Mon Music Of Burma

NAI HTAW PAING ENSEMBLE: Mon Music of Burma
Fire Museum, 2006

MYANMAR/BURMA – Obscure, disappearing traditional music from the Mon culture, in Southeast Burma (near Thailand). It’s an unusual sound - at times a bit chaotic – with loose, overlapping layers. You’ll hear rubberband-like kyam zither, scratchy graw fiddle, small drums, gongs and cymbals, xylophone, talutt flute and a double-reed called a khanwe. On top of all that, plaintive female vocals. It might sound like everybody’s drunk, and the same melodic figures keep popping up, but once you get used to it this music proves both pretty and happy.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12

1. 3:54 – stately pace, nice vocal
2. 2:15 – staggers & sways, w/vox
3. 3:50 – tinkly gongs: very pretty
4. 2:08 – medium, staggers around
5. 2:54 – messy layers, w/vox
6. 3:29 – quick zither w/cymbals
7. 3:15 – pleasant, w/odd harmony
8. 6:18 – midtempo ensemble/vox
9. 3:51 – tricky bamboo flute solo
10. 2:20 – percussion & reeds
11. 1:26 – cute, happy ensemble
12. 3:52 – beautiful xylophone solo
13. 2:11 – midtempo ensemble/vox

[ Fo ] 6-Aug-07