Banchop Chaiphra [Ya Doen Show] c/w Samai Onwong [Sakura La Kon] 7" vinyl [EM1143]

This 7-inch is a gift from the past, reissuing two rare Thai treasures from the late 1960s, big hits from that time which were actually covers of Japanese songs. Pan-Asian music produced by Surin Paksiri, a legendary presence in the Isan music scene from the 1960s until the present. The first song "Ya Deon Show" was Paksiri's first hit, a Thai-language version of "Soran Bushi", a traditional work song of Hokkaido fishermen, sung here by popular actor Banchop Chaiphra. The song fuses a Luk Thung arrangement with a Japanese "Dodonpa" rhythm. The second singer here is Samai Onwong, a key force in the development of Thai pop music, with "Sakura La Kon (Goodbye Sakura)", sung in both Japanese and Thai. The original was a 1968 hit by Pinky & The Killers and features some fine Khaen playing by Samai, lending a bittersweet Thai feeling. With English lyrics and liner notes, this is a lovely treat, guaranteed to bring a smile and perhaps a tear.

What is luk thung?
A musical genre whose name means ‘country person’s song’ or ‘children of the field’. The name became established in the latter half of the 1960s and now has the status of a national genre of popular song unique to Thailand. The lyrics of luk thung songs deal mainly with the rural idyll, comparisons between the city and the countryside, life in the big city and current affairs. There are certain typical traits to the music, but no official musical form.

+ Liner notes by Soi48
+ English-Japanese text
+ Cardboard paper cover

TRACKS:
Side-A: Banchop Chaiphra "Ya Doen Show"
Side-AA: Samai Onwong "Sakura La Kon (Goodbye, Sakura)"

Soi48 (EM Records/OMK):
DJ unit and Thai music research team comprising Tokyo natives Kei'ichi Utsuki and Shinsuke Takagi. They are the authors of the 2017 reference book “Trip to Isan: Traveling Thai/Isan Music Disc Guide”, and the organizers of and resident DJs at the long-running “Soi48 Party” at Be-Wave, Tokyo. They are also members of a mysterious group called OMK (One Mekong). Soi48 values music, old and new, over format, using vinyl, cassette, CD, VCD and USB to bring a wide range of Asian music, from modern to traditional, to audiences at their DJ events. They are the directors of the EM Records Thai music series, which currently consists of more than ten releases. They also served as the music directors for the critically acclaimed 2016 Kuzok film Bangkok Nites. They are active both in Japan and internationally, appearing at Fuji Rock Festival, writing for magazines and books, and appearing on a number of radio and TV programs.