The Full Story
Dr. Pathorn is no stranger to the music scenes in Thailand as he is the forth generation musicain. His legacy started with his great grandfather though the records are a little more harder to find. So we will start with the founder of the Kitasewi Band.
1920s - 1930s
Kitasewi Band, founded by Reinaldo Sequeira (whose father, Laurenco, an immigrant from Portugal, founded the Bangkok Philharmonic Society), started off not as a jazz band but composed mainly with strings . Its members were mainly expats in Thailand which gives them connection to the American delegations in Bangkok.
The American promoted dance music throughout this region and absorbed the way to play the Jazz Big Band Dance music from them. During this time Reinaldo’s son began to train under Kotasewi. However, the band was disbanded after Raynaldo was held captive as POW from the outbreak of the World War 2.
1950s - 1970s
Manrat Srikaranonda continue his father the legacy following the latter’s death after the war. Under his leadership, the band produced many recordings and performed many music battles with other popular bands.
The band became very popular during that period until Manrat was tapped to join the Lay Kram Band (and later evolved to become the famous Au Sau Friday Band) under the leadership of the late King Bhumibol and ended Kitasewi’s era.
Under Au Sau Friday Band, its members started to train Manrat’s son, Pathorn to play jazz.
2010 - Present
Originally known as the Jazzminions to mimic the comical sense of the New Orleans Jazz scene, Pathorn recruited and guided young musicians to play traditional jazz.
As the direction of the band begins to change, Pathorn resurrected the Kitasewi not only to carry on the legacy of his family, but also to infuse the Thai essence into the jazz music as well.
Under Pathorn’s guidance, the band plays many styles of jazz from the New Orleans style jazz to the modern jazz.