Photo courtesy of Bruce Gaston Facebook page.

 

Musicians all over Thailand are today mourning the passing of Bruce Gaston, the first man to successfully blend traditional Thai sounds with contemporary Western melodies.

 

Many foreigners fascinated by Thai culture decide to live in Thailand, and Gaston was no exception. But he is the only foreigner to have received the Silpathorn Award, an honor established in 2004 by the Ministry of Culture to recognize Thai contemporary artists who have made notable contributions to Thai arts and culture. Gaston received the award in 2009 in the category of music.

 

Gaston moved to Thailand at the age of 22. He is best known as a pioneer in blending Western electronic music and the Thai classical Piphat band through Fong Nam (literally sponge), an orchestral band he co-founded with Boonyong Ketkong.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/influential-musician-bruce-gaston-passes-away-at-the-age-of-74/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-10-18

 

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Never  heard  of  him, guess  this  is a Thai specific  thing that  no  one else in the world  has  heard  of either

14 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Never  heard  of  him, guess  this  is a Thai specific  thing that  no  one else in the world  has  heard  of either

Big news in Thailand though apparently ????

King 9 may have blended Thai and western music. Possibly before this bloke.

Or did the king only play western jazz?

48 minutes ago, Kiwithl said:

King 9 may have blended Thai and western music. Possibly before this bloke.

Or did the king only play western jazz?

Cant  discuss  it.....oh wait we  can heap  more  praise, all is  well

2 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Big news in Thailand though apparently ????

Must be why all  the  villagers  are  wearing a  black armband  today

2 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Never  heard  of  him, guess  this  is a Thai specific  thing that  no  one else in the world  has  heard  of either

I only knew him from seeing the fabulous musical revues he produced at the Tawan Daeng German Brewery in Bangkok, but Thai friends who went to Chula deeply respected him as a well-known professor and performer. He wasn't widely known internationally, but was quite famous in Thailand for decades.

He was fantastic, lived in CM but I went several times to Rama 3 (TDaeng) to see the band. They were amazing musically and as a spectacle. The Tawan Daeng venue really suited them, they could really get the crowd going.

 

 

Another Farang Thai legend passes. 

 

 

2 hours ago, Kiwithl said:

King 9 may have blended Thai and western music. Possibly before this bloke.

Or did the king only play western jazz?

Would think more interested in jazz as he was foreign schooled i believe.

The saxophone pub at victory monument has many photos of his jazz playing days.

Also saw an exhibition, in the pavillion, at the King Rama 9 park, which had photos of his musical interests.

King Rama 9 park is how i spend a Sunday afternoon when in Bangkok. Highly recommended and hardly another farang there.

Skip to 10 minutes:

 

 

 

Met Bruce at Thawan Daeng and he invited my band to play there and at the Koh Samui Music Festival.  He was a true gentleman who treated all other musicians with respect.  RIP Bruce. 

On 10/18/2021 at 7:41 AM, khunjeff said:

I only knew him from seeing the fabulous musical revues he produced at the Tawan Daeng German Brewery in Bangkok, but Thai friends who went to Chula deeply respected him as a well-known professor and performer. He wasn't widely known internationally, but was quite famous in Thailand for decades.

I know him from Tawan Daeng as well but he was also a great help when we put on the Koh Samui Blues Festival many years ago. A very talented musician and performer. A sad loss.