MALIQ & D'Essentials

An Indonesian band not actually led by someone named Maliq — the name was an acronym, standing for Music and Live Instrument Quality — Maliq & D'Essentials was an R&B group (one of the first in that particular country) started by producer, composer, and writer Angga Widi and producer and manager Indra. The band — that is to say, D’Essentials — was made up of Indah and Dimi on vocals, Satrio on guitar, Iva on piano and keys, Jawa on bass, and Amar on drums. After a couple of years slugging it out on the club and bar circuit, introducing the Indonesian populace to the sounds of soul, Maliq & D'Essentials landed a record deal, and released their debut in 2005. That album, 1st, was given a re-release (as a special expanded edition) in 2006. Early 2007 saw the return of Maliq & D'Essentials to store shelves, as the band released album number two, Free Your Mind, that year. ~ Chris True