Koko Thole: A Low Profile Maestro Keroncong

It is agreed that Joko Priyono alias Koko Thole called as Maestro Keroncong. A man with full of thousand ideas and millions of ton of energy who was born in Magelang 55 years ago has regretted if the develop­ment of Keroncong music as masterpieces can only move very slow sim­ply because it is only handled by an orga­nization. Koko hopes there will be more other Keroncong or­ganizations refer to strengthen the mu­sic itself and not the unfair competition amongst the fellow mu­sicians or artists.

Nia S. Amira
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His big determination to continue and learn Keroncong is undoubtedly and one of them was triggered by a short message coming to his mobile phone saying, “Hey Koko, what do you know about Keroncong!”. It made him to learn continuously, but with nowadays situ­ation Koko Thole reacts wisely, “I only want to participate in the development of Keron­cong, nothing more, why should they con­sider me as the enemy?”. Moreover if I build a School of Keroncong, perhaps they will an­noy me.

Semar philosophy: From the original kro­ncong to congyang or Keroncong Goyang

Almost every day, Koko Thole is busy in his own music studio called Studio OK Peso­na Jiwa, at where he gives all his passion and feeling to Keroncong. In one space of walls of that studio one can see Wayang Semar or Semar Puppet, a figure who always knocks his heart to keep on learning and open mind. Semar a figure who protect all parties and fight for greater clarity and that Keroncong must remain rooted in the heart of the peo­ple. Semar is his role model figure.

By virtue he has and wants to open his mind made Koko Thole having many ideas flowing like water and tries to articulate his ideas through Keroncong rhythm. He launched the new genre of CONGYANG or Kroncong Goyang Pesona Jiwa which has sev­eral times performed on TVRI. His restless­ness can be accommodated by creating new arrangements in Keroncong music.

To Nia S. Amira who has met him several times in several occasions, Koko Thole who always modestly says “I just want to try to in­troduce more this Keroncong music to young people.” Although Koko Thole has created nearly 500 songs and shortly played as ac­tor in 100 movie and soap opera titles, Koko always wants to work with anyone for the better of Keroncong music in Indonesia, also by collaborating with various parties, like the one collaboration work he will do with Pacha Chal­wanka, an ethnic musi­cian from Peru through bilateral relations be­tween the two coun­tries which has been well-developed in the field of arts and culture.

Koko Thole wants to show that Keroncong not only belongs to the elders, also not only can be enjoyed by the Indone­sian people. Keroncong is part of the music which is universal, regardless of any place in the earth, people will always be able to enjoy Keroncong music. Kro­ncong is not the music that makes peo­ple feeling sleepy, it can make us swing­ing. Finally, he created Congyang the one he dedicated to touch youth seg­ment who are more dynamic. There is no love if we don’t know anything or anyone and that is the way Koko Thole embraces young people to know and love Keroncong music.

AMI Award 2009 : It’s never too late

2009 was his lucky year where he got 2 Awards after several times being only as nominator. It’s nev­er too late for Koko Thole even though he has made the achieve­ments with his masterpieces. Even he had the special Award in Best Production Album using re­gional language and nominator for All New Keroncong Indone­sia Album.

When a cowboy chooses his way of the gun, Koko Thole prefers the path of music for his life until his last breath. His music continues to flow even his Keroncong band gives huge contri­bution to the de­velopment of Keroncong music in Indo­nesia. o Keroncong Koko Thole along OK charm his soul gave a huge con­tribution to the development of Kerocnong music in Indonesia.

Support from Reny Farida his beloved wife and his 3 children giving him more strength in his work. It is the family who gives a big spirit to a person called Koko Thole.