Indra Lesmana


Indra Lesmana is an Indonesian jazz musician.

Biography

Lesmana grew up in a house of music and musicians. His father was jazz guitarist Jack Lesmana and his mother Nien Lesmana was a singer. He began playing piano when he was nine. A year later, he played in his father's band. He attended the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music in Australia.
In 1981, he and his father formed the Jack and Indra Lesmana Quartet with Karim Suweileh and James Morrison. The album Children of Fantasy was recorded in Indonesia and released by Queen Records. When he returned to Australia, he formed the Latin jazz fusion band Children of Fantasy with Jack Lesmana, Steve Brien, Dale Barlow, Tony Thijssen, and Harry Rivers. In 1982 he started Nebula with Andy Evans, Vince Genova, Carlinhos Goncalves, Steve Hunter, and Ken James. The album No Standing, with four compositions by Lesmana, was released in Australia by Jasmine and in Indonesia by Jackson. In 1983, he joined Tony Buck, Sandy Evans, and Steve Elphick to form the modern jazz band Women and Children First and recorded their first album in 1983.
Zebra, an affiliate of MCA signed him to a contract and released No Standing as his solo album. The album was remastered by Bernie Grundman before being released in the U.S.
Lesmana moved to California in 1985 and recorded For Earth and Heaven with Vinnie Colaiuta, Charlie Haden, Jimmy Haslip, Tootie Heath, Michael Landau, Airto Moreira, and Bobby Shew. His singles "No Standing" and "Stephanie" entered the Billboard magazine jazz chart. He formed a 17-piece big band in March 2002. He wrote his first big band arrangement for the soundtrack to the film Rumah Ke Tujuh produced by his sister, Mira Lesmana.

Audio engineering

Lesmana has deep interest in audio technology. His album Tragedi was first as a sound designer. In 1998 he produced Sabda Prana album by Java Jazz. In 1999 he decided to establish a mixing and mastering house specializing in jazz. He has mixed and mastered more than 20 albums by Indonesian acts such as Andien, Dewa Budjana, Chlorophyl, Delon, Simak Dialog, The Groove, Humania, Ermy Kullit, Maliq & D'Essentials, Rieka Roeslan, Donny Suhendra. He was nominated for Best Mixing Engineer for the album Rumah Ke Tujuh at AMI Awards 2003.

Other work

In early 2004, with his wife Hanny Trihandojo Lesmana and Aksan Syuman, organized a weekly program in South Jakarta to encourage young people to explore music and dance. In March 2004, Lesmana was hired by Fremantle Media and RCTI to be a judge on Indonesian Idol. He was a judge in the first Asian Idol held in Indonesia.

Discography