Lord of the strings

In the cosy living room-cum-studio of his Lat Phrao area home on a recent Sunday afternoon, legendary local jazzman Tewan Sapsanyakorn was passing on his love for this unique musical genre to a standout of the new generation of Thai jazz artists, Nattapol ''Pop'' Sutikasem.

Pop demonstrates his talents on the electric guitar as part of a jazz trio at the Chatrium Hotel Riverside.

The seasoned senior saxophonist and 25-year-old guitarist smoothly shifted from Pop's new composition to the jazz classic Take Five, before letting their fingers wander in a soulful celebration of spontaneity, note after improvised note.

''They're making it up as they go along. They're playing jazz,'' said Pop's father, smiling and nodding to the music. Not wanting to steal even a glimmer of limelight from his son, he wishes to remain unnamed.

After the electrifying jam session, Tewan reflects on what makes Pop such a natural. ''Jazz comes from the inside. That's how Pop plays. When I listen to him perform, it's clear that he really knows the electric guitar. He knows how to make music. He makes good use of his experience.

''I would like to play with more young Thai musicians like Pop. I want to pass on my passion for jazz down to the next generation.''

Tewan says that the most important piece of advice that he can offer young Thai musicians is to ''put feeling'' into every song. ''Thai students can learn music skills easily, but should not ignore their feelings. With every song you play, you need to focus on making listeners happy.'' The master sax player recommends that jazz musicians in particular listen to their instructors, but don't limit themselves by copying them. ''You have to figure out your own style. Be original.''

Ektra School director Pisut Yongkamol, centre, Nattapol 'Pop' Sutikasem and members of the Ektra 09 band mark the group winning the King's Trophy in the 2011 Rangsit University Music Competition.

Pop would seem to fit that bill, and despite his relative youth and unassuming demeanour, he has a string of accomplishments behind him. In 2004, he won both first place in the guitar category at the Rangsit University Music Competition, as well as the Banphonic competition, organised by Fat Radio, which was open to all musicians nationwide, not just students. The high school students he instructed at Bangkok's Sarasas Ektra School near Sathu Pradit Road won it themselves in 2010 and 2011. At Rangsit University from 2005 to 2008 he studied jazz on a scholarship and many of the students he teaches have already secured scholarships to study at Rangsit as well.

The Ektra 09 Band, made up of students taught by Pop, received the King's Trophy twice, for winning the Rangsit University Music Competition in 2010 and 2011, while in 2010 three of its members additionally won first place in the categories of drummer, double bass and singer. And Ektra 11 won third place in the same contest in 2011. Moreover, out of the more than 1,500 Thai bands that took part in the 2011 Coke Music Award Programme Competition, Ektra 09 placed sixth.

Pop is not the one who provides this list of accomplishments. For that info, you need to talk to the man who is at once Pop's manager, jazz-teaching colleague at Sarasas Ektra, bandmate during regular performances at the Chatrium Hotel Riverside, first jazz mentor and No1 fan _ his dad.

''There are many father-and-son pairs that play pop or rock in Thailand, but as far as I know we are the only father-and-son pair that plays jazz in the same gig,'' said Pop's dad.

''After the end of a competition at Rangsit in 2005, my boss, the director of Sarasas Ektra School, was listening intently to one of the players still playing on stage, and said, 'He's really good. I want him to teach jazz in our high school.' I said, 'Really? Are you sure he's that good?' and he said, 'Yes, absolutely.' And I replied, 'Well thank you _ he's my son!'''

But since Pop was just beginning his university studies, his employment with Sarasas Ektra would have to wait until 2008, when he joined the school's music programme.

''Many music programme students, and especially guitarists, choose to study at this school because my son teaches jazz here,'' says his father. ''He is good because he practises jazz a lot and listens to jazz a lot. Talent is only 1% of why musicians are good. The rest is practising and listening. And Pop is still Pop. Fame hasn't changed him.''

In studios such as the Guitar Music Practice Room on Vuthigart Soi 53 in Thon Buri, young Thai jazz musicians are playing like Pop _ or at least attempting to.

''Although jazz is played by only a small percentage of the musicians who regularly use my two studios, many of these jazz musicians, and especially jazz guitarists, really want to play like Pop,'' says the studio's owner and manager, who likes to be known as ''Khun Pa''. ''They cannot quite play as well as him, but they really try to. And they have in no small way been inspired by HM the King's love for jazz.''

He says that Thai jazz artists have improved greatly over the last decade, largely due to Bangkok universities starting jazz programmes.

''Most of the young people who record in my studios play pop and rock. But jazz is a bit more popular now because it is possible to play and learn it at a higher level, such as Mahidol University and Rangsit University,'' he said. ''Because Pop is so young, he attracts many teenage jazz guitarists to emulate his sound and style.''

On a recent weekday afternoon at Sarasas Ektra, Pop was challenging his already talented students to play on an even higher level.

After contributing her part to a vibrant version of modern jazzwoman Hiromi Uehara's catchy Time Out with her classmates and band members, drummer Naivrueporn said, ''Pop has taught me about how to be a member of a band.''

GENERATIONAL JAM: Veteran jazz musician Tewan Sapsanyakorn and Pop.

Guitarist Punyapat, another member of the six-student band, echoed that, saying ''Pop teaches us not just to make nice sounds, but to learn how to make music as a team. In this jazz programme we are given a foundation in music theory, scales and arpeggio, which basically deals with notes and chords. Guitar jazz music is easy on the ear but hard to play. It's about imagination and creativity. A song is different every time you play it. Pop tells us, 'You don't have to be the best. Just try to do better each time.'''

And Tayakorn, who mans the bass, says, ''Pop encourages us to make friends with other musicians so we can learn from them.

''Every year, there seems to be a little more interest in jazz among young Thais.''

Since 1998, at least three Bangkok universities _ Rangsit, Mahidol and Silpakorn _ have created jazz programmes in their music departments.

''It's only been possible to learn jazz guitar for the last decade or so in Thailand, because of a few dedicated teachers like Dr Denny Euprasert, dean of music studies at Rangsit University,'' says Pop's father, who teaches classic guitar, while his son teaches jazz guitar.

Pop and Tewan reckon that Sarasas Ektra is one of only a few high schools in Thailand with a jazz programme.

Mr Denny says that the programme at Sarasas Ektra is one of the best in the country, including those offered at private schools. ''I first heard Pop play seven years ago at a music competition at Rangsit,'' says Mr Denny. ''Even then he was already an up-and-coming player. I knew he was really outstanding. I offered him a scholarship right away, as he showed great promise. And he's such a good teacher.''

Pop has recorded one album so far, as a member of the Thai jazz-pop outfit April Wednesday, which is best known for the songs Sing Tee Ror Koy (Waiting For Something), which is about hoping for love, and Chai Ogat Pluang which can roughly be translated as ''Too Many Opportunities to Spend Lavishly''. The band was active from 2007 to 2011 and is mulling getting back together for a few reunion concerts.

''I also want to do some fusion music, mixing standard jazz with Thai instruments like the ranad [xylophone] and kuey [flute],'' says Pop, who was inspired by Tewan's similar earlier efforts to fuse Western and Eastern styles. He hopes to put out a new album before year's end, featuring solo works as well as a few numbers with Tewan.

After their recent jam, Tewan called Pop the next day to see if he was interested in putting on a concert, starring the two of them. Pop has also recently been in contact with the masterful Thai saxophonist Koh Mr Saxman; the two, who have jammed together a few times, are also considering recording a few songs as a duo.

Pop has also jammed with many top foreign artists, such as the saxophone player from the Glenn Miller Orchestra from Los Angeles and the double bassist from the Dutch Swing College Band.

''Before the turn of the 21st century, in Thailand jazz was seen as something for old men. The Bangkok jazz scene was pretty much limited to Saxophone, Brown Sugar and a few other clubs and hotels,'' says Pop's father. ''But now jazz is now being passed on to the next generation, which can play really skillfully. It used to be that jazz musicians could make 2,000 baht a night in Bangkok hotels. Now there are many decent young Thai jazz artists who are happy to make 1,000 baht a night. Today you have many good young Thai guys playing jazz. That wasn't the case a decade ago.

''Jazz is definitely more popular now than in the past. But it is still mostly foreigners who listen to jazz in Bangkok hotels, although many Thais also go to hear jazz at places like Saxophone, Brown Sugar or Shanghai Mansion.''

Reflecting the rise in jazz music in Thailand since around the turn of the century has been the formation of annual jazz festivals in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin. Pop has played in all of them over the years.

''I learned how to play pop and rock 'n' roll from Dad, but mostly jazz,''says the young guitarist, who also coaxes smooth sounds out of the drums, bass and double bass. ''I learned jazz in grades seven to 12 with Dad in our home in Phetchaburi. I've been playing jazz since I was 13. Before that, Dad travelled around Thailand for a living, playing jazz, so I didn't see him often. Dad played jazz in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and elsewhere.''

''Improvisation is very important in jazz, but you also need to know music theory.''

Pop aspires to study towards a doctorate in music studies with a focus on jazz in the US, either in the Berklee College of Music in Boston or the University of Northern Colorado, which have music programmes that are among the best in the country.

''If you want to know about jazz in Thailand, you need to come to Bangkok. But if you really want to learn how to play jazz on the highest level, you need to go to its birth land, America.''

After studying there, Pop is keen on doing his part to make sure that interest in jazz keeps growing in his country as well.

Pop and his father play every Tuesday to Saturday evening at the Chatrium Hotel Riverside, near Charoen Krung Soi 70. The trio, which also features a soulful songstress, perform standards such as 'All of Me' and 'The Girl From Ipanema'.

Pop's student Naivrueporn on the drums. Bassist Tayakorn and Punyapat on the electric guitar in Pop's jazz class. Pop oversees students at Sarasas Ektra School.

Bangkok Post online classifieds

Try buying selling goods and properties 24/7 in our classifieds which has high purchasing power local expatriate audience from within Thailand and around the world.

Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/16/lord-of-the-strings/