Kurnia) provide a solid foundation beneath the dense, weaving foreground musings of Riza Arshad and Tohpati. Despite their propensity for waltzing wildly into the unknown, the band is always on sure footing through even the most challenging sonic terrain. This is as good as modern jazz gets.

Perhaps this could be, to a small extent, a case of "returning to one's roots:" this instrumental offering would seem to bear more resem- blance, stylistically, to their third album, Trance/Mission (produced prior to their association with MJR) than their two previous MoonJune releases, the aforementioned Demi Masa, and 2007's Patahan. But, in all truth, this would not be doing this album justice: The Sixth Story goes well beyond anything previously offered by any of those albums, weaving its own, intriguing, spellbinding tale.The greatest works of the genre have always exhibited a spirit of pioneering excellence. There is no exception here: this is a modern progressive jazz masterpiece -- an astounding work of uncompromising excellence.

For more info:
noanoamusic@moonjune.com
http://www.moonjune.com
http://www.simakdialog.com