Nohohonzoku Swings

Nohohonzoku by Tomy.

Music by Ben Herman from the killer album Get In.

Editing by moonlight because I've got way too much time ...

In other news...

Part of traveling to the Burmese border is meeting people and eating their food. It's also seeing Burmese TV. Since I don't travel with a DVD-recorder or a VCR in my pack I had to make due with my good old digital camera. So here's a segment of a fair and balanced Burmese news cast. It went on and on like this. And yes, unfortunately this guy is for real....



Edit, 12/12: He's probably saying how good the crops are this year and the people have plenty to eat thanks to the state and its leader and all is well, sleep tight, don't let the police dogs bite, if you're wondering...

Return from Sangkhlaburi

Sometimes you have to get away. Not to the umpteenth beach resort, something new, fresh, without Seven Elevens and hamburgers. Sangkhlaburi is such a place. And I almost dread writing about it, because it's so nice and peaceful now. A small hill resort scene has sprung up already. So keep this one quiet, O.K.? You should visit for the sheer beauty of the hills, the drive there, the cool air, the treks and of course because you'll feel like you're not in Thailand. Most people are at least half Burmese, or Mon, or Karen. And so is the food and the atmosphere. That is of course because you are almost in Burma (map).

Here's a shot of Sangkhlaburi's Famous Longest Wooden Bridge in Thailand:

Some locals kidding around and smoking cheroots at the market:

And finally this lovely painted face:

And you think you've seen it all...

They played for the king. And then yesterday they played in Khon Kaen. Quite the occasion. A jazz band way out in Khon Kaen. A New Orleans Jazz band for that matter. For free. One that played at Carnegie Hall. One with a banjo and this guy with a huge afro on sousaphone. For most people in Khon Kaen that is the embodiment of culture shock. But it went down well.

And yes I said banjo. I know. But this was no dixieland. No white guys with weird straw hats, suspenders and bow ties. This was prime marching band -style funky old school jazz with a lot of heart and root and 100% authenticity. It got the (Thai!) crowd jumping on their chairs and I could have sworn I saw some even shake their thang.

My personal fav: an improvised rendition of Parliament Funkadelic's Tear the Roof of This Sucker that popped up amongst a fun mix of traditionals, spirituals, warped standards and swaggering blues tunes. And although Khon Kaen couldn't help but clap on the 'one' instead of the swinging 'and', I'd say the French Quarter was at Khon Kaen University last night.

Want a taste? Here you go!

Morlam camp

Just got back from English camp. In Thailand that does not mean a whole lot of learning English. The emphasis is on fun. Which is way a hall filled with about 140 six-to-nine-year-olds soon turned into a frenzy when the hired (Thai) teacher decided to sing a little morlam and I decided I could play a little drums.

Morlam? Music from North East Thailand/Laos that is. In this case of the fast paaaaarty variety. Because any description would fall short (and also because I couldn't film and play drums at the same time): here's some You Tube Morlam to give you an idea. Imagine 140 kids belting the fast part out and the whole place turning in to a mosh pit that would give Slayer fans a bit of a scare. Got the image? Click play. And yeah: it's karaoke. Don't forget to sing along :)