I Wayan Balawan - Legend Guitarist from Indonesia

Today, i'll discuss about I Wayan Balawan, one of the best jazz guitarist. I Wayan Balawan was born in Bali - Indonesia September 1973, He Grew up amongst Balinese gamelan music. At age of 8 he began to play guitar and start his first band in the age of 14. He can plays rock guitar virtuoso style like Yngwie Malmsteen since he was 10 years old.

In 1993 he went to Sydney and got a scholarship to study jazz at the Australian Institute Of Music for two years. He went back to Bali in 1997 and form Batuan Ethnic Fusion (A mix of Balinese Gamelan and Jazz) and released one album in 1999.

He is versatile guitarist that play many styles of music, and a great solo performer. He has developed the ability to play a special and difficult form of tapping which involves chord and bass work with the left hand and tapped melody with the right hand, which resembles piano playing.

Balawan is now considered as one of famous favourite jazz guitarist in Indonesia.

Now, he make a group musik name Batuan Ethnic Fusion.

Batuan Etnic Fusion (BEF) was formed on June 22, 1997 with the following aims :

To Explore further the exiting elements of ethnic Balinese music

To use traditional instruments which are both unique and rare

To reach new level in combining ethnic elements with modern music styles

To Preserve the traditional songs whose composers are unknown through the modern music rearrangement.

The Musical Concepts :

BEF presents a culmination of ethnic and modern music which emphasises the ethnic elements

Introduce the concept of seruling bambu orchestra with 5 seruling players

Has a strong elements of improvisation

BEF's music display dynamics, rhythm and tempo changes which are often drastic as characteristic of Balinese gamelan

Riders Of Balawan Batuan Ethnic Fusion

1 ( one ) set Standard Drums

2 Guitar Amp ( Recommend Roland Jazz Chorus)

2 keyboard Amp ( recom. Peavey KB 300 or roland

1 Bass Amp ( gallian Krueger or trace elliot or ampeg)

minimum 8 microphone ( 5 shure SM 57 and 3 Shure SM 58 with stand ( these not included drums microphones, only for The Gamelan ethnic instruments )

3 Direct box.

Digital piano, Rhodes or similar type

Equipment :

2 balinese kendang ( Balinese drum)

1 metal gamelan

1 wooden gamelan

1 standard cengceng

4 pair of cengceng

4 flute

10 piece of reong.

He also join in TRISUM, consist of Dewa Budjana and Tohpati. they are my favourite.