Asto Na Pai

The story of Asto Na Pai – Part III

The band toured around Thailand playing in festivals such as Underwater festival in Kho Tao, Reggae festival back in Pai and twice they played in the World Music festival in Bangkok. Musicians were always travelling in and out of the group (Pin was travelling a lot at the time), which effectively meant that percussion sounds, for one, were reducing, but then drummer Kai from East Germany joined the group bringing more modern rhythms like drum and base, reggae and hip hop, so Asto Na Pai adapted the music from the pre-existing gypsy feel. Meanwhile Jack from Thailand began to play the bass so gradually the group changed from a sitting down band, gypsy style, to more musicians standing up giving an even more up beat feel than ever before.

Gianni and Tsoi also joined the group as singers. Gianni, like Vassilio and Andreas, was from Greece. Tsoi was from Korea and she added her own Korean version to some of the songs, like Latino Di Balkan. Thus began her ever-glowing career in singing, which continues in Korea to this day. Tiery from France and Dimitris from Greece later joined in, all at different periods of the history of Asto Na Pai.

In the period of 2008 to 2009, Pin, who is also a very adept sound engineer, returned from his home in Australia to help spark the recording of a new album. The music returned to the feel of world music again, with lyrics now already established and sung in various languages including Greek, Spanish and Korean. The recording sound was now clearer and more professional as Pin brought his own studio to Thailand, thereby achieving better quality of sound. The resulting album is titled “Share the Sun”, also not currently available, though soon to change status. The idea was always to ‘enjoy and share the moment under the sun’!

Asto Na Pai continued to change forms and experiment with rhythms as fantastical percussionist Gui brought his brew of African drums and more percussion were added to the mix. To this day, Gui and Vassilio share a special inter-connection on stage, the sight and feel of which blows audiences away and sweeps anyone managing to still sit, off their chair and up on the dance floor. Asto Na Pai are still recording anywhere and everywhere in Thailand and with technology advancing and musicians bravely catching up, more recording work is being accomplished even through the internet.

At the moment, Ereenie from Greece is singing with Asto Na Pai and the recording of the Greek version of Latino Di Balkan is nearly finished. She is also adding her own special blend of lyrics and melodies, creating together with Vassilio new vibrant songs. The latest, “O Psaronikolas” is about Vassilio’s grandfather, who, even in his old age, was a walking legend among the ladies back in his home village, despite having only one leg left!

Dido from China is  also lending her voice to the band, adding Chinese lyrics to some of the songs. George, a good friend of Vassilio with years of experience in filming, is offering his knowledge and expertise by filming and producing Asto Na Pai gigs. Videos and photos will soon be published on our site.

Further information regarding new gigs will be published on this site and within our newsletter as we go along. Feel free to subscribe to our monthly newsletter and all upcoming gigs will arrive promptly at your inbox so that you don’t miss any of our gigs in your area! For more information on what Asto Na Pai are doing now click here.

Asto Na Pai say embrace, share and enjoy the moment under the sun (or below the stars!) and aaasto na pai, file!