SIZZLINGSAX SIBLINGSBali & Beyond 2006
Meet two young saxophone prodigies, Gadiz V and Bass G, who take to the stage like world-class players and who can easily win applause from their own idols, the likes of Kenny G and Dave Koz...
After a series of introductory tunes from the supporting band, the audience was mesmerized by the two youngsters--a girl in her teens and her younger brother half her height, both with sparkling shiny single--reed wind instruments at their command--engaging the crowd"s attention at Bali Jazz Festival last year. The evening air was permeated by the melodious songs coming from the unlikely virtuosos, for hours on end.
The people sitting at the front tables of the Hard Rock Cafe"s bar whistled, shouted, and cheered at familiar tunes from the songs of the world"s great sax players, and then to those from their own debut album, and then swayed in their seats to the refrain of the timeless 1933 hit Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. A rising cadenza from young boy"s saxophone finished off the song, which resulted in a standing ovation from the crowd.
These Jakarta-born siblings are Gerardia Geacinta Genoneva Gadisvania, known simply as "Gadiz V", and Geraldo Bhaskara Putra Sebastian, simply "Bass G", and both of them together are "Gadiz V & Bass G" or their own trademark acronym "G&B". The Bali Jazz Festival of last year, being an international event, was considered by the duo as among their premier performances, taking to the stage together in front of an international audience.
This was actually their fourth performance in Bali. First it was a chance to perform together with the New Zealand band "Solidaz" at the Hard Rock Hotel"s Centerstage. The duo"s supporting band, the "G&B All Stars" was comprised of among the best musicians in jazz, all of which are beaten by the duo in terms of youth, which results in the kids calling their other band members" names starting with the prefix om or "uncle".
"Om llyas plays the bass, Om Ari on guitar, Om Yudis on keyboards, and Om Adi on Drums, most of whom are members of the band Groovologi," says 14 year old Gadiz. "When we play together with the band, it"s always the G&B All Stars, yet we have different uncles in every show. They are all outstanding players, and most are from the mainstream, the music backgrounds of the younger era... and they all deserve to be called "All Stars". We play the relatively lively and a little acid jazzy songs of Candy Dulfer, we also have Indonesian songs, and of course selections from our debut 2004 album "Exotic Saxes" and our idols Dave Koz and Kenny G."
"I like a wide range of music," says Gadiz, "not just jazz. But I have a tendency to go for the styles with a good deal of beat. Hip-hop, R&B... oh, and I love Dave Koz. His tunes are lively and fun with nice beats. And what"s more, we play the same sax, the Baby Sax. I am highly influenced by his performing style." So big is her love for Koz that Gadiz dedicated a song to him, A Tune for Dave Koz, in their fun debut album Exotic Saxes 2004.
While for Bass, who has suffixed his name with that of his idol, Kenny G, he tells of his admiration for the world renowned sax player. "Four years ago I started learning to play the instrument from listening to his albums and by watching his DVDs. I liked his tone and style. Uncle Kenny is also the master of a special playing technique, long extensions, which my sister and I have both picked up." Well, we wish these kids the best to keep playing long and loud...and hope to see more of them in the coming years.
By Nyoman Ari GunadiTaken from Bali & Beyond (March-2006)
