Sublime Frequencies
The other day, Steve asked me what it was that drew me to Indonesia lo those many years ago. I replied, as I usually do, by saying that it all began when I discovered traditional music from around the world as I listened religiously to the World Music program hosted (25 years ago) by Henry Kaiser on KPFA, in Berkeley. It was on that show that I first heard the heavy metal of a Javanese gamelan – Gending Bonang Babar Layar became my anthem, and Pak Tjokro my teacher. From there, I became the armchair ethnomusicologist that I am today, and the rest is history ;->
The inspiration for this post is a wonderful website I ran across after seeing a trailer on YouTube promoting a soon-to-be-released film on Sumatran Folk Cinema. My kind of stuff, and it led me to Sublime Frequencies, purveyors of “New and Unique Music and Videos.” Indeed, these cats are cool… they have an eclectic collection of raw, wicked cool field recordings of folk, pop, natural, traditional, ambient, and radio sounds, all delivered in hip contemporary vintage packaging (e.g. images above). From the selections and descriptions, I can tell we are kindred spirits. I’m inspired… Time to get out of my armchair…
Technorati Tags: sublime frequencies, ethnomusicology, folk music, world music, sumatra, pop, kpfa, henry kaiser, gamelan, babar layar
May 4th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Thanks for posting this story… can’t wait to hear the results of your labors!
(the RSS feed in Bloglines had some music that went along with it, but I don’t see it here).
May 4th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Hmmm, I’m surprised that Bloglines picked up any audio because I didn’t post any! There’s only a link to an audio clip (the gending bonang), and another to a YouTube clip… but that shouldn’t a “music” feed, should it?
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:28 am
hello, as u might already know
i am specialized in ethnic minority recordings, mostly in south east
asia.I am now releasing things by myself, a small honest business.
Releasing CDs with Sublime Frequencies is a window for me in the western world, , they understand the beauty of my rare
recordings but it is not being financially rewarding. Therefore I am now
setting up my own label, check the following list of cds, sold and
distributed by Sugarjar in Beijing, they cost 30 rmb in China (3 euros) and for export (sales outside China) I m selling a cd 5 euros
The list of my recordings is constantly updated, on dec. 1st 2007, there
are 26 cds available, photos available in view my pics ,
please contact me if u are interested
greetings from china
laurent jeanneau
CD ATTAPEU PROVINCE IN LAOS ; BRAO KANYING / BRAO HAMONG ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN FEBRUARY, MARCH 2006
Attapeu is the southern province of Laos, bordering Cambodia and Vietnam, it is famous for having received a huge amount of American bombs during the Vietnam war. Here you can listen to KANYING and HAMONG, 2 subgroups of Brao people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos , they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups south and west, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies.
1,2 kanying ensembles of gongs
3,4 kanying poetry
5,6,7 kanying ding boo, bamboo tube
8 kanying umbrook, panflute
9 kanying tha, 2 flatgongs
10,11 kanying gongs
12,13,14,15,16 kanying jingriangsong, 10 stringsinstrument
17 kanying meut mouan, lying down song
18,19 kanyin draw, 2strings bowed instrument
20,21 hamong gongs
22,23,24,25,26 hamong ndouit ndouit, poetry
27 hamong meut mouan,lying down song
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH IAN BAIRD, photo Ian Baird
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD ATTAPEU PROVINCE IN LAOS ; BRAO KAVET / BRAO JREE ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN FEBRUARY, MARCH 2006
Attapeu is the southern province of Laos, bordering Cambodia and Vietnam, it is famous for having received a huge amount of American bombs during the Vietnam war. Here you can listen to KAVET and JREE, 2 subgroups of Brao people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups south and east, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments.. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies.
1,2 kavet gongs
3,4,5 kavet gawding, bambootube withstrings
6,7 kavet npoit npoit, poetry
8,9 kavet dingboo,bambootube
10 kavet jingriang, 10 strings instrument
11 kavet draw, 2strings bowed instrument
12 kavet tha, 2 flatgongs
13,14,15 kavet npoit npoit, poetry
16 jree gongs
17 jree thai, 2 flat gongs
18 jree meut mouan, lying down song
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH IAN BAIRD , photo Ian Baird
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
CD AYIN AYON (LOVE SONGS) IN RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA ; JARAI ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN OCTOBER 2003
A rather modern version of the old JARAI style of responsive singing , using a guitar imported from neighboring Vietnam instead of traditional chande (10 strings instrument),drinking the fermented rice wine from the jar is a must to be involved in ayin ayon love songs or just be part of the party. They belong to the austronesian family and are among the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups in their area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The Jarais are a predominant ethnic group of the central plateau of Vietnam, and a small community in north east Cambodia, those recording have been made a few km away from the Vietnam boarder. Poom chang is surrounded by jungle, as you can notice on this recording.
1 a 16 years old girl ; ayin ayon love song with guitar male player in poom ayudao village
2,3 CLEO a 30 years old woman ; ayin ayon responsive love song with guitar male player and singer in poom chang village
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU , photo Jonathan Padwe
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD BLACK AND RED DAO SONGS, ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED
IN NORTHERN VIETNAM IN JUNE AND NOVEMBER 2006
Baozoo, strictly a cappella, is the style of singing of DAO people (pronounced zao), originated from China where they are called YAO, they actually call themselves MIEN, they are subvivided in 8 different groups with 2 different languages. On this cd red and black zao share a lot in common, the red zao have been recorded in different villages around Sapa in Lao cai province and the black zao in Lai chau province. When sung in group, the baozoo is canon singing, a female leadsinger have her words repeated by one or more other singers. The piem zat is a reed instrument that requires circular breathing.
01 red zao female baozoo
02,03,04 black zao male baozoo
05 red zao female baozoo
06 black zao female baozoo
07 red zao female baozoo
08 black zao female baozoo
09 red zao female baozoo
10 black zao female baozoo
11 to 23 red zao female baozoo
24 to 28 red zao piem zat
29 red zao female baozoo
30,31 black zao piem zat
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, photo Martin Kolner
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD BLACK HMONG SHAMAN CEREMONY RECORDED IN NORTHERN VIETNAM IN NOVEMBER 2006
A healing ceremony held by a 80 years old black HMONG shaman, jumping while performing in a private hmong house in lai chau, near Sapa.. The hmongs are a predominant ethnic group in southern China, northern Laos and Vietnam, they all come from Guizhou province in China where they are called Miao, the ones who left China in the 19 th century have defined various different cultural identities since, but the mouthorgan remains their distinctive main instrument. This recording explores a less musical expression, the shamanic trance is the purpose. The shaman is not only intending to clean the body and soul of the people but also the house itself and forecast the future.
01 gong, bells, chant
02 gong, chant
03 gong, bells, chant
04 gong, bells, chant
05 chant
06 gong, bells, chant
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, photo Martin Kolner
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD BLACK HMONG ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN NORTHERN VIETNAM IN JULY 2006
The HMONGs are a predominant ethnic group in southern China, northern Laos and Vietnam, they all come from Guizhou province in China where they are called Miao, the ones who left China in the 19 th century have defined slightly different cultural identities since, but the mouthorgan remains their distinctive main instrument, the hunga singing technique is specific to Vietnamese hmong and basically all instruments, like the jew s harp or the khen tend to reproduce this singing. Recorded south of Sapa in rainy season, you can definitely hear the rain and streams of water in the background.
1,2,3 hunga songs by Ma
4,5 chungja, jew s harp
6,7,8,9 flute
10,11 leaf from a tree
12 to 16 khen, a 6 bambootubes mouthorgan
17 hunga song by May
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, photo Martin Kolner
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD BRAO / KRUNG ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA BETWEEN 2003 AND 2005
The KRUNGs are a subgroup of BRAO people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos. The term krung refers to a different kind of forest, basically in the 70s , plenty of brao people emigrated to Laos to escape the khmer rouge madness, the ones who remain in Cambodia called themselves krung , they speak the same language, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups in this area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies. On this cd you can listen to the entertainment music and the krung the party for rice harvest in November, December, where bamboo tubes ensemble are being played to go along drinking new rice wine.
1 krung brataneul prayer, rice harvest prayer
2 krung gawng boo, bambootube and song for rice harvest
3 krung mang boong, bambootubes hit on the ground for rice harvest
4 krung gawng baw, bambootubes hit on the ground for rice harvest
5 krung brawk, 2strings instrument
6 krungmem, 1string bowed instrument using the mouth as resonance box
7 krung jing riang 10 strings instrument
8,9 krung jing riang, mem, 10 strings instrument + , 1string bowed instrument using the mouth as resonance box
10 krung gawng ding, bamboo xylophone
11 brao ding boo, bamboo tube
12,13,14 brao tooit untooit songs
15,16,17,18 brao meut mooan, lying down song
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD CHAMPASAC PROVINCE IN LAOS ; NYAHEUN / BRAO LAVE / LAO ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN FEBRUARY, MARCH 2006
Champasac is the southern province of Laos, bordering Cambodia and Thailand, for centuries it was a small kingdom, the 5 last tracks on this cd are played by 10 old LAO men, former musicians of the royal court of Champasac that disappeared in 1975, this music is heavily inspired by khmer royal music. The NYAHEUN is a small ethnic group, which music combines gongs, mouthorgan and melancholic molam (singing). The BRAO called LAVE by the Lao in Champasac, are good gong players, but most gongs have disappeared and are harder to find than in Cambodia, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups south and east, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments.. Most ethnic minority people have been forced by the lao government to abandon swidden agriculture and their forest and have been moved in villages by the side of the road, on dry land, Champasac is one sad example of this policy.
1,2 nya heun one small gong,one khen (mouthorgan) and molam song
3 nya heun gongs
4 nya heun 2 flat gongs
5,6 brao lave gongs
7,8 brao lave gongs and cymbals
9,10 brao lave gongs
11 brao lave flat gongs
12 to 16 lao loum royal music
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH IAN BAIRD, photo Ian Baird
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD RED DAO SONGS ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN NORTHERN VIETNAM IN JULY 2006
Baozoo, strictly a cappella, is the style of singing of DAO people (pronounced zao), originated from China where they are called YAO, they actually call themselves MIEN, they are subdivided in 8 different groups with 2 different languages. On this cd , you can listen to the local red zao singing star LI MAN MEI (tracks 1 to 7), recorded in Ta phin village north of Sapa in Lao cai province. When sung in group, the baozoo is usually canon singing, a female leadsinger have her words repeated by one or more other singers, the first track is actually responsive singing between a man and a woman. . Li Man Mei , 30 years old, has a high reputation in Baozoo singing among the red Daos, she started to sing Baozoo at 13 and learned it from her parents, used in festivals and weddings, but also in everydaylife in farm working, or evenings when the moon is round, everybody gather at the yard, and lovers start dating in villages.
Melodies of Baozoo do not change, only words do in successive generations. Each person can have his or her own composed words for Baozoo suitable with circumstances and context.
1 man woman baozoo
2 man 2women baozoo
3 man 2women baozoo
4 man 2women baozoo
5 woman baozoo
6 woman baozoo
7 woman baozoo
8 baozoo leu mè
9 baozoo leu mè
10 baozoo san mei
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, photo Martin Kolner
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD DATOGA ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN NORTHERN TANZANIA IN 2000
The DATOGAs are the enemies of the Masais, they look alike, tall and skinny, raise cattle and walk around rapped in their Scottish blanket, carrying long spears in this rather dry part of northern Tanzania. This cd contains mostly recordings of this musician I call the troubadour, like in medieval Europe where troubadour musicians would go from place to place, playing their instrument and singing for people who would pay them, I could also have used the west african griot. This guy can be met in marketplaces or local rural bars and entertain people with his home made fiddle and songs. The other tracks contain handclapping, singing and harmonica to go along women who are jumping while singing. The last track is a party day musical event.
1 to 6 troubadour, african fiddle and song
7 to 11 jumping women s dance song
12 to15 troubadour, african fiddle and song
16 largedrum played with wooden sticks and song
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD DONG ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN GUIZHOU CHINA IN JUNE 2007
The DONGs are probably one of the most known ethnic group in China, praised for their culture , including architecture, clothes and their polyphonic singing, the Chinese medias have paid attention to their unique culture and boosted tourism in the area, I wanted to have less known musical expressions on this cd, as well as the famous polyphonic singing performed by 5 old women and 2 male singers/musicians. Nowadays beautiful young girls dressed up in traditional clothes perform this kind of songs for crowds of tourists, here you can listen to the original versions, recorded in Shuizhai village.
1,2 man plays niutuiqin, a 2 strings bowed instrument
3,4,5 man plays niutuiqin and song
6,7 2men play dong pipa, a 4 strings instrument and niutuiqin + lovesong
8 5women 2men chant dong pipa and niutuiqin
9 5women 2men big ceremony chant
10 5women chant pipa and niutuiqin
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD GIAY SONGS ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN NORTHERN VIETNAM IN JULY 2006
The GIAY (pronounced zay) belong to the Tay kadai language group, well established in northern parts of Vietnam, but emigrated from China 200 years ago. They have 3 styles of singing for different occasions, for feast, for night drinking or to sing farewell to someone. The couple recorded on this cd, lives in a hmong village south of Sapa.
1liang (woman) song
2ming (man) song
3veunbaota ( together ) song
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, photo Martin Kolner
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD HADZA BUSHMEN OF TANZANIA ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN 1999 The HADZAs are probably among the last bushmen (hunters/gatherers) in the world. they had to endure climatic and social changes, the invasion of other tribes, who claim the land for agriculture, when the government is not claiming the land for natural parks, they are less than 1000 people living on the east side of Lake Eyasi, a salt lake . James Stephenson, an american friend who lived part time with the hadzas in the 90s, introduced me to them and I was able to record entertainment music and songs by the fire, but also the ceremony which takes place on moonless night.
1 sitoti plays malimba, metal sticks on a wooden resonance box
2 sitoti plays malimba + chant
3 lokala plays zeze, a 1 string bowed instrument with chant
4 zeze malimba chant
5 zeze chant
6 epeme chemchem
7 malimba chant
8 epeme
9 malimba chant
10 epeme
11malimba
12sitoti plays malimba chant
13malimba with irawq chant
14talk in hadza language
15zeze chant
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH JAMES STEPHENSON
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD MANINJAU LAKE IN SUMATRA INDONESIA ; MINANG KABAU ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN THE 80s
At that time I was not recording music, I was just enjoying living with friends on the side of lake Maninjau in Sumatra, the11 tracks of MINANG KABAU female singing are my only sound memories of this period , they are taken from 2 audiocassettes bought in Bukittingi, Sumatra and I don t think they have been put on cd, that s why I allow myself to do it. Those recordings have the typical reverb of south east asian studios of the time and the flute reveals a very strong arabic influence, common in Indonesian pop music.
NOT RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD MIAO ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN GUIZHOU CHINA IN JUNE 2007
The MIAOs are a very famous and important ethnic group in China, and the Chinese tourism industry is already playing a role in miao cultural life, lots of tourist have already seen the famous mouth organs orchestras on the spot or on tv, they have already been used for cultural/political reasons. The Miao are 9 millions people, a huge ethnic group that could be classified in 5 main groups and 38 subgroups. Here you can feel the roots of Miao culture, even if I can not claim any diversity, these recordings only come from 2 villages. The first village Songlong is home of a rare home made 2 strings bowed instrument, the gupiaoqin, in solo or duo, the instrument is bowed with a bamboo rubbed with resin, to be played with singing and drinking. Songlong is also home of authentic old women s singing s style. The tracks 13 to 16 have been recorded in the second village Paiya, a miao mouth organs maker had gathered 2 old friends to play together , 3 mouthorgans of various sizes can be heard on tracks 13 to 16. Those miao people call themselves GALAO, which means bird in their language.
1 womansong
2,3 gupiaoqin, a 2 strings bowed instrument
4 3 women song
5 3 women song
6,7,8,9,10 2 gupiaoqin
11 2 gupiaoqin with 2 women song
12 2 gupiaoqin with 2 women song
13 ,14,15 3 gue (3 various size mouth organs)
16 3 gue and mangtong (3 various sizes bambootubes)
17 3 mangtong
18 3women
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD MOSUO / PUMI ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN YUNNAN AND SICHUAN CHINA IN AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2006
The MOSUOs and the PUMIs can be called by their real name in China for the last 10 years, from the 50s to the 90s, they had to be called Tibetans. In the 50s Chinese stalinian anthropologists decide to squiz more than 400 ethnic groups into 56 official categories… it is true that those 2 ethnic groups follow Tibetan Buddhism, as you can notice on tracks 16 to 18(da shanjie is a big gathering of monks and farmers for an agricultural ritual), but they also have their own songs in their own languages as other tracks demonstrate . Lake Lugu is the centre of the mosuo territory, west of it is in Yunnan, east of it is in Sichuan, where the small pumi ethnic group is based, they used to have animist rituals previous to the expansion of Tibetan Buddhism.
1, 2 mosuo old women song
2, 2 mosuo old women song
3, mosuo flute
4, mosuo woman song
5 2 mosuo old women song
6, 3 mosuo old women song
7, pumi old man story song ; the origin of Pumi people
8-15 pumi woman song
16 5 mosuomonks reciting tibetan buddhist prayer for da shan jie ceremony
17 tibetan buddhist da shan jie ceremony, percussions and long horns
18 tibetan buddhist da shan jie ceremony, different groups of monks
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD NUOSU (YI) / MIAO ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN SICHUAN CHINA IN SEPTEMBER 2006
Da Liangshan in mountainous southern part of Sichuan is home of Yi people, but Yi people are a huge ethnic group, spread over Sichuan and mostly Yunnan, they are 6 different groups with different languages, the Yi of Da Liangshan call themselves NUOSU and have their own extremely ancient written system, the recorded songs of these Yi people were made in Da shui ta village. Further north in Muli, we found a small community of MIAO people who settled up there in the 19 th century and are slightly different from the Miao in Guizho province, for
example they use mostly a Hu lushen, a small mouthorgan made with a gourd and use the big regular mouth organ only for funerals. These 2 ethnic groups do not follow Tibetan Buddhism like others do in this part of Sichuan. The Miao are 9 millions people, a huge ethnic group that could be classified in 5 main groups and 38 subgroups, on this cd you can listen to Hua Miao (flower miao)
1 yi nuosu oldman, song
2 yi woman song,
3 yi womansong,
4 yi womansong ,
5-6 miao man song, wedding song
7 miao small mouthorgan
8 miao small mouthorgan
9 miao oldwomansong for fieldfertility
10 miao woman wedding/drinking song
11 miao large mouthorgan for funerals
12 miao small mouthorgan
13 miao man weddingsong
14 miao man weddingsong
15 miao weddingdance, small mouthorgan and male/female responsive singers
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD PHNONG INSTRUMENTS ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN MONDOLKIRI CAMBODIA IN APRIL 2007
The majority of people living in Mondolkiri s province are PHNONG, related to the Mnong ethnic group on the other side of the boarder in Vietnam, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups of the area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments., nowadays they only use 6 cengs or flat gongs. Here is a collection of various instruments that can be found within those communities, it includes the pretty unique, ancestor of the mouth organ found in many parts of south east asia.
1 kong jarai, a 10 strings instrument in Daktam 3
2 kong jarai, and responsive singing, Daktam3 3 pray before playing an ensemble of gongs, Butang 4 recitation of notes for an ensemble of 6 gongs, Butang 5 ensemble of 6 flat gongs ( ceng) , Butang 6 flutes duo, Butang 7 kong ring, a bamboo tube with6 bamboostrings Butang 8 kong ring and flute, Butang 9 mbouat, mouth organ with a gourd as resonance box Butang 10mbouat, Butang 11mbouat and flute, Butang 12,13ensemble of 6 flat gongs ( ceng), Bouchra 14 to 17 ensemble of 6 flat gongs ( ceng)for the khmer new year celebration ,Daktam
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SYLVAIN VOGEL
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD PHNONG GONGS ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN MONDOLKIRI CAMBODIA IN MAY 2005
The majority of people living in Mondolkiri s province are PHNONG, related to the Mnong ethnic group on the otherside of the boarder in Vietnam, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups in this area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments., nowadays they only use 6 cengs or flat gongs for their animist ceremonies. This recording session was done in butang village, where they still have elephants, it is the only time that I ve seen singing while playing gongs.
1 6 cengs
2 6 cengs
3 6 cengs
3 kong jarai, a 10 strings instrument set on a flat gong + chant
4 kong jarai
5 kong jarai + chant
6 6 cengs chant
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD KRUNG IN RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA IN 2004 2005
The KRUNGs are a subgroup of BRAO people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos. The term krung refers to a different kind of forest, basically in the 70s , plenty of brao people emigrated to Laos to escape the khmer rouge madness, the ones who remain in Cambodia called themselves krung , they speak the same language, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups south and west, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies. On this cd you can listen to both, but mostly the ensemble of gongs which was conducted by Pon Dao, he died in 2006. Cing gong refers to a complete set of gongs, 5 nipple gongs and 5 to 8 cings or flatgongs. Pon dao s gong orkestra with one female singer and a male singer was set up to impress the few foreigners or local politicians who came to Ratanakiri .
1 cing gong + responsive singing
2 bamboo tubes orkestra + singing
3 prook, 1 string instrument
4 cing gong
5 cing gong + song
6 cing gong + responsive singing
7 cing gong + responsive singing
8 cing gong + song
9 jenriung, a 10 string instrument performed by Pon dao
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD HENAN LUSHEN IN SHENZHEN CHINA IN FEBRUARY 2007
One musician beggar attracted our attention in the streets of Shenzhen, we took him to a park and recorded him, his very ancient style of playing
a small mouthorgan comes from Henan province. Track 7 is an interview of this street musician.
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD SHUI SONGS ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN GUIZHO CHINA IN JUNE 2007
The SHUI people are a small ethnic group in Guizho, which does not attract much attention, they call themselves HIPOSUE. The menon track 1 to 3 were recorded in shuilong village, the women on tracks 4 to 10 were recorded in Lalan village in Shendu county.
They usually sing in group of 3 , 4 or 7, 8 people.
1 3 men< love song .
2 3 men
3 3 men
4 4 women
5 4 women
6 4women
7 4women
8 4women
9 old woman song
10 old woman
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD TAMPOON SONGS ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA IN 2003 2004
The TAMPOONs are an ethnic group, living in the west and south of Ratanakiri province, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. I guess that they have been under the cultural influence of the Jarais with whom they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies, like all other in this part of south east asia. but also similar bamboo instruments.
1 chep, pan flute
2 brooik, a 1 string instrument
3 gooang teung, a 10 strings instrument
4 gooang teung, a 10 strings instrument + mem, a 1string bowed instrument
5,6,7 jariang song with umprook, a 1string bowd instrument
8 gooang teng + jariang song
9 jum ho, responsive love song with gooang teung and mem
10 gooang teng mem
11 jum ho, responsive love song with gooang teung and mem
12 gongs for funerals
12 gooang teng
13,14 gooang teng + jumho song
15 gooang teng
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD XEKONG PROVINCE IN LAOS ; ARAK / TRIANG / NKRIANG ETHNIC GROUPS RECORDED IN MARCH 2006
Xekong is a southern mountainous province at the boarder with Vietnam, difficult to reach on this cd you can listen to 3 different ethnic groups, the ARAC, TRIANG and NKRIANG, but the province has many other ethnic groups.
1 arac panaw, 1 thick flat gong
2,3 arac molam, song
4 arac 2 panaw gongs and a bamboo tube
5,6 arac khen, mouth organ
7,8 arac khen , mouth organ and molam singing
9 arac pahat, 1 thick flat gong
10arac pahat + molam singing
11arac woman song
12triang pao kabang, 5 bambootubes blown by 5 men
13,14triang pem saikading, 5 women song and a bell
15triang dingding, woman song
16,17triang awng eng, a 2 strings bowed instrument
18triang japayl, 4 women song
19triang yayoy, 4 women song
20triang janis, 4 women song
21triang jabir woman song
22,23nkriang bells and song
24 nkriang, 1 gong and song
25nkriang, bells and song
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD LALUO (YI) SONGS ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED IN YUNNAN CHINA IN MAY 2007
The Yi are a huge ethnic group, spread over southern Sichuan and mostly Yunnan, they are 6 different groups with different languages. The YI people on this cd have been recorded in Longding village near Midou in Yunnan and call themselves LALUO.
1 5 women song
2 5 women
3 5 women
4 5 women
5 5 women song
6 5 women
7 5 women
8 5 women song
9 man song
10 men song,
11 men
12 men
13 men
14 men song
15 men
16 5 women song
17 5 women
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD WEYWURE SONGS FROM XINJIANG RECORDED IN YUNNAN CHINA IN JULY 2007
Memetimin is from Hetian from the WEIWURE ethnic group, but has been living 15 years in Yunnan, he plays doutar, a 2 strings instrument with a long neck and sings along original tunes from weiwure culture, lovesongs and lifestories.
14 TRACKS
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, WITH SHI TANDING
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
MORE CDS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN 2008 :
CD BRATANEUL CEREMONY KRUNG ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN KRAPEU VILLAGE, RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA IN DECEMBER 2003
The KRUNGs are a subgroup of BRAO people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos. The term krung refers to a different kind of forest, basically in the 70s , plenty of brao people emigrated to Laos to escape the khmer rouge madness, the ones who remain in Cambodia called themselves krung , they speak the same language, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups in this area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies. On this cd you can listen to the krung the one day party for rice harvest in November, December, where bamboo tubes ensemble are being played to go along drinking new rice wine. The 8 bamboo sticks, of various size played by 8 different men are hit on the ground and definetely imitate an ensemble of gongs.
1 brataneul prayer, rice harvest prayer
2 ding boo, bambootube hit and clapped at both
3 mang boong, bambootubes hit on the ground for rice harvest
4 gawng baw, bambootubes hit on the ground for rice harvest
5 gawng baw, bambootubes hit on the ground for rice harvest
6 ding boo, flute and male singer
7,8,9 woman singing about the khmer rouge unhappy time
10 a large hollowed wood being hit by 2 women with long wooden poles
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD FUNERAL CEREMONY KRUNG ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN KROLA VILLAGE, RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA IN DECEMBER 2003
The KRUNGs are a subgroup of BRAO people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos. The term krung refers to a different kind of forest, basically in the 70s , plenty of brao people emigrated to Laos to escape the khmer rouge madness, the ones who remain in Cambodia called themselves krung , they speak the same language, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups in this area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies. On this cd you can listen to a krung funeral the 2 days ceremony is taking place in Krola village, outside around the coffin where 2 female relatives are sitting singing, crying, surrended by an ensemble of 13 gongs ( 5 nipple gongs and 8 flat gongs ). This music is strictly tabu for krung people to listen to, outside of a funeral, Violating this tabu might lead to disease and death !
6 TRACKS recorded during the first night of the ceremony
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD GYPSIES OF RAJASTAN INDIA, FROM A TAPE BOUGHT IN 1996
I met this married couple of rajastani gypsies, busking in Pushkar, they had produced cassettes in a studio and were selling them while performing in the streets, I have never found again the same kind of energetic responding singing between the man and the woman and hypnotic music .
2 TRACKS
NOT RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD A COMPILATION OF THA , A PAIR OF FLAT GONGS , RECORDED IN CAMBODIA AND LAOS BETWEEN 2004 AND 2006
A very unique way of using gongs in this part of south east asia, the Nyaheun and mostly some subgroups of the Braos in southern Laos as much as in northern Cambodia have developped this technique. During animist ceremonies 2 men are facing eachothers sitting on the ground or on the bamboo floor of the house, having set up 2 thick flat gongs hanged between them, each man hit the gongs with 2 long bamboo sticks, one hits the inside of the gongs while the other hits the outside of the gongs, developping rythmically on that basis. They use the word THA or THAI for this pair of gongs and the pair is usually of higher value than normal gongs.
The NYAHEUN is a small ethnic group, which music combines gongs, mouthorgan and melancholic molam (singing), they are close to the Braos, therefore they use this Brao technique of THA. The BRAO belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area, spread over Cambodia and Laos. With other ethnic groups south and east, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies. The Kavets are the pros of THAI playing. As far as I know no other ethnic group involved in gong playing in south east asia has the equivalent of THA .
1 Nyaheun using gawg neer youan (pair of flat gongs) in Oupasa village in Champassac, Laos, 2006
2 Kavet using thai ( pair of flat gongs) in Lalai village in Ratanakiri, Cambodia, 2004
3 Brao using tha ( pair of flat gongs) in Taveng in Ratanakiri, Cambodia, 2005
4 Kavet using thai ( pair of flat gongs) in Lalai village in Ratanakiri, Cambodia, 2004
5 Brao Lave using tha ( pair of flat gongs) in km36 village in Champassac, Laos, 2006
6 Nyaheun using gawg neer youan (pair of flat gongs) in Oupasa village in Champassac, Laos, 2006
7 Brao Kanying using tha ( pair of flat gongs) in Eetoom village in Attapeu, Laos, 2006
8 Kavet using thai ( pair of flat gongs) in Phoohom village in Attapeu , Laos, 2006
9 Brao Jree using thai ( pair of flat gongs) in Vieng xai village in Attapeu , Laos, 2006
10,11 Brao Kanying using tha ( pair of flat gongs) in Eetoom village in Attapeu, Laos, 2006
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD SHUI MIAO FROM GUIZHOU KALI, RECORDED IN DALI CHINA, DECEMBER 2007
The Miao are 9 millions people, a huge ethnic group that could be classified in 5 main groups and 38 subgroups. The Shui Miao are one of them, living in Shidong area, outside of Kali in Guizho. We met 6 Shui Miao women , who came to Dali to sell traditional clothes, 2 women were really into singing and 2 others were involved sporadically. An older woman sang ancient tunes. They have special singing techniques, totally different from other Miao, they can sing extremely loud, in order to be heard far away in mountains.
1 4 women singing about beautiful life, harmonous relationships with people and nature
2 ,3 2 women singing about love, being sung in mountains to attract young male lover
4 4 women singing about leaving the village, when young people depart their village to go to town
5,6 2 women singing for drinking alcohol together
7,8 2 women singing farewell before leaving
9 2 women singing about travelling around, experiencing freedom
10 1 woman singing
11 2 women singing
12 2 women singing about succession of generations, our children will continue our lives
13 2 women singing about keeping your heart young, when I was young I was beautiful ……
14 2 women singing about the changes they ve witnessed from childhood up to now
15 1 old woman singing to express her joy to be with u
16 1 old woman singing an old drinking song
17 1 old woman singing an old lovesong
18 2 women singing, imitating a responsive lovesong between a man and a woman
19 2 women singing about the 3 first years of marriage being beautiful
20 1 woman singing a courting song, I am not beautiful, I don t care if you love me , but if you do, we will have a good life together
21 1 woman singing
22, 23 2 women singing
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU WITH SHI TANDING, PHOTO BY ALIANG
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong
CD KAVET ETHNIC GROUP RECORDED
IN LALAI VILLAGE, RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA IN JANUARY 2004
The KAVETs are a subgroup of BRAO people, half of the Braos are living in Cambodia and the other half in Laos, they speak the same language, they belong to the MON khmer family and are the first inhabitants of this area. With other ethnic groups in this area, they share a lot musically, especially the fascination for gong playing in animist ceremonies,. but also similar bamboo instruments. The music can be divided in 2 categories according to the purpose, various bamboo instruments and singing being used in entertainment music and ensembles of gongs being used for animist ceremonies. On this cd you can listen to a village partyin Lalai, Veunsai district in Ratanakiri province, most people are involved in swidden agriculture outside of the village and this party is the occasion to bring everyone from the same village together, the village is closed to outsiders for 3 days , then reopen with a 3 days ceremony where ensembles of 5 gongs are being played, and a pair of flat gongs called thai. While nipple gongs are being played, some men and women are dancing and a woman clapping 2 large bamboo tubes and hitting them on the ground. Taking place in the heart of the dry season, the party is fueled with rice wine in big jars.
1,2,3,4 5 nipplegongs played by 5 men
5 ,6 thai, a pair of flat gongs played by 2 men
7 ,8 5 nipplegongs played by 5 men
9,10 meut mouan, epic story song performed by one man
11 5 nipplegongs played by 5 men
12 meut mouan, epic story song performed by one man
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU, PHOTO REMI KLUGMAN
kinkgonglaos@hotmail.com
myspace.com/kinkgong