Field recordings

Recordings from Northern Thailand and Northern Guatemala.

NORTHERN THAILAND

Pin Pia

Two pin pia pieces performed by Cun Smithitham in July 2005: this instrument has three strings and the vibrato is made by cupping a half coconut shell on your naked breast.

First piece
Second piece

Salah Saw Seung

String band music from the hills near Lampang, played by workers and friends at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center. This is known as a Salah San Seung ensemble, featuring the saw fiddle, seung lute, san flute, and frame drums.

Two virtuosic pieces recorded July, 2005.

First piece
Second piece

Eleven shorter pieces recorded January 2000. You will hear these recordings playing constantly on the PA system at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11

Elephants in the "field"

a recording of the Thai Elephant Orchestra taking a morning bath in the creek at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (about 90 sec)

a ridiculously long recording of the above

NORTHERN GUATEMALA
all recorded by Rory Young & Dave Soldier, San Mateo Ixtatàn Feburary 2007

El Velorio
a fiddle tune played at wakes, played by Don Matteo Tomax

Rain Prayer
performed in a parade in the churchyard in San Mateo Ixtatan by the Romeristas, a Mayan group living in Chiapas, Mexico related to the Chuj-speaking Mayans in San Mateo who perform an annual pilgramage there to pray for rain. Some of the drums have rattles attached.

Marimba orchestra dances played by Son Yinhatil Nab’en (Francisco Armando Gómez y Gómez, Juan Carmelo Pérez, Luís Pérez Paiz, Diego Vicente Mendoza García, Felipe Ramos Hernández, Ronaldo Santizo Gómez, Gaspar Hernández Pérez, Ronaldo Andres Gomez), Feburary, 2007, San Mateo Ixtatan. Typically 4 players are on 1 marimba, three on a second, and there is a trap drum kit and electric bass.

Sal Negra composed by Xuan Xap, their teacher
B’erech kaxlanh                                 
El Muñeco                                   
Tzinnib’ej k’ix hin/Quisiera ser espinita           
Mi Q 'anjob 'alita                           

Chonhab’ Wajxklajunh/Pueblo San Mateo Ixtatàn, a song in Chuj sung and played on guitar by Don Matin Tomax

Mi Lindo Chakaj, sung and played on guitar by Jose (Moisés) Lorenzo Luciano, composed by Xuan Xap

Moisés Lorenzo Luciano

Son Yinhatil Nab’en

Son Yinhatil Nab’en rehearsal with Xuan Xap (white hat)

Don Matin Tomax