Titik Api: Harry Roesli, Music, and Politics in Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

Harry Roesli was a prominent member of the tradisi baru (new tradition) Indonesian artists who emerged in the 1970s, although his lifework and critical accomplishments are little known outside of Java. Roesli worked with musicians, poets, and playwrights who were committed to experimenting with traditional culture in order to address contemporary society. Three critical framing devices are used to analyze the meaning and impact of Roesli’s work: these are musical innovation, politics and censorship, and social criticism. Roesli helped shape a revival of Sundanese musical traditions during a period of rock and gamelan fusion, with the ultimate aim of inspiring a new generation of artists and political activists.