Gamelan Jegog Werdi Sentana | en

The percussion-based Javanese gamelan orchestra is one of the world's great musical traditions. Here five Vancouver composer-performers bring their experience in this and other forms of music -- Western classical, new music, jazz, Vietnamese and Balinese musics, electroacoustic composition, and improvisation -- extending the tradition in ways of fascinating beauty. Founded in 1986, Gamelan Madu Sari ("The Essence of Honey") has performed traditional and new music for gamelan as well traditional Javanese dance, dance drama, shadow play, and contemporary multimedia works. For its first record the Gamelan has selected compositions created on it by four composers who have also been...

Gamelan semar pegulingan is an old variety of the Balinese gamelan. Dating back from around the 17th century, the style is sweeter and more reserved than the more popular and progressive Gamelan Gong Kebyar . Semar pegulingan is derived from the ancient flute ensemble gamelan gambuh which utilizes a 7 tone scale .Semar pegulingan also uses the 7 tone scale which enables several pathet (similar to modes or scales) to be played. Semar is the name of the Hindu God of love and pegulingan means roughly 'laying down'. It was originally played near the sleeping chambers of the palace to...

Boo Hewerdine (b. 1961, London) is an English singer-songwriter. His work includes lead singer and creative force behind The Bible, formed in the 1980s, and reformed in 1994, as well as solo recordings and work for film. He lives in Ely. Hewerdine (born Mark Hewerdine) moved to Cambridge as a child, but returned to London in his late teens, and worked in a record shop. Suffering from agoraphobia, it was not a happy time of his life, and he was fired from his job after being wrongly accused of theft. Returning to Cambridge, he teamed up with a friend with...

Gamelan Pacifica was formed in 1980 and is directed by composer Jarrad Powell. The group is a professional ensemble in residence at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. The group performs new and innovative music in an international style, drawing their repertoire from various composers and traditions, while seeking to define a style reflective of their own musical tastes, interest, training and instincts. Gamelan Pacifica currently uses three sets of instruments: an iron and bronze set in Central Javanese style; a bronze set in Cirebon style; and an American gamelan made of aluminum. The Central Javanese and...