« J’ai assisté à une matinée musicale dans une habitation. C’était un concert à la fois instrumental et vocal : les principaux instruments étaient le gong de rigueur, les cymbales et une guitare à trois cordes de laiton, dont les virtuoses jouent avec le gros orteil. Les dilettantes cambodgiens semblaient être au 7ème ciel; quant à moi, je puis vous assurer que je grinçais des dents tant que je pouvais. La cacophonie semble être la règle suprême de la musique dans ce pays, et les artistes du crû l’observent en conscience » (l’Illustration, Journal Universel, 30 janv. 1864)
01 Khmer Mohori Ensemble Pleng Boran
02 Pey Ar Sranas Rey Yum
03 Sloeuk Khmer Leung Preah Ponlea
04 Chhom Sam Ath & Sous Sumaly Bengkok Sneng
05 The Orchestra of the Khmer Classical Dance Troupe Trott
06 Kong Nay Thkol Loan Nauv Khet Svay Rieng
07 Interlude (Radio Collage)
08 Sinn Sisamouth Thought I Recognized That Face (*)
09 Ros Sereysothea Old Sour And Sweet (*)
10 Pan Ron Ya Ya Men (*)
11 Meas Samoun The Engagement (*)
12 Yol Aularong Cyclo (*)
13 Eng Nary – I Wonder (*)
Download @ http://rapidshare.com/files/306734011/fiku-miku_brings_the_noise_Vol_13_-_Alain_Delon_Is_Looking_For_Free__Cambodia_.zip
(*) all songs from a 4-CD box set Cambodian Rocks (Parallel World), a collection of Cambodian psych and garage music from the 60s and early 70s (probably), compiled by an American tourist named Paul Wheeler from some cassettes he bought in Phnom Penh.
Sinn Sisamouth was the most famous singer in Cambodia in the 1970s. He had been brought in by leaders of the Khmer Rouge and asked to compose a song celebrating their ascendancy. When he finished the song and then performed it, he was promptly executed. There are other reports that he was in fact tortured, and that his famous tongue was cut out. Another story suggests that it was he who asked to sing a song to his executioners, and performed a musical plea for justice. But his audience, consisting of ignorant barbaric rustics, was unmoved, and shot him anyway.
His old singing partner Ros Sereysothear also vanished during the regime. One rumor maintains that Pol Pot forced her to marry one of his assistants, who routinely abused her. Others imply that she died in a labor camp or was executed.
Pan Ron was the second lady of Khmer music during the 60s and 70s … she is not known to have survived the Khmer Rouge years.
It is assumed than 90% of Cambodian singers disappeared during the KR area.
Kong Nay plays the chapei dong veng and is one of relatively few great masters to have survived the KR. He is known as the Ray Charles of Cambodia. Hes still living in the suburbs of Phnom Penh. Peter Gabriel produced his (fantastic) last CD in duet with Ouch Savy.
