Wednesday, April 5, 2023

naowarat phongphaibun & suchit wongthet: karaket, vol. 1: phong khao ta



artist: เนาวรัตน์ พงษ์ไพบูลย์ + สุจิตต์ วงษ์เทศ (naowarat phongphaibun & suchit wongthet)
album: การะเกด ชุดที่ ๑ ผงเข้าตา (karaket, vol. 1: phong khao ta)
tracklist:
01. การะเกด (karaket)
02. ชาวนาฮาเฮ (chao na ha he)
03. คนทำนา (khon tham na)
04. ตากับยาย (ta kap yai)
05. วัวควายที่ไม่ได้ไถนา (wua khwai thi mai dai thai na)
06. จันทร์เจ้าขา (chan chao kha)
07. หนทางแห่งหอยทาก (hon thang haeng haeng hoi thak)
08. เจ้านกกางเขน (chao nok kangkhen)
09. ใครคือครู (khrai khue khru)
10. กัณหาชาลี (kanha chali)
11. ผงเข้าตา (phong khao ta)
12. เจ้าขุนทอง (chao khun thong)
13. คนทำทาง (khon tham ngan)

this week, thanks to a fantastic gift from artist jesse paul miller, we've got a musical-literary crossover! this album sees writers naowarat phongphaibun (s.e.a. write award winner and national artist in the field of literature) and suchit wongthet (matichon columnist, founder of sinlapa-watthanatham (arts & culture) magazine, and national artist in the field of poetry) continuing a musical collaboration which dates back to their university days in the '70s. while often grouped within the typically folk/rock-oriented phleng phuea chiwit (songs for life) scene, the mahori-esque karaket ensemble is instead composed of local instruments, in keeping with the rejection of western influence that naowarat and suchit championed from the height of thailand's "american era". the melodies in turn are inspired by rural folk-song, in a manner somewhat similar to luk thung. i believe this album dates from the early '80s, but information about it (including the other players) is somewhat scarce. if anyone knows more, please comment. otherwise, enjoy!