Friday, January 16, 2009

Sunda Rasa Brasil

Iwan Wiradz dan Tri Budiman Luncurkan Album "Sunda Rasa Brasil"
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Satu kolaborasi antara musisi senior Iwan Wiradz dan aktris Tri Budiman melahirkan satu album pop daerah Jawa Barat yang dikemas dalam musik Brasil, bertajuk "Hariring Dua Asih".

Iwan, dikenal sebagai pemain perkusi, menyatakan bahwa album berisi lagu-lagu berbahasa Sunda itu sudah diimpikannya sejak 20 tahun lalu, saat ia masih belajar musik karawitan.

"Saya ingin lagu-lagu Sunda lebih dikenal oleh masyarakat luas," kata Iwan dalam jumpa pers peluncuran album duetnya bersama Tri Budiman di Jakarta.

Ia mengaku, merasa cocok berduet dengan Tri karena sama-sama dari suku Sunda, selain karakter vokal sang aktris yang lirih sangat sesuai untuk membawakan lagu-lagu ciptaannya.

Sementara itu, Tri mengatakan dirinya suka musik dan menyanyi, dan sudah lama kenal Iwan.

"Jadi waktu tawaran itu datang, saya sambut gembira, meskipun saya katakan jangan susah-susah lagunya," katanya.

Berisi sembilan lagu, yakni Asih Nu Lawas, Dina Impenan, Imutna, Gandrung, Sulaya Jangji, Midamdam, Gerentes Ati, Dina Implengan, dan Cinta Pupulasan, album duet Iwan dan Tri juga diberi judul dalam bahasa Inggris, "Romancing Enchanted Sundanese".

Menggunakan konsep musik "Brazilian" dengan penambahan unsur musik kendang Jawa Barat, penggarapan album itu dibantu sejumlah musisi kondang termasuk Elfa Secioria dan Indro.

Iwan berharap, sentuhan musik Barat dan Timur itu dapat membawa album Hariring Dua Asih berterima di dalam negeri maupun luar negeri.

Elfa dalam komentarnya mengatakan, "Album ini belum dapat dikatakan perpaduan musik diatonik (delapan not) dan pentatonik (lima not)."

"Sampai kapanpun akan sangat sulit membaurkan dua dunia itu. Saya kira album ini cukup disebut campur sari atau pertemuan`"East and West`," katanya menambahkan. (*)

Download Sunda Rasa Brazil :
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6
Track 7
Track 8
Track 9
Track 10

Monday, January 12, 2009

Komodo Dragon


Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Established in 1980, initially the main purpose of the Park was to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat. However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance.
Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2). As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home.

Threats to terrestrial biodiversity include the increasing pressure on forest cover and water resources as the local human population has increased 800% over the past 60 years. In addition, the Timor deer population, the preferred prey source for the endangered Komodo dragon, is still being poached. Destructive fishing practices such as dynamite-, cyanide, and compressor fishing severely threaten the Park's marine resources by destroying both the habitat (coral reefs) and the resource itself (fish and invertebrate stocks). The present situation in the Park is characterized by reduced but continuing destructive fishing practices primarily by immigrant fishers, and high pressure on demersal stocks like lobsters, shellfish, groupers and napoleon wrasse. Pollution inputs, ranging from raw sewage to chemicals, are increasing and may pose a major threat in the future.

Today, the PKA Balai Taman Nasional Komodo and PT. Putri Naga Komodo are working together to protect the Park's vast resources. Our goals are to protect the Park's biodiversity (both marine and terrestrial) and the breeding stocks of commercial fishes for replenishment of surrounding fishing grounds. The main challenge is to reduce both threats to the resources and conflicts between incompatible activities. Both parties have a long term commitment to protecting the marine biodiversity of Komodo National Park.