Over the next few weeks, we’re featuring the artists of Odd Measures Even-ing (taking place November 14th, 2019) in a series of interviews on our blog. Featuring seven exquisite acts, Odd Measures Even-ing showcases the myriad possibilities that open up when we tune in to that missed beat, or the not 'odd' at all. It’s an evening celebrating unusual time signatures from artistic traditions around the world, curated by Ritika Ganguly of The Cedar’s Artist Collective.
“People might think odd has negative connotation, but for me as a foreigner in this country, odd can be just different or knowing something new”
Next up is Munir Kahar. Born in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, Munir has lived in Minneapolis for 18 years. The art forms he explores include theater, puppetry, experimental music, poetry performance, and dance, with a focus on visual arts. He is particularly interested in exploring experimental music as a whole-body performance. Munir and his Balung Getih band member Keiko spoke with Ritika Ganguly about their approach to “odd.”
Ritika Ganguly: First off, could you introduce yourself and describe how it feels to be part of Odd Measures Even-ing?
Munir Kahar: My name is Munir. I feel blissful to be involved with this Odd Measures Even-ing. The event is kind of a chance to express my creative energy.
Keiko: My name is Keiko. I'm a member of the band called Balung Getih, which means “Bone and Blood” in Indonesian. The frontman of the band is Munir, and I'm from Japan, so we are excited to introduce our native music-related-show to everyone. I feel blissful to be participating in the Odd Measure Even-ing.
How do you interpret odd? What is odd about odd musical measures?
Munir: Odd for me is not for just being strange or something like that. Odd for me is just something that is unusual, it's not a mainstream thing and is more from the people that can express their own thing.
Keiko: People might think odd has negative connotation, but for me as a foreigner in this country, odd can be just different or knowing something new. People follow our music because we play experimental, instrumental, improv, trippy weird music. But I'm sure Munir's friends in his country and my friends in my country would feel totally different when they listen to our music. So “odd” can be different definition by everyone who has different cultures.
Tell us a little bit about what you'd be sharing with us during the showcase.
Munir: We like to perform the music that comes mostly from the inner of ourself. But the thing is, me and Keiko, we believe that the cultural root is already in us. So we want to perform the things that are related, you know, that are kind of based on the root of our culture.
What is the process of creating this space? How are you arriving at what you want to share with us? What has been your journey? How are you thinking about it?
Munir: We want to present something that comes... It's kind of improvisational but it's our cultural root, from our cultural thing. We’ll try to perform more minimalist for this show. It's just three of us, we'll play together. Sometimes we play with seven people, but this time we play with three people.
Balung Getih performing at Drone Not Drones 2019, courtesy of Ann Treacy’s YouTube Channel
What is your third collaborator bringing to the piece?
Munir: Our friend Yarrow will perform using percussion mostly and also he has a new flute from Peru so there will be some flute also.
What are you hoping the audience would take away from the performance?
Munir: We hope that people can connect with or taste the thing that is, you know, a little bit different because it comes from our culture. So hopefully they can feel another diverse music.
“Today, we have a lot of music that’s more industrialized. If I got this chance to give power to the people, to believe their own guts, the world will be more beautiful with more diversity of expression in the art”
What do you think the audience would be experiencing when they hear this music? For the audience sitting live, what are they going to be feeling when they hear this music? What is your hope that they'll be witnessing?
Keiko: I think it will be already fun for the audience because for lots of them, it might be their first time to see our Asian musical instruments. So even without playing the music I think they will enjoy what we will bring and also for them it might be the first time to hear what they sound like. Only the sound and the appearance of our musical instruments can be enjoyable for them. Also we will chant in our languages while playing music.
I think art is something we can share without any common languages or cultures. So even though they don't understand what we are saying during the music, I hope they can feel something new in our chant and music.
If you had this magic stick, a magic wand and you could change something about the Twin Cities' arts or music scene, what would that be?
Munir: Well, if I have that chance, I feel like I'd want everybody to have the ability to express themself, and that's something that comes from their own inner and that might be more blissful and diversity of music expression. Because today, we have a lot of music that's more industrialized. If I got this chance to give power to the people, to believe their own guts, the world will be more beautiful with more diversity of expression in the art.
Are there any chances that you would want to collaborate with other people on the showcase?
Munir: Wow, if that's possible, it will be amazing. I would like to participate in that. If, in the end of the show, we could maybe just directly spontaneous collaboration of improvisation, it's gonna be amazing. I believe that people, the audience, will love it.
Keiko: That will be be awesome.
Munir: Yeah, that's great. Because I believe that everyone can express their feeling from their own gut, and the ability to improve, I believe that every person has that capacity.
Well, I'm so excited for the show.
Keiko: We are too!
“ I believe that everyone can express their feeling from their own gut, and the ability to improve, I believe that every person has that capacity.”
THE ARTIST COLLECTIVE IS SUPPORTED BY:
