ANN/THE STAR – If you build it they will come, according to the famous Hollywood saying. Rumah Gambus is a small shoebox of creative space located in the heart of High Street Studios, a Think City heritage project, along Jalan Tunku HS Lee, Kuala Lumpur (KL) in Malaysia.
On a recent late-night visit to the ‘showplace’, which is encircled by glass walls, guests were greeted by the melodic strings of a gambus an instrument used in traditional music genres such as ghazal, zapin and more. The owner of Rumah Gambus, a young man named Raja Zulkarnain Raja Yusof, was busy answering questions from curious music fans who wanted to know more about the gambus and its history.
HOW DO YOU HOLD THE PICK? HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE INSTRUMENT?
Raja Zulkarnain, 54, was very helpful with his responses, and gave the visitors a chance to play the gambus, teaching them how to hold the pick and the different patterns to strum.
Before you knew it, more people came into the store, and a short jamming session started, with Raja Zulkarnain – also known as Cikgu Zul – getting some percussion instruments involved in the mix.
This sums up the type patrons that stop by at Rumah Gambus, a one-stop for gambus lessons, live sessions and a place for gambus repair and accessories.
“We thrive in this type of environment since inception, as a community of both enthusiasts and learners,” said Raja Zulkarnain, who divides his time between teaching music, writing, researching, performing (he plans to revive his ‘Oudkestra’ project) and running Rumah Gambus.
During the Ramadhan month, he will also be introducing a Malay-Arabesque live series for public and private events.
Next month will also see Rumah Gambus celebrating its first anniversary, but Raja Zulkarnain isn’t planning a big celebration. He is just happy to have a place where the gambus is the main focus, and when there is a need for a show, he can use the Riwayat Bookstore next door for live sessions.
A LITTLE SHOP THAT COULD
“I believe that we (Rumah Gambus, Riwayat Bookstore) have enriched the cultural landscape here in KL. Rumah Gambus provides a place for both locals and travellers from all over the world to have an authentic experience. At the same time, I learned a lot from them,” the musician said.
“I’ve met some interesting people, some who are musicians as well, who are looking for some inspiration. There has been more interest in the instrument itself, so I’m looking forward to having more musicians coming to Rumah Gambus for a lesson,” he added.
