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Laos is dominated by the Lao, and includes minorities of Hmong and Mien, among others. The most distinctive Laotian musical instrument is a type of bamboo pipe called a khaen. The instrument was supposedly invented by a woman trying to imitate the calls of the garawek bird. The woman took the new instrument to her king, and he told her it was fair, but that he wanted more. She modified the instrument and he replied "Tia nee khaen dee" (this time it was better).
Ensembles typically include two singers (mor lam, the same term referring to the genre of music), a khaen player (mor khaen), and other instruments including fiddles, flutes and bells. Music varies widely across Laos, with the lam saravane style being most popular, while the city of Luang Prabang is known for a slow form called khaplam wai. An extremely popular form developed in Thailand is called mor lam sing, and is faster and electrified.
In the 1960s, Thai lam nu and lam ploen contributed to the development of lam luang, which is a form of loose song and dance, often with narrative lyrics.
References
- Clewley, John. "Beyond Our Khaen". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 170-174. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
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