G&B: The Journey Begins

Take a moment, if you will, to allow your mind to wander back through time…back to 1992. The scene: Jakarta, Indonesia…the date: June 23. Just another warm, muggy day in the metropolis that is the largest city in South East Asia.  Somewhere amidst all of the hustle and bustle, a young girl is born who will soon change the dynamics of the Indonesian music scene. Her full name is Gennoneva Gerardia Geacinta Gadiz Vania Sibbald…to the outside world, she will simply be known as Gadiz V…

Fast forward, if you can, nearly two years to June 8, 1994…same city, same family, slightly different circumstances…a son is born. Before the millennium arrives, he will begin a journey that will also alter the musical landscape, becoming a force to be reckoned with. His given name is Sebastian Geraldo Bhaskara Putra Sibbald…to music lovers, he will be called Bass (pronounced Bozz) G…

Together, they will become the dynamic recording duo known as G&B, one of the new wave of musicians coming out of Asia. The journey begins as we go back to the future…

Coming from a family of musicians, it was no surprise they both took up music at an early age (G began playing the sax at age 7, B began when he was 6). It started with a school event they played together in 2001. From then on, G&B set out to conquer the music industry, first in their native Indonesia, then abroad. From 2002 to the present, G&B have thrilled audiences throughout Asia, playing venues in Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and many other places. Some of their highlight shows include the Jazz Goes to Campus concerts in 2003 (alongside Gerry Herbs, Arief Setiadi and Bintang Indrianto, collectively known as the GAB Trio), 2004 & 2005 (backed by the G&B All-Stars). They were also featured at the Bali Jazz Festival 2005 and the Java Jazz Festival 2006.

In 2003, a saxophone company in Indonesia branded and promoted the “G&B” label. The duo wanted to break the stereotype of the sax as being an instrument that could only be played by adults and only for a certain type of music, namely jazz.  As the youngsters continued to improve, accolades began to roll in. In 2004,  Museum Rekor Indonesia (the Record Museum of Indonesia, commonly called MURI) recognized Gadiz as the youngest female saxophonist in Indonesia. Not to be outdone, Bass (only ten years old at the time) was named youngest male, as well as the youngest professional saxophone player in Indonesia. He began performing professionally at the tender age of eight. Also in 2004, G&B had the opportunity to perform at a private dinner party to launch a new series of commemorative stamps depicting Indonesian flora. Surprisingly for G&B, one of the people in attendance was Madame Megawati Sukarnoputri, the chairperson of the event and the president of Indonesia. Later, they were invited to have a dialogue with the president, who was impressed by their performance. Consequently, they were invited to play for the president on two occasions at the State Palace. Additionally, they became regular performers at official state functions. In 2005, during the Bali Jazz Festival, G&B met some of the musical titans who would later be featured on their 2006 album, Sax Chemistry, including Barry Likumahuwa, Lewis Pragasam, Nicky Manuputty, Tompi, Hendri Lamiri, Benny Likumahuwa, and Obert Pomares MacLaughlin. 

G&B enjoy playing music together; however, like most siblings, they are polar opposites in private. G is the more energetic of the two on stage, at ease in the public arena and passionate about her music. She started playing the sax at age seven, attracted by the shape and sound of the curved Soprano. Impressed by her ability to produce notes so readily, her father dedicated his time to teach her the basic sax techniques. After that, Gadiz spent nearly every day for two years practicing 4-6 hours. Despite the long hours, the talented protégé maintained high grades in school. She also developed an interest in traditional dance, mastering several Balinese styles and winning the coveted National Traditional Balinese Dance Competition.

As her music career grew, life began to offer more challenges and bring about changes. Needing to experience new frontiers and broaden her horizons, Gadiz made the tough decision in 2006 to go abroad. To express her feelings, she wrote ‘Gone for a While’, the opening song on the ‘Sax Chemistry’ album. She is currently studying at an international college in Canada. She quickly adapted to her surroundings, excelling in her studies, making friends easily and immediately began performing. The transition has been smooth though she misses some aspects of life back home.

Bass is mellow and more reserved than his sister is onstage. When asked about this, his typical reply is “I talk through my saxophone”. Unlike his older sister, he got into music because “my dad forced me to play”. Because of his stature at age seven, he chose the Sopranino sax because of its small mouthpiece and high pitch. It’s the challenge of playing it, and the beauty of the shape, that attracted him to the instrument in the first place. B considers music more of a hobby than a passion (unlike video games and his favorite football team, Liverpool).

Bass is studying at Raffles International Christian School in Jakarta. He’s mentioned that he’d perhaps like to follow in his sister’s footsteps by studying in Canada. To express his feelings about not having his sister around, B penned a ballad titled Big Sis (track #7 on the Sax Chemistry album). Written in 2003, but never recorded, it sat in a desk gathering dust; however, he felt it was the perfect song to show how he felt about his dear sister.

Indeed, the future looks bright for Gadiz and Bass. The year 2007 will see the release of their third album, Simply Saxy, with another album, Sax Anatomy, also in the works. From Jakarta to Paris to Cairo to Los Angeles and all points between, these youngsters appear to be well on their way to stardom.