Just found out about Jonny Olsen. He first went to Thailand in 2003 and fell in love with khene music, the traditional instrumental music of Lao and NE Thailand (Isaan). He has since become so great at playing the khene that he has even won contests in Thailand.
VOA has a report on Jonny, who will be kicking off his first US tour
2008-0214 - VOA - Ketsana Promotes Jonny Olsen's New Lao Music Album
http://www.voanews.com/lao
Ketsana Promotes Jonny Olsen's New Lao Music Album
By Dara Baccam
14/02/2008
Lao-American artist Ketsana Vilaylack, who was dubbed "Lao Madonna" when she first started singing in Chicago in mid-1980 and since then has released nine albums--mostly in English, took a break from her 20-year career, to manage and helped American artist Jonny Olsen in the production of his all Lao Folk Songs album, "Jonny Yak Pen Kon Lao."
21 year-old Jonny Olsen first saw and bought a replica of Laos' national musical instrument, the Khene, during a trip to Thailand in 2003. He fell in love with it and was so excited to play it. Upon returning to the U.S,. he got a real khene as a gift from some friends who saw his excitement and eagerness. Jonny went back to Thailand, found a teacher to teach him to better play the khene and sing in Lao. After a few months, he released his first album called "Fa Rang Yak Pen Moh Lum," in 2005.
Jonny wanted to make and all-Lao folksong album, so he searched the Internet and found Ketsana, who agreed to help him and became his manager. Ketsana sent Jonny to Laos, where he stayed for 3-4 months with popular Lao singer Daraphet and her family, making his album with Daraphet's son Mee of Mega Studio, who is a producer and sound engineer.
Jonny's latest album is due to come out this weekend, and Jonny will kick off his USA tour promoting it in Seattle at the Hollywood Casino on Saturday, Februay 16.
1 comment:
I really like the sound of the Khene! Thanks for introducing both it and Jonny to us. :-)
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