RAFLY WA SAYA, A PROPELLING GROOVE

  • Rafly with flutist Saat Syah
  • Percussionist Jalu
  • Percussionist Jalu
  • Funky bassist Adi Darmawan
  • Rafly guitar duo with composer and guitarist Franki Raden
  • Rafly guitar solo

Rafly and his band actively campaign to preserve the environment through music since 2000.  He and his band were made homeless by 2004 tsunami, and they lost all their musical equipment, yet they raised again, holding concerts at victims’ camps, entertaining and giving a spiritual and moral message to them.

In 2004 Aceh tsunami-affected, the disaster has killed up to 250,000 people. Rafly tsunami made homeless and all musical equipment, but Rafly tried to get up and work to hold concerts in every place of refuge for victims of the tsunami in Aceh, entertaining and giving spirit and moral messages to each refugee. Rafly concern for the social, for nature, religion and the community as gained him a place as an ambassador for peace in Aceh through musical performances often sponsored by international agencies and foundations.

Rafly formed his jazz band, Rafly Wa Saja, in 2010 and has long been the voice of struggle and hope for the Acehnese, teaming up with several Indonesian musicians in the jazz sector. The unique vocal character of Rafly’s voice has been an inspiration and an advocate of peace in his homeland of Aceh, and he has been featured in several jazz and music festivals.

At the 16th Rainforest World Music Festival, Rafly and his band made a plea to policy makers and the public to use their local wisdom within to avoid the destruction of world’s nature.

Rafly in concert in Kuching

Rafly’s performance at Rainforest World Music Festival. Kuching 29 June 2013

They did it through music, enlivening the festival, conveying messages through lyrics, and conquering the crowd with their heart-touching performance.

Rafly composes and sings a lot of the songs and the lyrics in his native Aceh language, and his songs carry within them infinite spiritual nuances and love for the nature and for the Islamic faith. He uses a special improvisational scat technique that is traditional in Aceh, and commands an audience to listen to the rapai’ drum and to his reflective voice. No wonder Rafly has already sold millions in his home province of Aceh.

Members of the band include Saat Syah who plays a Kalimantan flute, virtuostic guitarist Agam Hamzah, funky bassist Adi Darmawan and percussionist Jalu, an they are supported by Bali-based composer Franki Raden (http://www.ubudconcertseries.org/).

Follow Rafly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dukungan-Rakyat-Aceh-Untuk-Rafly-Kande-ke-DPD-RI/256933754437713?fref=ts

This is his Rafly website: http://raflyaceh.name/

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About the author

Thomas has a university background in the UK and in Latin America, with studies in Languages and Humanities, Culture, Literature and Economics. He started his Asian experience as a publisher in Krabi in 2005. Thomas has been editing local newspapers and magazines in England, Spain and Thailand for more than fifteen years. He is currently working on several projects in Thailand and abroad. Apart from Thailand, Thomas has lived in Italy, England, Venezuela, Cuba, Spain and Bali. He spends most of his time in Asia. During the years Thomas has developed a great understanding of several Asian cultures and people. He is also working freelance, writing short travel stories and articles for travel magazines. Follow Thomas on www.asianitinerary.com

View all articles by Thomas Gennaro