URBAN BANGKOK SINGING STYLE: THAI LUKKRUNG SINGING OF DAOJAI PAIJIT’S MUSICAL IDENTITY

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to focus on a musical identity of Thai lukkrung singing by way of examining Daojai Paijit’s singing style.  One of the most popular singers in urban Bangkok between 1970s-1990s, Daojai rised as a professional singer independent from Sunthraporn Band, one of the first Thai westernized music bands in Thailand.  A qualitative research was employed to gather data through document research, field work with composers, and conducting a series of interviews with twelve Thai lukkrung music experts and an analysis of five prototype songs which were selected by the criteria of popularity, awards received, and usages of vocal techniques. Arrangers, composers, singers, and musicians of the Lukkrung singing style were interviewed. Daojai Paijit’s musical identity includes five important components: (1) voicing method; (2) phonemic orthography method; (3) breathing method; (4) communication with body gesture method; and (5) rhythmic manipulation method.  Apart from vocal identity, the research has shown an important attribute of Daojai Paijit’s personality which includes sixteen characteristics.