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'Dangdut' enlivens Xmas in Jakarta
Jazz musician Barry Likumahuwa celebrates Christmas with dangdut music.
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Barry Likumahuwa and OM Sembah Raja band performs Natal Lokal concert at M Bloc Space on Dec. 23. They brought to stage the songs from their newly released dangdut christmas album titled "Dangdut Worship". (Courtesy of Sound of Hope/Ben Latuihamallo)
“Glo.. ouw wou wou wou wo.. ouw wou wou wou wo.. ouw wou wou wou wo.. ria.. in exelcis Deo”
This is what the chorus of Christmas carol “Alam Raya Berkumandang” (Angels We Have Heard on High) sounds like after being given the dangdut treatment. The gloria in excelsis Deo—meaning “Glory to God in the highest”—part is already memorable as the “o” in “gloria” runs through 16 rising and falling notes. But Indonesian gospel singer Viona Paays gives more color to it in the remake by her little brother, jazz musician Barry Likumahuwa.
Do not get confused. Barry just released his third Christian album and the first of its kind in dangdut after Gift of Light (2015) and An Urban Christmas (2016). On this album, titled Dangdut Worship, the bass player collaborated with Orkes Melayu (OM) Sembah Raja and singers such as Erie Suzan, Yopie Latul, Viona Paays, Nesia Ardi, Teddy Andrew and Albert Fakdawer.
The album consists of six popular Christmas and worship songs. Barry and OM Sembah Raja arranged the songs into dangdut versions, with the exception of Tinggi Nama-Mu Dipuji (High Praise to You), performed by Yopie Latul, which is a mix of dangdut and house music.
Barry said the idea to make a dangdut album came from his realization that Indonesian churches were dominated by Western songs. “When I go to church, I often think some people may not relate much to the music. What kind of music can unite all Indonesians? I couldn’t think of any but dangdut, which is celebrated all around Indonesia, so why not bring it to church?” he said.
Indonesian music archivist David Tarigan agreed that dangdut was not quite popular in the Christian community. Christians celebrating Christmas with dangdut music is a rare sight, he added.
“I could say Barry’s album is a breakthrough. This is very interesting,” David said in a discussion preceding the Natal Lokal (Local Christmas) concert held at M Bloc Space, South Jakarta, on Monday.
