prof. dr. uthit naksawat: phleng prakop kan fon ram

artist: ศ.จ. ดร. อุทิศ นาคสวัสดิ์ (prof. dr. uthit naksawat)
album: เพลงประกอบการฟ้อนรำ (phleng prakop kan fon ram)
tracklist:
01. ปี่กลองแทงวิสัย (pi klong thaeng wisai)
02. รำสะระหม่าแขก (ram sarama khaek)
03. ปี่ชวากลองแขก-กระบี่-กระบองและฟันดาบ (pi chawa klong khaek ; krabi ; krabong lae fan dap)
04. ระบำจีน (rabam chin)
05. รำพม่ามอญ (ram phama mon)
06. รำโดม (ญวนรำกระถาง) (ram dom (yuan ram krathang))
07. รำบำญวน (ram bam yuan)
08. ญวนทีโห่ (yuan thi ho)

this week, some excellent thai classical music from prof. dr. uthit naksawat! a pioneer of thai musicology, dr. uthit was also a prominent radio and television host and agricultural economist. a student of both phraya phumisewin (chit chittasewi) and luang pradit phairo (son sinlapabanleng), he mastered a range of instruments and performance styles. this cassette was released on his private label (hong at siang naksawat, "naksawat studio"), and most likely dates from the 1970s, as in the early '80s, dr. uthit began to suffer severe health problems, passing away in 1982 at the age of 59. these recordings features pieces that would traditionally accompany dance performances, with a variety of different ensemble types and foreign accents.. enjoy! 

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!

surang duriyaphan: phleng thai doem mahori

artist: สุรางค์ ดุริยพันธ์ (surang duriyaphan)
album: เพลงไทยเดิมมโหรี (phleng thai doem mahori)
tracklist:
01. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
02. ลาวคำหอม (lao kham hom)
03. ลาวครวญ (lao khruan)
04. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
05. ลาวสมเด็จ (lao somdet)
06. ลาวเจริญศรี (lao charoen si)
07. เขมรไทรโยค (khmer sai yok)
08. นกขมิ้น (nok khamin)
09. เขมรโพธิสัตว์ (khmer phothisat)
10. ลาวสวยรวย (lao suai ruai)
11. อวยพรวันสมรส (uaiphon wan somrot)
12. อวยพรวันเกิด (uaiphon wan koet)

11-12 sung by นฤพนธ์ ดุริยพันธ์ (naruephon duriyaphan)

this week, fantastic thai classical vocal from miss surang duriyaphan! surang was the daughter of khru niao duriyaphan, and thus born into the esteemed duriyapranit musical family of bang lamphu. she was a leading classical recording artist of her era, a famous radio host and a pioneer of thai vocal instruction. here she performs a number of favorite classical pieces, backed by a grand mahori orchestra (likely duriyapranit or duriyaphan). she is also joined on this cassette by her brother naruephon, who contributes the last 2 songs, backed (i believe) by the royal thai army orchestra.

phleng thai doem: mahori

artist: วงมโหรี กรมประชาสัมพันธ์ (government public relations department mahori ensemble)

album: เพลงไทยเดิม มโหรี (phleng thai doem: mahori)
tracklist:
01. ลาวเจริญศรี (lao charoen si)
02. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
03. ลาวกระทบไม้ (la krathop mai)
04. ลาวครวญ (lao khruan)
05. ลาวดาวเดือน (lao duang duean)
06. เขมรโพธิ์สัตย์ (khmer pho sat)
07. แขกสาหร่าย (khaek sarai)
08. ขอมใหญ่ (khom yai)
09. เขมรไทรโยค (khmer sai yok)
10. นกขมิ้น (nok khamin)
11. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
12. ลาวคำหอม (lao kham hom)
13. ลาวแพน (lao phaen)
14. ลาวสมเด็จ (lao somdet)
15. ทยอยญวน (thayoi yuan)
16. พม่าแห่ (phama hae)

this week, we've got a wonderful tape of classics from the thai canon performed in mahori style! mahori refers to an ensemble configuration mixing string instruments with gong and mallet percussion. like so many recordings of thai classical music this cassette came with artists uncredited, but luckily my friend the ongkha phayop was able to identify the orchestra, including famous players such as ms. rati wisetsurakan on the chakhe (plucked zither) and ms. chaluai chiyachan on the so u (bowed string). beautiful music.. enjoy!!

preview:

naruephon & surang duriyaphan

artist: นฤพนธ์ + สุรางค์ ดุริยพันธ์ (naruephon & surang duriyaphan)

album: เพลงไทยเดิม (thai classical music)

tracklist:

01. บุหลัน 2 ชั้น (bulan, 2nd tempo level)

02. ปี่แก้วน้อย (pi kaeo noi)

03. นกขมิ้น 2 ชั้น (nok khamin, 2nd tempo level)

04. ใบ้คลั่ง 2 ชั้น (bai khlang, 2nd tempo level)

05. ม้าย่อง (ma yong)

06. ขึ้นพลับพลา (khuen phlapphla)

07. แขกมอญบางช้าง 2 ชั้น (khaek mon bang chang, 2nd tempo level)

08. เขมรพวง 2 ชั้น (khmer phuang, 2nd tempo level)

this week, a rare glimpse here into the thai classical tradition!  you'd be forgiven for thinking, from the content of this site, that i don't have much interest in thai classical music.. but that's really not the case.  rather, it's down to the fact that i like to have as much background as i can on the artists i present here, and that the world of classical releases is, more often than not, totally devoid of discographical info.  that said, this week's cassette is well-annotated, due to the presence of two star vocalists, mr. naruephon & ms. surang duriyaphan.  this brother-sister duo are the children of khru nieow duriyaphan, head of the thai fine arts department under luang wichitwathakan in the 1930's.  here they are backed by khana duriyaphan, the legendary group of instrumentalists assembled by their father.  this is thai classical vocal music of the first order.. enjoy!