From boys to men and back to boys

Twenty years ago, a group of youngsters collectively known as Boy Thai surprised and delighted music fans throughout the world by fusing Thai classical sounds with Western rhythms. 

Those boys are now all grown up but the music goes on, with the six-member Boy Thai New Generation playing concerts and also taking over the responsibility for discovering and building new musicians under the auspices of the “Junior Contemporary Music” project.

“I’ve been working with contemporary music for more than 20 years and have been associated with more than 100 musicians of various genres so it’s time to start producing new musical talent. I started by going around the music clubs of schools. Here I found a good mix of students. Some of them were killing time before going home, others were attending because their parents had pushed them into playing a musical instrument, and yet others were there because they were involved in various projects,” says Amporn Chakkaphak, managing director of Pisces Music and project director.

“Launching this project is what will separate the real musicians from the others. It’s not easy to combine Thai classical music and Western music, so the youngsters need to love what they are doing.

“I also think this project offers advantages to young people. It helps focus their minds and improves the quality of their lives by helping them spend their free time usefully and creatively. JCM is a kind of contemporary music that has its roots in Thai classical music,” adds Chaweng Chitsomboon, group chief IT officer of Thai Life Insurance, which is sponsoring the project.

Ten schools are participating in the first eight-month stage of the project, with members of the Boy Thai new generation scouting young people with talent in playing both Thai and western instruments such as the khim, ranad, saxophone, keyboards and drums.

Those schools are Benjama-Rajanusorn, Samsen Wittayalai, Triam Udom Suksa Pattanakarn Bang Yai, Donmuang Thaharnagardbumroong, Rajwinit Bang Khen School, Bangkok Christiam, Satree Nonthaburi, Wat Khemapirataram, Horwang School and Sarasas Pittaya.

“We’ll be spending two days in each of the schools. The first day will feature an orientation session on contemporary music, as it’s important that the students understand what contemporary music is. More than 20 years ago, I presented contemporary music with the original Fong Nam, Kangsadal and the first and second generations of Boy Thai and was accused of destroying Thai classical music. But it’s not like that at all. Anyone who has seen the Thai movie ‘Hom Rong’ [The Overture], which features an impressive piano and ranad show, will know what I mean.

“The orientation will be followed by a demonstration, with Boy Thai New Generation performing Herbie Hancock’s Caribbean-flavoured jazz on the ranad as well as ‘Lao Paen’, which is a masterpiece of ranad with fusion jazz. Then we’ll hold a workshop for students to experiment with cross cultural, such as performing ‘Lao Duang Duen’ with bossa nova beats or Bodyslam’s song with the ranad.

“A performance evaluation will take place on the second day with a reality show-style commentary on each of the participants. We do realise it won’t be easy for the students and I certainly don’t expect them to succeed it within one day. It is a starting point though. We’ll select one youngster with a talent for Thai classical music and one with western music skills for the JCM project Thai Life Insurance will provide a stage for them to put on a show,” says Amporn.

Boy Thai New Generation, who are taking on much of the responsibility for the project, features Saranyu Suwannasoontorn on saxophone, Pakee Navee on bass, Virasak Hembuppaka on keyboards, Ekapong Sae Lim on drums, Paron Yuenyong on ranad and Arnon Sudjaritjan on Thai drums.

“Throughout my childhood I knew all about the Thai classical orchestra and the Thai grand orchestra but had never heard Boy Thai until I was introduced to Amporn. After listening to Boy Thai’s music, I thought it would be easy to play. I quickly learned that it is in fact very difficult, especially the sound of the ranad, which is modified for the international scale,” says Paron, who won a gold medal at the 12th Settrade Youth Music Competition 2008 for his performance on the ranad ek.

Saranyu too didn’t know Boy Thai until he became a student of Koh Mr Saxman, an original member of the contemporary ensemble.

“I listened to Boy Thai’s songs on ‘The Best of Boy Thai’ and was surprised at the harmony between the ranad and saxophone. Last year, played in the US and the foreign audience was very appreciative of our music.”

Boy Thai New Generation has also performed at events celebrating the 60th anniversary of Thai-Australian Diplomatic Relations and at a music festival in Sendai, Japan.

      

Sweet sounds of fusion

For more information about the programme, call Amporn (02) 234 0147 or email: [email protected].