Jazz-Rock goes Culture
The “Bangkok Rock Report” column by Benny White
For those lucky enough to get a ticket to see PRART MUSIC GROUP ”Jazz-Rock Allstars” (featuring: Pratana “Prart” Aroonrungsee, Guitar, Soporn “Kop” Chitpasopnate, Bass, Ood Yannawa, Drums, Peaw Shotirod on Percussion, Sakpon “Mr Saxman” Aunsumraand, Saxophone and Chakwan “Nung” Saetongyutitum on Keyboards) at the Thai Culture Centre on Sunday, there was a delightful “smorgasbord of music” on the menu. There were also a few distinguished guests lurking in the back ready beguile and, undeniably they did. One of the “guests of honours” was mega-producer, record company director and (former) pop-rock star Chatri Kongsuwan, a.k.a. P-Ohm whose authoritarial playing still clenches anyone adjacent. Perhaps the most amusing surprise of the evening was our own local rock hero “Pop The Sun” (former frontman/guitarist in Hen Lek Fai – later to be – The Sun) as he took stand, aimed for and belched into “Fly Me to the Moon”. He’s not only a monstrous guitar player but also an accomplished singer. “Man, you’ve got to explore, develop and enjoy different territories; I had a blast” (a full feature story on Pop will be highlighted in September).
Pratana Aroongsee is probably one of the hardest working musicians – businessmen in the country. He doesn’t only run a full time career as a musician; with four albums to his credit (a fifth on the way), he also manages a video production company, music school, hosts an educational radio and TV program, composes and records jingles AND controls the publishing of OVERDRIVE MAGAZINE, RHYTHM SECTION and MUSIC.COM !!! For the evening, he had gathered some of the most respected musicians in the business. No argument here, this was good; really good. They brought music to life I haven’t witnessed on stage since I saw Miles Davis back in the mid eighties. In fact, had I closed my eyes even for a moment, I could have sworn I was at the Beverly Theatre listening to familiar tunes out of “Tutu” or “Man With The Horn” but….., naaa; it was just Prart squeaking his synth-rigged guitar. A true highlight was seeing Pop and Nung dueling, bringing the house down as they propelled chops to stratospheric levels; it kinda’ reminded me of the Allman Brothers in the early rock days. A dazzling performance indeed, let’s just hope there’s more to come….