Dulyasith Srabua and Banglumpoo Blues Company New Album is Out Now
A love affair between blues and Thai folk, a perfect soundtrack for enjoying Thailand from dawn to dawn…
If you are a blues lover in Bangkok, then you certainly must know of Adhere 13th Blues Bar, Bangkok’s blues institution that is celebrating its 19th anniversary this year, and its weekend in-house band Banglumpoo Blues Company fronted by the bar’s owner Dulyasith Srubua, or simply Kun Pong. If you do, then you’ll be delighted to hear that you can now take some of that amazing AdHere the 13th vibe home with the latest album of this brilliant blues guitarist supported by some of the best blues and jazz musicians in town.
P’Pong has turned AdHere the 13th Blues Bar into 18-year-old blues institution in Bangkok, a place that inspires musicians and music lovers from all over the world (photo by Sasha)
With its 13 songs, the album covers one day from dawn to dawn of the artist, easing in and out with instrumentals named Dawn In and Dawn Out (Rung Arun) and in between it takes us through his train of thoughts, desires, dreams, hopes, love – the song ‘Sao Noi’ (Little Girl), takes us back to the youth and first love, a song about cheating ‘Choo’ (An Affair), enjoying ‘Ganja’ (Ha Gun Che) – co-written by a former Thai journalist Rungruang Preechakul, or hardships of daily life ‘Prung Nee Tam Ngan Chow’ (Tomorrow I Must Work Early). The only song in English is ‘Mississippi John’, a song pays tribute to an American country blues singer and guitarist, John Smit Hurtwritten. The song was written by the great Andy Martin, a blues guitarist from UK who had been living the last part of his life in Bangkok and played at AdHere. Since Andy left us last year, the song is performed by Pure C Muadmuang, the front man of Jukes, the only Chicago-style blues band in Bkk. His voice perfectly fits this song, making Andy smile up there for sure.
Besides Mr C, many other Thai musicians collaborated on this album: the extended version of BBC, which in addition to Lalita Najwa Orapun on vocals, Akarawin Win Opassuksatit on keys, Nut Glomchum on drums, and Akarapol Nueng Hasoonha on bass, includes the powerful horn section made up of some of Bangkok’s best jazz musicians – Warudh Rudi Samansap (Superglasses, etc), Pisut Aom Pratheepasena (Quince Factory, etc), and Jirathitikarn Chit Hemsuwan (Snapper Town, etc), and a well-respected producer and song-writer P’ Chai (Somchai Komlertkul) the front man of The Beatlenuts and Cold Shot.
Andy Martin, Najawa Ora and P’Pong in between the sets at AdHere the 13th Blues Bar, July 2017 (photo by Sasha)
The album is dedicated to three musicians who passed away during its production and had co-written the album – in addition to Andy Martin, Thai ‘peua chiwit’ folk music legends (a type of revolutionary or grassroots genre that roughly translates as ‘songs for life’) Suthon Sukpitak and Mongkol Utag, the co-founder of the famous Caravan band.
It was produced by BBC and recorded at Sexy Pink Studio and Studio B Studio 28. The cover includes photos by a French photographer Francois May, and back cover art by a German artist, Celine Leatitia Ludewig.
The whole album has a very smooth and genuine vibe of blues combined with Thai folk sound, and although almost entirely in Thai, it makes it appealing to even those that have never came in contact with Thai language or culture, for its early blues sound that includes the elements of jazz, blues harmonica and slide guitar. It simply bursts with excellent musicianship and it is a full-on showcase of some of Thailand’s most talented musicians in the blues and jazz genres today. It simply captures the essence of the cool and artistic side of Bangkok, and it can be a cherished memory for all those who would like to keep Thailand in their heart, especially if you ever had the chance to feel the energy of AdHere the 13th Blues Bar.
If you haven’t yet, then what are you waiting for??? It is an experience you would be remembering for the rest of your life!
BBC big band at a concert at BBAC, July 2018 (source: BBC FB page)
You can get this album on CD (BHT 480) at Baicha Song CD shops or also check at Adhere 13th Blues Bar, you might even get a signed copy from the artist himself. For all the retro lovers, the album is also about to be published on vinyl and tape.
Full album will be released online soon, but for now the songs ‘Choo’ and ‘Ha Gun Che’ are available on
iTunes : https://goo.gl/dNrmuR
Spotify : https://goo.gl/uykT9F
Joox: https://goo.gl/ZZeY4g
These two songs are also published as videos on YouTube. The first one shows many regulars of AdHere 13th Blues Bar (including the coolest cat in the world that is featured on the album cover), and the second one is the compilation of photos from the recording studio and rehearsals at the bar (also including the cat!).
The third video (of our own production) is a tribute to Andy Martin, and includes snippets of the recording session for the song ‘Mississippi John’ that the BBC also performed at his funeral. He was a great musician and was greatly appreciated in the Thai blues community.