Musicians Interviews (Cucu Kurnia, Indonesia)

Ahoy Lads, Today we will meet Cucu Kurnia, my close friend from Indonesia, He's a traditional Kendang player (sundanese percussions), He is very versatile can play in many music situation traditional, Jazz, or any genre. He got remarkable independent, right hand can play 7 and the other hand can play in 5, play with the band Simak Dialog, a band that my late cousin Riza Arshad found (He play Piano) and after my cousin passing they still continued the band with Sri Hanuraga on Piano.

He travel around the world, play gigs in USA, Europe and other Asian countries.

We know each other from the Institute STSI (Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia) now it's called ISBI, I watch him practice with His other group, or just eat and drink together in the school canteen. In this school everybody is very close, like brothers, and we rarely sleep, sometimes in the night after the school over, me and my band practice in front of library, and He and other fella practice in the school park, so fun.
Let's talk with Cucu,

Helo Cu, Kumaha Damang? (how are you?) please describe yourself
Damang (I am fine) My name is Cucu Kurnia or my friend call me Cucu, I was born in Sumedang, August 12, 1984. I started play Traditional sundanese music since I was in 4th grade until now, I started play contemporary music since I go to STSI (Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia) now it called ISBI (Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia)

When you became musicians? or playing music?
My family is in traditional music, my environment is in traditional sundanese music, when I'm 13 I am able to play in Traditional Music scene with other musicians, so you can said I play with traditional sundanese since I was 13.

Who is your role model musicians?
My role model musicians is the late great Riza Arshad, founder of Simak Dialog band, your cousin.

Do you still in Simak Dialog?
Yes I am still in Simak Dialog, after Riza Arshad passed away, We still continue to make more music and Sri Hanuraga is joining with the band replacing Riza.

What is your thinking about the music industry today?
I think, the current music today is not different from previous music, especially the products. In fact there are so many changes in music segment, Contemporary, Experiment music, almost every year there is an Innovation.

What album in Simak Dialog catalogue you are playing?
Patahan and Gong

What do you want to say to fellow musicians out there?
Don't stop work the music, we might find our indentity in music

What is your biggest achievement?
I'm introduce the Kendang Sunda (traditional sundanesse drum) to the much wider music from the collaboration with other musicians all around the world.

PS:
He is playing and touring almost around the world, here is some little of it because it is way too many gigs:
Java Jazz Festival 2010
Matta Fair, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2010
Jazz Ahead festival, Bremen, Germany 2011
Kathmandu Jazz Festival, Nepal 2012
Simak Dialog USA tour 2013 
Simak Dialog Tour China 2014
Hongkong Jazz Festival 2014
Jazz Promenade festival, Japan 2015
Jazz Prambanan Heritage, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2016
International Jazz Festival, Tashkent, Uzbekistan 2017
Seoul Music week, Seoul, South Korea 2018
NgayogyaJazz, Gilang Harjo, Bantul, Jogja, Indonesia 2018
Jazz Traffic Festival, Surabaya 2019
Joy Jazz Festival, South Africa 2019
TP Jazz, Bandung 2019