nang pathom ai-lukmi: klon sapphali huan 1

artist: หนังปฐม อ้ายลูกหมี (nang pathom ai-lukmi)
album: กลอนสรรพลีหวน ๑ (klon sapphali huan 1)
tracklist:
01. กลอนสรรพลีหวน ๑ ตอน 1 (klon sapphali huan 1, pt. 1)
02. กลอนสรรพลีหวน ๑ ตอน 2 (klon sapphali huan 1, pt. 2)

this week, music from southern thailand's shadow-puppet theatre! our puppet-master today is the great nang pathom ai-lukmi, whom we sadly lost in 2018. his troupe was the first to tour nang talung in a "concert"-style, during his 40-plus years of performing and teaching¹. this tape, recorded in 1991, contains the story "sapphali huan", a rather ribald anonymous poem of the nakhon si thammarat area, dating from the 17 or 1800s. delivered with a speak-singing style in the southern dialect, backed by clappers, cymbals, and boxed-gongs, in between bursts of larger ensemble music led by the pi nok reed oboe. enjoy!

 

s. khlaonoi: lok nang iat

artist: ศ. เคล้าน้อย (s. khlaonoi)

album: หลกหนังเอียด (lok nang iat)

tracklist:

01. หลกหนังเอียด ตอน 1 (lok nang iat, pt. 1)

02. หลกหนังเอียด ตอน 2 (lok nang iat, pt. 2)

this week; sounds of the south, from s. khlaonoi! nang talung is southern thailand's shadow-puppet theatre, and s. khlaonoi is among the most renowned of its troupe leaders. these leaders (or hua na) front the band from behind the screen, giving voice to a range of characters, both male and female, alternating between song and spoken dialogue [disclaimer for non-southern thai speakers: this tape is primarily dialogue]. they're typically called upon to be singer, comedian, puppeteer & bandleader all at the same time. nang talung is probably the most prominent cultural signifier for southern thai people.. you can spot the iconic puppets (especially the bawdy ai theng) on vehicles, restaurant awnings, t-shirts and even personified by s. khlaonoi on the tape cover (which to me distinctly resembles a 90's darryl "joe cool" daniel work). enjoy!

preview:

nang talung ying lamyong kulapsimuang

artist: หนังตลุงหญิง ลำยอง กุหลาบสีม่วง (nang talung ying lamyong kulapsimuang)

album: ต่อต้านเอดส์ (to tan aids)

tracklist:

01. ต่อต้านเอดส์ (to tan aids)

02. อย่าทะเลาะกันนะ (ya thalo kan na)

03. ตามนางแดนใต้ (tam nang daen tai)

04. คำเตือนของพ่อ (kham tuean khong pho)

05. คิดถึงหนังประวิง (khit thueng nang prawing)

06. แม่ค้ามาแล้ว (mae kha ma laeo)

07. จ่าดำผู้กล้าหาญ (cha dam phu kla han)

08. แม่ถ้วนสอนลูก (mae thuan son luk)

09. นายกแก้ปัญหา (nayok kae panha)

10. แม่สอนลูก (mae son luk)

11. มีแต่ปัญหา (mi tae panha)

12. ลำยองเข้ากรุง (lamyong khao krung)

13. ส.ป.ก. 4-01 (s.p.k. 4-01)

14. สาวลำยอง (sao lamyong)

this week, some great southern sounds from ms. lamyong kulapsimuang!  nang talung is the name southern thailand's shadow-puppet theatre, and lamyong is (i think..) somewhat rare in being a female troupe leader.  nang talung leaders front the band from behind the screen, giving voice to a range of characters, both male and female, alternating between song and spoken dialogue.  they are typically called upon to be singer, comedian, puppeteer & bandleader all at once.  the dialogues aim to be not only humorous but edifying, combining high-context jokes, topical commentary and moral teaching (the lead song here concerns the hiv/aids epidemic).  nang talung is probably the most prominent cultural signifier for southern thais.. you can spot the iconic puppets on vehicles, restaurant awnings, t-shirts, etc.  an amazing tradition, still vibrant and popular today.. enjoy!

(an interesting aside: the people at the southeast asian music archive picked out ms. lamyong on a new york rapper's recent mixtape!)

preview:

MRPT165 by monrakplengthai