Every once in a while an album arrives that not only sounds great, but from the cover you can tell holds an interesting back story. Ko Aunt Gyi (also spelt Ant Gyi, Ank Gyi) was born in 1924 and was a popular singer of classic Burmese songs. This recording also features Latin, jazz, Hawaiian and American country influences. There is a photograph of two Americans playing guitar and banjo on the back cover, but it's not clear if they are actually featured on any of the recordings, while on the front cover, Aunt Gyi looks like he is holding a Japanese shamisen, but doesn't appear to play it on any of the tracks. At some point it seems Aunt Gyi was outed as being gay and was banished from the Burmese entertainment world. He passed away in June 2017, aged 94, and then three volumes of his best recordings have since been released including this one. A wondeful mix of Burmese instruments and styles with piano and guitar. You can listen to one track from the album and watch a wonderful video, featuring the same American musicians as on the back cover, that was filmed in 1961, so probably around the same period as many of the tracks on this album were recorded.
1. Sein Lei Kan Thar 2. When New Rain is Being 3. Talent & Outstanding 4. Three Seasons 5. Smile 6. Water Festival 7. Struggle 8. Only Her 9. Destiny 10. King of Life 11. Pretty 12. Sound Youth
