Silk=Soie

Khon Kaen Silk Festival
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A khene player in
Isan
Mor lam (
Thai
/
Isan
:
หมอลำ, IPA:
[ˌmɔːlɑm]
)[
need tone
] is an ancient
Lao
form of
song
in
Laos
and
Isan
.
Mor lam means expert song, or expert singer, referring to the music or artist respectively. Other
romanisations
used include
mo lam,
maw lam,
maw lum,
moh lam and
mhor lum. In
Laos, the music is known simply as
lam (ລຳ);
mor lam (ໝໍລຳ) refers to the singer.
The characteristic feature of
lam singing is the use of a flexible melody which is tailored to the
tones
of the words in the text. Traditionally, the tune was developed by the singer as an interpretation of
glawn
poems and accompanied primarily by the
khene
, a
free reed
mouth organ, but the modern form is most often
composed
and uses electrified
instruments
. Contemporary forms of the music are also characterised by quick
tempi
and rapid delivery, while tempi tend to be slower in traditional forms and in some
Lao
genres. Some consistent characteristics include strong rhythmic accompaniment, vocal leaps, and a conversational style of singing that can be compared to American
rap
.
Typically featuring a theme of unrequited
love
,
mor lam also reflects the difficulties of life in rural Isan and
Laos, leavened with wry
humour
. In its heartland performances are an essential part of festivals and ceremonies, while the music has gained a profile outside its native regions thanks to the spread of migrant workers, for whom it remains an important
cultural
link with home.