1967 Indonesian (Malang - East Of Java) - born, Koko was named Sapto Hastoko, has always been fascinated by sound since a very young age. Once, at family gathering (cousin's house) Koko (age of 4) was allowed to play with miniature of traditional instrument called Gong (metal instrument which you hit by stick to produce the sound) which was displayed as an interior decoration.
During the gathering, 'Little' Koko could not stop hitting the Gong.
He loved it...
Age of 5, Koko made a musical instrument by putting hand sewing needles in the row to produce sound. It started when he found his mother's sewing needle on the floor, instead of handing it over, he took it to his bed room and sticked it on the side of his wooden bed frame. He plucked it with finger to produce sound. Excited, he fetched some more needles. Each needle has different length and each needle produces different sound when plucked. This was his musical intrument that he played before bed time - almost every night.
Koko's mother was aware her son's musical interest, so got him a toy guitar (plastic toy), but Koko wasn't happy as he wanted a real guitar. A year later, the age of 6, Koko finally got a real guitar and started learning from his mother and years later he took classic guitar tutorial privately from Herman Marpaung
The age of 10 and 11, Koko has won a classical guitar competition as a runner-up, where he competed with mostly much older competitors
Age 13, Koko was into Jazz. he loved to listen to Jazz Masters such as Kenny Burrel, Joe Pass, Joes Dorio, Bill Evan, Miles Davis, and many more. By lacking Jazz theory book in store, he desperately wanted guitar lesson from the right teacher and he found Malang - based Guitarist, Edy Karamoy - a senior Jazz Guitarist who had lived in Europe.
Until today, Koko is expanding and forming to be trully himself as a versatile and accomplished multi-talented Jazz Guitarist in Indonesia.
