His Majesty is a world-renowned musician, composer, arranger and performer. At the age of 13, he took his first lesson in classical music when he was in Switzerland, but jazz and contemporary sounds caught his fancy.

He began playing the alto and soprano saxophone to the recordings of such jazz musicians as Johnny Hodges and Sidney Bechet, but Dixieland jazz became his favourite.

At 18, he composed his first work, "Saeng Tien", a blues number that was given the English title "Candlelight Blues".

To date he has composed 48 songs. With their "sing-along" tunes and meaningful words, his compositions are close to the hearts of the Thai people.

These royal songs are performed and sung everywhere, at grand concerts, in dance halls and at home.

Genx Academy and Platinum Marketing and Distribution Co Ltd, which are jointly implementing the "HM Blues project", have come up with two albums to celebrate Father's Day.

"Ruam Botpleng Phra Rajanipon Chabub Somboon" offers remastered versions of all 48 of His Majesty's songs and is produced by National Artist Second Lieutenant Manrat Srikaranonda and his son, Pathorn.

"Rong Banleng Pleng Khong Phor" features 26 songs rearranged in a variety of styles. "Oh I Say" gets the rock treatment, "Dream Island" goes reggae, "Near Dawn" has Latin beats, while "Candlelight Blues" is gospel. The idea is to attract young people, so covering the tracks are such big names as Nuvo, T-Bone, Nop Pornchamni, Amphon Lamphoon, B5, Sobchai Kraiyoonsen, Anchalee Chongkhadeekij and Sirilak Pongchoke.

RS, one of the Kingdom's major recording companies, celebrates Father's Day with "Look Khong Phor", a compilation of 10 newly written songs featuring more than 60 artists.

The album opens with the title track, to which all of the singers lend their voices, and follows with "Pai Ruam Kor", a song about unity that combines sounds from the four regions of the Kingdom. The other stand-out track is "Khid Thueng Phor", a number that explores how men feel about their fathers.

Metro CD-Tape 1981 Co's "60 Years, 60 Millions for Goodness", in celebration of His Majesty's 60 years as King, comes in both CD and VCD format.

Songs on the CD include "Phor Chao Yoo Hua Khong Noo", "Phra Ming Khwan", "Palang Haeng Phaendin" and "Phoo Nam Haeng Cheewit", and the crooners include veteran vocalists Nakorn Thanomsap, Srisupang Insai, Chai Muangsing, Chomchai Arunchan and Kanyarat Kuisuwan.  The VCD shows scenes of His Majesty's coronation ceremony and his trips around the country.

"Song Phra Charoen" is a three-VCD box set featuring more than 50 patriotic songs, including "Muang Fah Muang Din" and "Rak Ther Prathet Thai", songs of reverence ("Phor Haeng Chart", "Nueng Nai Loke" and "Khunnatham See Prakarn"), and the King's instruction ("Yod Nam Chao Phya", "Thin Thai Ngarm" and "Jong Tham Dee"). The soundtrack accompanies images of the King.

The numbers are performed by the Sunthraporn Big Band with veteran vocalists Nakorn Thanomsap, Suthep Wongkamhaeng, Saowalee Pakapan and Daojai Paijit. The box set comes with a special "Song Phra Charoen"-patterned pin.

New music company, Hitman, which distributes foreign music, has come up with "A Father's Love" - a selection of songs originally released for the American "Golden Dads" campaign, as part of the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Phil Collins, Smokey Robinson, Dave Koz and Jon Secada are among the artists covering such standards as "You Touch My Heart", "When Scarlet Smiles", "Baby, That's My Job", "You'll Be in My Heart" and "You Are So Beautiful".

Indie label Luck Music offers two tracks, "Rak Khong Phor" sung by Chollnaj Limthai, about a father's great love, and "Khong Khwan Khong Phor" sung by Yollada Bunkhun, about a father's kindness and relating to the King's sufficiency economy theory.

The albums are available at all major music stores and other outlets.

Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul

The Nation