How can a young Breton one day be overwhelmed by a passion for Asian culture, and begin to compose music largely inspired by the melodies and sounds of traditional Indonesia and its ancestral legends?
Perhaps it all started with the tales of voyages in the Straits of Malacca, Singapore and China in the early 1930's recounted by his grandfather, which certainly had something to do with the curiosity concerning these distant and mysterious lands aroused in the imagination of the child who heard them.
And then the encounter, as an adult, with an Indonesian soul singer from Singapore provided the chance to get to know the music of the Islands of Java, Bali and Sunda, and to discover new instruments that he learned to master, having the advantage of being a trained classical percussionist.
The young Provincial of sixteen arrived in Paris as an already accomplished amateur drummer. There he played in groups doing Pop/Rock cover versions and began to make quite a name for himself in music circles.
Feeling the need to perfect his rhythmic and melodic techniques, he realised that he had no other choice but to turn towards a classical training. This took him to the Music Conservatoire where he triumphed six years later, graduating with the Premier Prix - Percussion.
He wasted no time in turning his back on classical music and launching himself in a career as accompanist to french variety artists.
In no time, he forged a solid reputation as drummer for bands and orchestras specialising in private parties, surfing on a wave of success in the luxurious salons of Paris.
It was at the point that he joined a Funk group with a fantastic potential, and he also met Norazia, the Indonesian from Bali, the soul singer who introduced him to that special music of the Indonesian Islands. Very quickly they discovered that they had complementary artistic feelings and the desire to compose together. After ten years of collaboration they released their first album "Cinnamon Cassia" on the Freecomplex label.
However this was not enough to fulfil his desire for an instrumental blend of Gamelan and contemporary music, so he is now in the process of preparing his next albums in the Lounge style, in the series "Relax…"
"Relax Bali" is the first of these musical journeys into the mysterious countryside of the most beautiful Indonesian Island - Bali.Arjuna de Bromo plays live DJ sets + ethnic percussion, solo or accompanied by a flutist who also doubles on (bamboo) Jew's harp (which he alternates with demonstrations of Yoga positions, transparent ball manipulation with special lighting effects.)
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Ecouter/Listen to: Remixes par/by ARJUNA DE BROMO
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