Today, one of Indonesia’s promising jazz guitarists, Daniel Dyonisius has released his debut studio album, Miles to Go. The album is released through demajors, the country’s leading independent music company.
Hailing from Jakarta, Indonesia, 26 year old composer and guitarist, Daniel Dyonisius was born into a family of avid music and art lovers, surrounded by traditional folk sounds, as well as jazz, pop, and rock music from around the world. He began taking guitar lessons at age 10, attracted like many youngsters to the image of musicians on stage or in the streets of Jakarta. Despite taking classical guitar lessons, Dan already worked hard to experiment with improvisation and composing his own music from the beginning.
His debut album, Miles to Go, sits at the intersection of jazz, rock, and blues, with seven original tunes and a fresh take on “Stella by Starlight”. An homage to Indonesian composers, songwriters, and improvisers, Miles to Go is something of a spiritual journey through music, from soaring lead guitar lines to soothing ballads and with simple, melodic themes that counterbalance extensive and explorative improvisation.
The album features Qadra Shakuhachi on drums and Hanhan on bass. Jossy F. Russell (Fender Rhodes electric piano) and Dewa Budjana (guitar), one of Indonesia’s most renowned musicians, make a guest appearance on the title, “Freedom”, adding delightful colours to the composition.
Dan’s inspirations come from jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Allan Holdsworth, and Wes Mongomery, as much as from the melodies and poetic lyrics by Indonesian artists such as Ebiet G. Ade, Guruh Soekarno Putra, Chrisye, Eros Djarot, Yockie Suryoprayogo, Tonny Koeswoyo, and Dewa Budjana.
Dan hopes to continue producing and releasing his own music. Going forward, he is keen on bringing more sounds and elements from various sources, including Indonesia’s traditional music, into his compositions. His ultimate goal for the music to be a source of healing for those who listen, regardless of where they are from and whereever they are in the world.
“Daniel Dyonisius… an up and coming talent with a unique guitar playing style and compositions. With a strong rhythm section consisting of Qadra Shakuhachi (drums) and Hanhan (bass), Miles to Go packs a great album presented in a solid guitar trio format.” – Dewa Budjana.
“I first became aware of the very talented guitarist, Daniel Dyonisius, through my world wide Six String Theory Competition. Through my competition, I’ve been able to hear a wide variety of amazing guitarists from all over the world. When I heard Daniel Dyonisius’ new album, I was so pleased to see that he had created his own unique guitar style. Daniel combined his songwriting, arranging, sound, and (most importantly) played with so much feeling, into his project, Miles to Go… Congratulations Daniel! Your album deserves to be heard by many! Keep up the great work!” – Lee Ritenour
Track listing for ‘Miles to Go’ album:
- Freedom
- Miles To Go
- Stella By Starlight
- Malam Bergumam
- Time Will Tell
- A.H. Blues
- Ikhtiar
- Sunyata; Bonus Track
- Freedom (Reprise)
