Robert Wyatt performs in a knitted mask on French television. One of the more underrated progressive rock groups from the ’70s Canterbury Scene, Matching Mole was a short-lived […]
Watch: Eberhard Schoener Live with Gamelan Innovators Saba And Pinda (1976)
One of the only live performances of Schoener’s much beloved Gamelan fusion record, Bali-Agúng.
Eberhard Schoener has made his name as a German pioneer who bridged classical music traditions in the ’60’s during its brilliant collision with modern electronic instrumentation. He helped popularize the Moog synthesizer in Europe and was tapped by bands like Tangerine Dream and the Police for his alchemical mastery in creating ambitious and harmonious arrangements.
One of the most pivotal moments of Schoener’s career was his exploration in the ’70s of the Indonesian Island of Bali. There he met the gamelan orchestra led by Saba And Pinda, who played a version of the music local to the island. They recorded three records together: Bali-Agúng in ’76, Trance-Mission Bali-Symphony in ’91, and Harmonia Mundi in ’93.
This performance on the German TV show ‘Am Laufenden Band’ occurred the same year as the release of Bali-Agúng, and features Saba And Pinda plus Schoener’s fellow countrymen playing a cultural mix of instruments. Indonesian kendhang, kemanak, and gangsa instruments clash and merge with those popularized in the West, including guitars, Moog synth, and drum kit. Traditional Balinese dancers join the band in the latter half in this visually stunning performance.