Young sparks pull out all the plugs
FOUR young men who call themselves Bonjoza Acoustic have been delighting fans of acoustic music in Johor Baru for the past four years.
Performing a repertoire of rock, blues and funk numbers, the band is versatile and good enough to go "unplugged".Romal Mohd Melvyn, who plays percussions like the tambourine, maracas and blues harmonica, explained that it takes more skill to succeed as an acoustic band.
Unlike rock bands whose music is produced and enhanced using electronic instruments, an acoustic band only uses normal instruments to produce music in its natural sound.
Unconventional instruments are also often used and it's the combination of many instruments that create an amazing soundscape.
"The music is distinct and every little mistake will be noticeable. That's why acoustic music must be perfect," said Romal.
Rhythm guitarist Syazwan Tamini Md Shah and Romal also provide the band's lush vocals, singing soulful solos and duets. Their passion for music was evident in every performance covering slow rock, rhythm & blues, soul, jazz and dangdut.
When Syazwan, better known as Wan, was in school, he learned to play the "angklung" (a musical instrument made out of two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame) and the "kolintang", a traditional instrument that resembles a xylophone.
His father was the former keyboardist with Heavy Machine, arguably Johor Baru's most successful band with the proud reputation of being the "Chicago of Malaysia". He now plays with the jazz band of the Johor Heritage Foundation.
Wan is modest about his musical lineage but aspires to attain the success that his father had with Heavy Machine. His guitar skills are self-taught and his vocals exquisite. He also sings in Chinese.
He attributes his ability to speak Mandarin and Cantonese to his Chinese mother.
Drummer Dzulfiquar Md Nor, known as Joy, plays the "djembe," an African hand drum shaped like a goblet. With that slung across his shoulders, Joy creates a percussive beat for the band.
Besides playing with Bonjoza Acoustic, Joy, a versatile drummer, also plays with a rock band called Conflict Prankster.
Fourth band member Rohaizad Agil, or Angah, plays the lead guitar.
He joined the band 30 months ago to replace its original lead guitarist Ronie Borhan. With his ability to play keroncong music, he quickly blended in and completed the band.
The young talents in Bonjoza Acoustic have already made their mark on the circuit of small clubs, hotels and private events in Johor Baru. One of their most memorable gigs was performing at the Annual Dinner of the Singapore Norwegian Expatriates' Club.
Held at a beautiful beach at Tioman, the exotic island setting and the evening's excitement etched the experience forever into their memories.
This band can perform in English, Malay, Chinese, Spanish and Tagalog. They mainly sing current hits as well as those of yesteryears.
But fans will be thrilled to know that they are writing their own music and are on their way to producing an album by the end of this year.
Though the band members' average age is 24, they are filled with pure passion and raw talent. It may seem like they still has a long way to go. But for now, they are simply enjoying doing what they obviously love to do.
Every night except Mondays, Bonjoza Acoustic performs in front of an enthusiastic audience at the Blue Whale bistro in Danga Bay.
Under the stars with the Johor Straits as the backdrop and glittering lights festooning the Danga 8 cruise ship docked there, it's the ideal setting for a night of blissful music.
Performances begin around 9.30pm and ends at 1am. If you find your feet and body inadvertently moving along to their beat, then Bonjoza Acoustic has touched your soul.
All the best guys!!!!!
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