Vancouver group repurposes old bikes for Indonesian percussion music ensemble
CBC News | Posted: March 10, 2019 9:00 PM | Last Updated: March 10, 2019
Watch Gamelan Bike Bike’s musical process in the new CBC Creator Network film
A Vancouver group is making new sounds from old bicycles.
Gamelan Bike Bike uses recycled bike parts collected from scrap metal bins around the city to create instruments for the 10-member music ensemble. The group is featured in a new CBC Creator Network short film.
'Made by scavengers'
"In a way, this project is made by scavengers but with a very high ideal in mind," said Robyn Jacob, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder.
The group gets its musical inspiration from from Bali, Indonesia where Gamelan is a traditional percussion ensemble of Indonesian instruments.
The group practices on the colourful, creative musical instruments every week and performs across the province.
"It plays quite a large role in how I live the music of my life," Jacob said.
George Rahl, also a co-founder of the group and a multi-instrumentalist as well, said the novelty of the instruments is one of the reasons behind the group's success.
"Creating new instruments that can create a new context for new music — it's quite stimulating," he said.
"There is this sense of trying to make a different space for music to happen and to bring all these materials together."