TEDxJakarta - Barry Likumahuwa - Bass, Passion, and Breakthrough

Good afternoon everyone.. Im really happy to be here, I might have a peculiar proffesion. It's true what Karina said, that I am a street jazz musician. You could even say I'm a school drop out, My last education was highschool. After highschool, I studied graphic design. Which until now, I have never used. And why? because I wanted to study music, but there wasn't any music schools. At that time, there wasn't any good music schools in Indonesia. that can provide and accomodate what i wanted. So finally i just decided to try, and determined to live a life of music. Without a proper basic theory. And tried to explore music through autodidact methods. Although at the end, i had the chance to properly study music theory. .. but still, you can say that I don't use theories at all. Because I have a totally different way with everything. And.. The point is, that I am here to convince that.. If we have a strong enough of a passion, in any field that we are in, We don't have to have excessive education, we don't need anything too grandiose. It doesn't mean that it's not important. But if we work hard. We can achieve our dreams. Thats one. And also I'd like to share about how .. we can make a breakthrough. For example, the instrument I use is the bass. Most people recognise the bass as in instrument that is played .. in the background, or as rhythm. But right now, I'm playing alone, as you can see. No drums, no keyboard, no singer. We'll try to play something. (Audience applause and cheer) And one other thing, When we play jazz, Almost everything happens spontaneously. And it is indeed performing arts, so it must be like that. Catch the moment, so hopefully we we can together catch the momment. I need energy from all of you. (Audience applause and cheer) Oh yeah, one more thing. I'd like to dedicate this first song to Arief's sister, her name is Sari. It's her birthday today. and he said that he really loves his sister Sari. (audience sympathize) Aaahhh.. So this is it! Enjoy. (Audience applause) Thank you. Yes. That was a song from Michael Jackson. And like I said earlier, what happens on stage, it happens at that moment and I couldn't possibly repeat the same thing. And it did happen spontaneously. So bravo to all of you! .. That has transfered your energy to me. Thank you. Hmm.. There are some other things I'd like to say. Ah.. For example, maybe like I said, The bass has always had a tendency to be an instrument in the background. But, I try to challenge that assumption, that even a bass player, can be a frontman. And, like I have gone through until now. I have had a music career for 10 years, since 2000. Starting from playing in certain clubs. From cafe to cafe, with a fee thats quite pathetic.. Some of them just gave mineral water. Thank God, I can now pay for myself. And once again, like I said, I am a street jazz musician. a drop out. Here in Indonesia A lot of people have the assumption That to play music you need to formally study. That to play music, You have to start from classical music. Or have to go to "this" school or "that" school. Actually I will challenge that again. That it isn't true! Why? Music schools may have monetary motivations. They need students to study there. So that, they get paid. It's simple. But also, again, It doesn't mean that it's not important. But looking back, Maybe a lot of people does not have the ability To go to a music school which is expensive. So, Once again, I'd like to say That the talents given by God .. Is enough actually. (Audience applause) Like earlier, I am bold enough to explore something new. Right now, I also have a group. Which I call Barry Likhumahuwa project. And.. I'm quite grateful that this group is quite unique. Because, once again, a bass player can be the frontman. And can lead a band. That's something very rare. But, I challenged it. And I'm sure, All of you, in any field, In which your passion is there, Can do the same thing. Through, being the person, That creates change. That's all. So.. Maybe there are some people in the same industry as I. I'd like to say a few things. That the best way, is that if we play music we don't think about RBT. (Ring Back Tone) Or sales. Or creating songs.. That are easy for people to sing. For instance, making a song with abbreviations, right? (Audience Laugh) T E D X.. Ooo no, not that.. (Audience laugh) But more importantly, is how we communicate a message through the music that we created. Music in Indonesia, is still regarded as an entertainment industry. While abroad, people have used music to achieve a mission. Like for example, Irvan Using his "Rock the Peace" Concert, He can unite people. People from different religions to play in 1 stage. To create peace. That is what the world needs now. And that can be accomplished through music. Because once again, Music is a universal language. A simple exmaple, when i went to Vienna, Austria, We suceeded in presenting music with very unique collaborations. Where I played bass, Dwiki Dharmawan on the piano. And then there Ade Rudiana playing a sundanese drum. We joined with an Ut player from Arab. He lives in Dubai, his name is Kamal Musalam. And a saxophone player from America, his name was Andy Suzuki. And we suceeded in creating such beautiful music. And we played some, We brought Balinese Ceng-ceng there. And the result was that we were the only performer that got a standing ovation. .. from almost all the audience there. (Audience Applause) The point is.. When we suceed in collaborating and synergizing something, With the same passion We can make something new, and we can communicate a message through music. That's it.. And that's also what I do. I've launched 1 album, with the title of "Good Spell" Not that I want to show off or anything.. (laugh) Just to use this as a story. How do we inspire other people to do the same things. The title of my first album is "Good Spell". Goodspell, goodspell, If there is a good spell, then there is a bad spell. Goodspell is a positive mantra. And I'm sure through music, .. We can create a positive mantra. to invite people to do good. Where we have to be bold to place God as number one in life. And ofcourse, I am not talking about a religion. But, I'm talking about cross religion. We have to bring that in our daily lives. That's why I think, I do it. (Audience applause) Thank you. Because sometimes we forget. Maybe we think we're too smart. Or maybe we think we have enough knowledge. Sometimes we forget that there is one, One entity bigger than ourselves. And that God created us all. And we have to be grateful, all the time. And that is what i tried to communicate in my first album. In the second album that I'm currently working on "Generasi Sinergi". Why is the title "Generasi Sinergi" ? Because, like what I see now. With all the speakers here. We all come from different backgrounds. There's Ade Rai, with a health and fitness background There's Irwan Ahmett, with his concept of play that is very exciting. And then there will be Dr. Nurul. We try to show something new, And at the end, it can be synergized. From all these different fields. Entertainment, Technology, Design. We can unite them. And we can create great synergy. A better synchronization of energy. And I pray that that will be .. a new progress and change for Indonesia. that.. (Audience applause) A bit more.. Just a bit more, before I play again. Settle down, Settle down I am holding a bass not for nothing. (laugh) And what i try to communicate through the second album is.. to lift and burn the love of the youth towards our nation, Indonesia. Because there are a lot of skepticism with young people now. "argh.. Indonesia won't move forward It's just gonna be the same old, same old". And most of them can only complain. While, I'd like to say to them, That it's time for us to move! and not just protest. The time is not only just to be critical, but to move and create the change. Because the thing about change,is that it always begin from ourselves. (Audience applause) I still have 6 minutes over there. 5.58, 5.57 and it keeps on going.. (laugh) I'm gonna try to make something, i hope.. We'll just see, I guess. I don't even know what I will play. (playing - Tanah Air Beta) (Audience cheer and applaud) (Audience cheer and applaud) Thank you once again, good bless you all.