Sujud Sutrisno
Encyclopedia
Sujud Sutrisno is a street musician or busker
from Yogyakarta
, Indonesia
. He calls himself "kendhang tunggal", which means "solo drummer". His music is based on his handheld drum
complemented by his vocal.
from Klaten
. Due to financial difficulties, Wirosuwito was forced to become street musician/busker, specialising in uyon-uyon (Javanese traditional songs and chants).
Sujud learned Karawitan from Wirosuwito. Sujud realised that his favorite instrument was the kendang
(drum), so he decided to specialise in drumming.
Sujud became a street singer to pay his way through school. Though he did not complete junior high school, he was eager to learn. He has been making money singing and playing percussion since the 1960s.
Sujud does not consider himself a street singer. Rather, he refers to himself as 'a door-to-door tax collector'. This is because, usually, he would go from one house to another, singing, hoping for the kindness of the residents. His great talent proves to be an enjoyable form of entertainment rather than annoyance, and hence the residents always respond positively to his music. When he goes busking from door to door, children from the neighbourhood would follow him everywhere he goes, and watch him. He is highly respected by other street musicians and artists. He said that the main difficulty in his musical career is the tropical rain, which prevents him to do his door-to-door work, as it is difficult to play the drum and hold an umbrella at the same time.
Like a true Javanese, Sujud believes in the Java
nese philosophy
trimo ing pandum or accepting one's destiny. His fate, his says, is in God's hands. At the end of a performance, he never expects to be paid, but accepts what people want to give.
Sujud took the name Sutrisno only in adulthood, as is the Javanese custom.
Today, he lives alone in a rented house somewhere in Notoyudan, Yogyakarta. Since the death of his wife Swakidah, he has done all the housework himself but buys his meals from food stalls. He keeps to a "tight" schedule: singing 20 days a month and taking it easy the rest of the time.
Sujud differs from other street singers in that he rearranges pop songs, mostly from the 1970s. He likes to make people laugh and often parodies popular songs.
His unique and rich music is simply based on a combination of his vocal and hand drumming. His performance is characterised by a continuous medley of pop song parody
in Javanese and Indonesian language. Although the medley is played as a continuum, a syncopated drum motif
is always played to mark a beginning of a new song. His performance is always totally improvised, and he never sings the same song twice. The improvised lyrics of his songs come out spontaneously, consisting of parodies, jokes, satire, social criticism, and sometimes vulgarity. He said that he expresses the lamentation of the commoners.
His voice has the characteristics of Javanese vocal technique. His drums beat in syncopated four-beat rhythms.
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
from Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (city)
Yogyakarta is a city in the Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. It is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. Yogyakarta was the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolution from 1945 to...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. He calls himself "kendhang tunggal", which means "solo drummer". His music is based on his handheld drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
complemented by his vocal.
Biography
Sujud was born in 1953 into a family of artists. His father, Wirosuwito, was a cokekan (dance show) artist, and an expert in KarawitanKarawitan
Karawitan is a general term for music and singing associated with the gamelan of Java.The word derives from the Javanese word of Sanskrit origin, rawit, which refers to the smooth, elegant sense idealised in Javanese music. Another word from this root, pangrawit, means a person with that sense, and...
from Klaten
Klaten
Klaten is a regency in Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is Klaten.-Geograpy:Klaten borders on Boyolali Regency in the North, Sukoharjo Regency and Wonogiri Regency in the East, and Special Region of Yogyakarta to the South and West...
. Due to financial difficulties, Wirosuwito was forced to become street musician/busker, specialising in uyon-uyon (Javanese traditional songs and chants).
Sujud learned Karawitan from Wirosuwito. Sujud realised that his favorite instrument was the kendang
Kendang
Kendhang is a two-headed drum used by peoples from Maritime Southeast Asia....
(drum), so he decided to specialise in drumming.
Sujud became a street singer to pay his way through school. Though he did not complete junior high school, he was eager to learn. He has been making money singing and playing percussion since the 1960s.
Sujud does not consider himself a street singer. Rather, he refers to himself as 'a door-to-door tax collector'. This is because, usually, he would go from one house to another, singing, hoping for the kindness of the residents. His great talent proves to be an enjoyable form of entertainment rather than annoyance, and hence the residents always respond positively to his music. When he goes busking from door to door, children from the neighbourhood would follow him everywhere he goes, and watch him. He is highly respected by other street musicians and artists. He said that the main difficulty in his musical career is the tropical rain, which prevents him to do his door-to-door work, as it is difficult to play the drum and hold an umbrella at the same time.
Like a true Javanese, Sujud believes in the Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
trimo ing pandum or accepting one's destiny. His fate, his says, is in God's hands. At the end of a performance, he never expects to be paid, but accepts what people want to give.
Sujud took the name Sutrisno only in adulthood, as is the Javanese custom.
Today, he lives alone in a rented house somewhere in Notoyudan, Yogyakarta. Since the death of his wife Swakidah, he has done all the housework himself but buys his meals from food stalls. He keeps to a "tight" schedule: singing 20 days a month and taking it easy the rest of the time.
Music characteristics
As a soloist, drumming is not all about money for him, but also a spiritual endeavor. His concept is to make his music as stress reliever.Sujud differs from other street singers in that he rearranges pop songs, mostly from the 1970s. He likes to make people laugh and often parodies popular songs.
His unique and rich music is simply based on a combination of his vocal and hand drumming. His performance is characterised by a continuous medley of pop song parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in Javanese and Indonesian language. Although the medley is played as a continuum, a syncopated drum motif
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
is always played to mark a beginning of a new song. His performance is always totally improvised, and he never sings the same song twice. The improvised lyrics of his songs come out spontaneously, consisting of parodies, jokes, satire, social criticism, and sometimes vulgarity. He said that he expresses the lamentation of the commoners.
His voice has the characteristics of Javanese vocal technique. His drums beat in syncopated four-beat rhythms.
Works and discography
- Street Music of Java, original music, recorded 1976-1978. This album is sold in the U.S. and Europe, however, the musicians (including Sujud) do not receive any royalties from the record label.
- Live in Bantul (2001) by Blass record
Honors, awards and participation
- Performed in Mass Rally in Kraton Ngayogyakarta HadiningratKraton Ngayogyakarta HadiningratKraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat is the primary kraton of the Yogyakarta Sultanate. The sultan and the royal court has its traditional seat there....
in front of Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, 20 May 1998 - Kua Etnika, a music group headed by Jaduk Ferianto, honored Sujud by naming him Indonesia's "greatest street singer."
- Performer in First Indonesian International Drum Festival
- Live solo concert in BantulBantulBantul is a town and the capital of Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia.-2006 Earthquake:On 27 May 2006 an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck near Java's southern coast causing widespread damage. Bantul Regency was the region most affected by the disaster...
, 25 April 2001 - Performer in 7th Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival (2002)