JOHARI SALLEH – JAZZ DARI ANGKASAPURI.

dereksmusicblog ♦ August 27, 2026 ♦ Leave a comment

Johari Salleh – Jazz Dari Angkasapuri.

Label: Audible Beauty.

Format: LP and Digital.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Johari Salleh is, without doubt, one of the founding fathers and greats of south-east Asian big band and broadcast jazz. He’s best known as the longtime conductor and arranger of Radio Television Malaysia’s Orkestra RTM. In that role, Salleh spent decades shaping the sound of Malaysian popular music from RTM’s broadcast complex in Kuala Lumpur.

A hugely talented trumpeter, Salleh was a pioneer of modern Malaysian music. He composed for radio, television and film. This is just part of the story. He penned dozens of popular songs across his long and illustrious career. However, Salleh’s lifelong passion was jazz, and his live performances were legendary. 

Sadly, despite being such an influential figure in Malaysian music, Salleh is almost unknown outside of Malaysia and Indonesia. 

That’s where the founders of the Habibi Funk label first came across Salleh’s music. They were DJ-ing Malaysia and Indonesia when they first heard Salleh’s music. They were immediately won over by the music of a true musical pioneer. They realised that music this good deserved a wider audience.

When the founders of Habibi Funk decided to launch a new imprint, Audible Beauty Records, the second release was Johari Salleh’s album ‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri.’ It was recently reissued on vinyl and digital. This is a welcome release as only a few dozen copies were pressed in Malaysia in the seventies.  

‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri’ showcases a truly talented trumpeter, supreme soloist, bandleader and composer. Salleh was a musical visionary.

Over fifty years after its initial release, ‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri’ features rare studio sessions that, for far too long, had sat in the archives. The nine tracks on the album feature Salleh’s trademark sound. For newcomers to his music, this is a magical and mesmeric mixture of traditional Malay modal sensibilities, late-sixties and seventies big band brass, post-bop chordal architecture and not forgetting the irresistible and infectious sound of soul-jazz. Sometimes, though, the music is melancholy and heartachingly beautiful. Let’s dig deeper into the delights of ‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri.

Side A. 

‘Johana’ opens the album, and straight away,  showcases the sound of Salleh’s warm, rounded trumpet and flugelhorn. As the spacious, lyrical horn glides over a gentle mid-tempo groove, this  add to the melancholy and heartachingly beautiful sound. Soon, the track sounds like a tribute to classic European broadcast jazz. Salleh’s arrangement features lush counter-melodies. They come courtesy of the woodwind section. The result is a spellbinding track, a musical amuse-bouche, and a tantalising taste of what’s to come on ‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri.

In English, ’Khayalan’ translates as ‘Fantasy.’ It’s a tracks that combines atmospheric modal jazz with the complexity of hard bop and elements of Southeast Asian melody. Crucial to the sound and success of the track are cascading brass stabs which combine with subtle fills from the Fender Rhodes. The result is a cinematic soundscape that vers between illusory, hopeful, joyous and occasionally wistful. It’s a musical roller coaster par excellence.

Salleh and his band move through the gears on ‘Erie.’ There’s a noticeable increase in rhythmic intensity. Drummer Julio J. Villenguez’s playing is crisp and in-the-pocket and is complimented by the percussion. The track moves between 4/4 swing and Latin jazz accents. Later, Salleh takes centrestage and unleashes one of his best trumpet solo. It’s a beautiful and blues-tinged and he’s always in control. The rest of the band raise their game. The piano plays an important role as so the horns that anchor the arrangement and accompany and compliment Salleh during the chorus. It’s a masterful performance from Salleh et al and showcases his talents as a composer and arranger.

‘Mengapa’ which translates as ‘Why’ closes side A. The tempo drops on this thoughtful-sounding soulful ballad. It encourages refection as one listens to this cinematic-sounding and spacious track. It’s undoubtably one of the highlights of the album, and features one of Salleh’s best performances. He lets notes hang in the air as if posing questions on this poignant track knowing that the answers will be difficult ones.

Side B.

’Hitam Manis,’ translates as ‘Sweet Black’ in English. From the opening bars, it sounds as if it was written for either a western or mid-seventies television drama. The energy and urgency is palpable throughout this three minutes track. It combines jazz-funk sway with a spirited groove. The arrangement is driven along by a walking bassline with the rhythm guitar chops and bright stabs of brass adding to this upbeat and celebratory filmic track.

In English, ’Pesan Ku’ translates as ‘My Message.’ It’s very different from the previous track and is best described as an exercise in tension and release. This is apparent from the sibylline piano introduction. After that, the track unfolds revealing a rich ensemble arrangement. The horn section moves as one and gives way to lyrical solos. They trade phrases in a classic call-and-response format during what’s a truly memorable track.

‘Bila Masa heads in the direction of cool jazz from the get-go. The cchord progressions are silky smooth and Salleh’s trumpet playing is fast, precise sometimes muted and always effective. Just like on previous tracks, Salleh’s talents as an arranger, conductor are and composer are on display. The tracks moves seamlessly between soft, intimate and understated to a much bigger grander sound where the band reaches a dramatic climax.

‘Anda’ means ‘You’ in English, and here, Salleh steps back and lets the rhythm section take centerstage. They’re aided and betted by a series of punchy brass arrangements, syncopated rhythm breaks and an infectiously catchy groove. The result is a breathtaking performance that showcases how Salleh seamlessly fused Western post-bop structures with Malaysian melodic sensibilities.

‘Mengapa Berduka’ closes ‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri’ on a beautiful but melancholy and emotive high. That’s no surprise as the track title translates as ‘Why Grieve.’ Again, there’s harmonic themes and key to the sound and success of the track are the lush orchestration which sweeps over a slow, deliberate rhythm. It’s a fitting finale that more than hints at sadness, loss, hurt but also hope and a happiness and brings this lost opus to a filmic close.

‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri’ is welcome reissue and the perfect introduction to the music of Johari Salleh. He was a pioneer of modern Malaysian music who was an arranger, composer, conductor, bandleader and trumpeter. 

His music was groundbreaking as he seamlessly switched between and fused elements of traditional Malay modal sensibilities, south-east Asian jazz, late-sixties and seventies big band brass, post-bop chordal architecture and not forgetting the irresistible and infectious sound of soul-jazz and Latin jazz. Add to the mix modal jazz and the orchestral sound that he pioneered with Radio Television Malaysia’s Orkestra  RTM. Salleh’s sound was unique, complete and innovative.

‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri’ is the perfect introduction to Salleh’s music. It’s also a long-overdue reminder of the mid-century broadcast jazz sound of Radio Television Malaysia. For anyone with even a passing interest in jazz music, ‘Jazz Dari Angkasapuri’ is essential listening and a reminder of a true musical pioneer, Johari Salleh.

Johari Salleh – Jazz Dari Angkasapuri.