Yarra's Site

Yuri Mahatma was born in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1972. Moved to Bali in 1980 until now. He got the first music influences from his sister, Dian Pratiwi, a professional Jazz singer.

Studied guitar since he was 12-year old (self-tought). After finished high school, Yuri intensively studied jazz music privately from many guitarists, among them is Martijn Van Iterson in Leiden,Holland ( now Martijn teaches in Antwerp Conservatory, Belgium).

His first professional career started with State of Mind Band in 1994, since then he played with many groups all around the island such as Kayane Band, Duotones, and also had some sessions in Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan.

In 2005 Yuri formed his own band called Yuri mahatma Group with some different nationalities of members (Indonesia/U.K./Japan) which play mostly their own compositions.

Nowadays, Yuri is still living in Bali, playing in clubs, cafés, and hotels, teaching guitar and vocal, and also writing and recording his own music.

He has been releasing one album together with with Joe Rosenberg, Steve Bolton, Agung Prasetyo, Bogie Prasetyo and Eko Sumarsono titled If I Were A Magician (2005).

Guys, I found this guy, Bruno Le Flanchec (ex-member of Bali Lounge) couple months ago, and if you wanna be musician, there are some tips that he shared to us. Better you check this one out:

Ok B, before you decide to be a musician, what was in your mind? Or you decided directly? And why you wanna be musician?

I started with my father who is not a professional musician but have been devoted to music his whole life. He got me playing in his band at the age of 14. I was playing then every Saturday in dancing ballrooms along that he started a big band in which I played the trumpet. I think the idea of becoming a musician started by listening to live records of band I loved. I thought of different jobs but being a musician ended to be what was really on my mind.

You first gig when you were 14?

Yes. I do remember the first one clearly and my first recording as well.

Your recording? That time too?

Yes. It was a 45 rpm of local music.

Ok, so you were trumpet player. Why you wanna add your skill to play keys and piano? Isn't that enough?

Sega is from reunion island and very much influenced by African music. I started with the piano then the trumpet then the flute. I dropped later the trumpet cause to hard to play along the flute.

When you first time play piano?

Very young, around 6 I guess. But really not seriously.

Wow!!!

I started being more serious about it as a teenager. I was then influence by all the jazz fusion of that times.

Ok.. u said your father's musician too?

Yes.

What was he play?

He plays the sax. A bit of clarinet and some piano and guitar. He still performs regularly but he is 78 now.

Ok... When you play piano first time, who influence your music much?

When very young no influence really cause I didn’t listen much to CD except with my fathers. So mainly jazz records.

And after that? Who influenced you?

I really got influenced by the CD of jazz fusion I bought when I was a teenager. Mainly keyboardist but not only, so Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, George Duke. Bands like Tower Of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Weather Report, Chicago. And singers too Stevie Wonder Al Jarreau Gino Vannelli. So not only jazz as you can see. Liked Pat Metheny a lot and still do and Jean Luc Ponty so many...... The 70's were so rich, never been attracted to rock.

Yea, the beginning of fusion that made from Miles Davis. Ok.. maybe this is a very simple question, but I think it’s very important. Why jazz? Why not rock, pop, or classic?

Too basic I guess. Liked the energy of some bands though. Led Zeppelin, and was still listening to jazz like Miles and others of course, big bands as well.... love the sound. Classic came later when I studied composition at Berklee. My teachers made me understand then love the music. I listen to some rock now but mainly progressive rock. Closer to my influences. You know I listened to my father CDs. So when you listen all the time to Miles its hard to get back to Deep Purple.

Rock? Hmm.. interesting. According to your perception, what the meaning of jazz itself?

I love improvisation. And I like the richness and inventively of Jazz. Rock is sometimes too rough for me. And classic give you less freedom unless you compose it.

Interesting…

What the hardest part being a musician?

It is very demanding and challenging. You have to work on it every day. On top of that the business is totally down. You need to be a strong believer hahahaha… Just do it whatever happens.

Ah... ok... You had your 1st album, Logical Nonsense. It's under a known label there?

It was first under a local label but I signed out from them so its totally mine now.

Too bad it's not too 'booming', from promotion side? Or maybe you want it that way?

I like to promote it but got no help. So now I wanna tour so I can sell it.

Ummm I see... Any plan where to?

I have contact in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, China, and Germany. May be none will work hahahaha… and India.

Any plan to Indonesia?

With you yes hahaha…

You made it after or before you made Bali Lounge's album?

After

Maybe lotsa people don't get why you're not in Bali Lounge (BL) again. Any reason?

Conflict of interest with the producer. Just notice that the main people behind BL 1 (the authors and composers) are not of BL 2. This should speak for itself.

Ok I see. So it's sumtin internal and personal right?

We were not given any choice. It was take it or leave it.

BL is just a concept not a band blablabla…

Ok.. back to your 1st album. Any BL guy who helped you there?

Yes, Lewis (Pragasam, drummer. Red.-) and Rick (Smith, guitarist. Red.-). For the next one they might all be on.

I don’t know yet.

Ok. So there's gonna be second album?

When will you release it?

Don’t know yet. Will start recording this month. With Harry Toledo and Lewis Pragasam.

It's gonna be totally different from before? Or maybe you'll make kinda sequel from the 1st album?

I think its going to be more mature. The first one was sort of a patchwork of different things. This one is going to be more conceptual.

But I think the first one is fantastic.

Close to west coast jazz fusion. Only original compositions.

Good luck for you.

Thanks. I think I can be proud of the 1st one but I want to work more deeply on the sound and the production and may be have something not far from international standard. Don’t know if I will succeed though but I will try.

Ok... what do you think about people who judge about jazz nowadays? Cause there's kinda assumption also, about jazz itself. Many people say that music which has no lyrics, just instrument, it's a jazz. Or,... music that has a very hard difficult bla bla bla chord and scales, it's jazz. Even it's a progressive actually.

Don’t know exactly what to say. Lotsa purist would not consider my music as jazz. And actually its not a big deal.

Just play music that we enjoy very much, don't care people say…

Exactly. Better write music than write about it no?

Ok B... lotsa people out there who dying to be a musician. Maybe they just get started, or still play in their bedroom, have no guts to play in public. What exactly people needs to be a musician? Maybe not only practice, but also attitude right? What kinda attitude actually?

Be dedicated I suppose and be ready for a lot of turning down and negative attitude. That’s the worse for me.

So be positive and don’t listen to others.

And be ready to have back stab too.

Yes. Their failure is NOT your failure.

Okay that was about the attitude. How about generally? What do beginner musicians need?

To be positive. I think this is most important.

Ok B,… thank’s for this wonderful conversations, and of course, good luck for everything,…

Thanks, hope to see you soon.

http://brunoleflanchec.com/Startpage.html