Like many other guitarists in the world, I Dewa Gede 
Budjana (B. 30 Aug. 1963) did not really have a formal 
education in music, except for a few years of classical 
guitar course when he was in high school. The 
Balinese native was not born in a family of professional 
musicians, either, as father was a prosecutor. His 
grandparents, however, played traditional gamelan 
music in their spare times.

Dewa Budjana抯 first teacher was a construction 
worker lived nearby his house in Klungkung regency, 
Bali. The passion grew stronger, and was nurtured 
when the boy moved to big city of Surabaya, where he 
took a classical music course, performed with a band, 
and indulged in dozens of music performances.

Initially into pop and rock, Budjana s style veered 
heavily into jazz as he got to know the likes of John 
Mc Laughlin, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, John 
Abercrombie , Chick Corea , Weather Report , He also 
established a jazz band called Squirrel, which was 
pretty popular in the local scene. Budjana抯 song Nusa 
Damai (Peaceful Island) earned the band an award at 
the prestigious Light Music Contest in 1984.

After graduation, off he went to Jakarta to pursue a 
career as professional musician. He came across jazz 
maestro, the late Jack Lesmana -- father of former jazz 
whiz kid Indra Lesmana, who taught Budjana the 
philosophy of jazz.

After a period of club performances, Bud Jana抯 skill 
later attracted many artists to collaborate with. He 
joined several bands, including Spirit and Java Jazz, 
as well as working for noted musicians like Erwin 
Gutawa, Elfa Secioria and Addie MS, making him quite 
a household name.

Despite growing reputation as a top-notch guitarist, 
Budjana抯 personal taste is actually pretty eclectic, 
which brought him to establish pop group GIGI in 
1994, along with guitarist Baron Arafat, bassist Thomas 
Ramdhan, drummer Ronald and singer Armand 
Maulana. The group survives until now, still hailed as 
one of the biggest pop bands in the country.

Budjana抯 current influences from pianists Keith Jarret, 
Alex de Grassi and Bill Evans, Bill Frissell as well as 
those from saxophonists Jan Garbarek, are also 
reflected in the latest album.

He also manages to release four solo albums whose 
music is an amalgamation of jazz, pop and traditional 
music. His debut in 1997, Nusa Damai, was a 
collection of compositions he wrote ever since he 
knew how to play the instrument. With the title taken 
from the book by Balinese noted author Ktut Tantri 
Revolt in Paradise, there was a song called Ruang 
Dialisis (Dialisis Room), which contained Budjana抯 
grandmother抯 singing.

The sophomore effort Gitarku (My Guitar) was released 
2000, a purely instrumental album with therapeutic and 
meditative sound. Samsara followed three years later, 
an album highlighted with traditional Kalimantan flute 
and Japanese Shamisen, for instance. The album was 
a reflection of his journey and experience of working 
with international musicians, such

as Peter Erskine from legendary jazz-fusion group 
Weather Report, and bassist Dave Carpenter.

It was Erskine again who urged Budjana to release 
another album when they crossed their path again in 
the early 2005. The result was Home, a tribute album 
Budjana dedicates for the victims of tsunami disaster, 
which scheduled to release on December 2005.