Balawan impresses musicians overseas
The Jakarta Post | Thu, 03/03/2011 10:25 AM
WOODSIDE, SAN FRANCISCO: International musicians in the US called Balinese jazz guitar player I Wayan Balawan and the band Batuan Ethnic Fusion (BFF) “crazy players”, after they were shown a video of the artist and the band performing together.
Kompas.com reported that Balawan, I Nyoman Suwida, and I Nyoman Suarsana from BFF were in San Francisco, the US, for the Other Minds Music Festival 2011.
Balawan shared the documentary video with eight international composers invited to the event.
The video shows Balawan and the BFF blending modern jazz, rock, and pop with Balinese ethnic music.
Balawan demonstrated his tapping technique with a 12-string double-neck guitar, which he designed himself.
Balawan, 37, said they managed to impress composers from The Netherlands, the US and Poland as well as director of the Festival Charles Amirkhanian.
The guitar virtuoso started playing the guitar at the age of eight, and still practices “at least three hours every day”. He has released four albums including See You Soon in 2009. – JP
