Paul Ponnudorai: Right On Time (Ethnobeat)
Hello everybody, todays article is abaout PAUL Ponnudorai. You know, he was just featured very impressively in the latest issue of Time magazine.
Right On Time is this Malaysian musician’s debut album, recorded and produced in mid-2005 and now re-released and available throughout Southeast Asia.
The 15-track delight of 14 interpretations and one original (the instrumental, Henry Koh’s Lullaby) opens with the gospel number, Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jericho. It’s a rollicking version that showcases both his fretboard virtuosity as well as his wide-ranging vocals, quite an introduction to what the rest of the album is about.
Ponnudorai’s magic is how he interprets the hits because none of them sound like the originals. He doesn’t cover anything and it’s not a do-you-have-any-requests outing. It’s the Malaysian guitarman sounding just like he would at any pub show, minus the irritating, annoying chatter.
Right On Time is unadulterated Paul Ponnudorai at his best, and what you’d need to do is sit down and get blown away by his sheer artistic genius.
What’s amazing about this studio effort produced by European guitarist Enrico Crivellaro is that all 15 tracks are one-take performances. There was no going back to redo a line, no heavy mixing; just Ponnudorai having fun. You could almost hear him say: “Hey, it’s my way or the highway!”
On Right On Time, this Ipoh-born, KL-bred fretboard virtuoso takes you on a journey, not just of the hits of several decades, but of their musical influences, too.
You can hear Jose Feliciano somewhere in there, Chet Atkins in The Theme From The Godfather, Jerry Reed in Sitting On Top Of The World (a live pub recording), a little Joao Gilberto and Carlos Jobim, and some awe-inspiring flamenco-ish strumming, too.
Ponnudorai’s forte is that he can switch grooves in midstream, always keeping you entertained and excited, following him on one of his heavenly-inspired escapades.
Halfway through Speak Softly Love, just as he clicks from a contemporary, predictable reading to a Chet Atkins country-jazz canter, you virtually detect the Ponnudorai glint as the guitarman knows he’s got you grooving along.
Crivellaro’s production is clean, allowing the guitar work to come across very crisp and the rough edges of the artiste’s vocals to cut through naturally.
Don’t feel embarrassed if you suddenly find yourself whooping or applauding after one of Ponnudorai’s solos. That’s the effect the album has on you.
Tracks include Can’t Buy Me Love, Misty, Delta Dawn, One Room Country Shack, Killing Me Softly, House Of The Rising Sun and Five Hundred Miles.
