CLA Studio

Parker, Beau and I went to visit the CLA Studio today near the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, of which I have read and seen a film about but have yet to visit. The studio is tucked away in the middle of an apartment building on a dirt backstreet in Phnom Penh. It has served to record many Cambodian traditional musicians and ensembles over the past couple years, including three new albums about to be released on the CLA label. The sign outside is amusing, though it speaks to the mission of CLA:


The inside of the studio is simple and functional, if a tad disorganized:


And there was a tro sau lying around that I tried to play. It's quite similar to the Chinese erhu, though with a slighter huskier and rougher tone:


While at the studio, I had the chance to listen to some of the recordings they had on file. The quality is excellent, although some recording glitches are still present. Beau burned a CD for me of as sampling of traditional genres. I'm still trying to figure out what kind of music I will pursue study in. At this point, I am particularly interested in smot, a vocal form of funeral music. It may sound morbid to you, but the music is haunting, soulful and meditative, and I am curious to learn more about it.