the living compilation

“Joe Cruz & The Cruzettes “The Manila Hotel” (1976)

Philippine show band. Latin tinged. Funky lounge. 

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE (Philippine Popular Music Revisited):

Barrabás  - “Sexy Lady” (1976) from Watch Out

Barrabás was a Spanish band formed by drummer Fernando Arbex in the early 70’s.  The band also featured Ignacio Egana on bass, Juan Vidal on keys, Tito Duarte on percussion and two Filipino brothers named Ricky and Miguel Morales on guitar and vocals.  They were originally more of the funkier Spanish version of Santana but eventually gained underground attention after Disco pioneer David Mancuso discovered their first LP at a record store in Amsterdam and began regularly playing “Wild Safari” and “Woman” at his legendary Loft parties during the embryonic stages of Disco in New York.

“Sexy Lady” is a track written and sung by, although not the main lead singer, Miguel Morales.  From their 1976 record Watch Out.  It’s a honey of a mid tempo groover with a relentless Herbie Hancock-esque hook and sweet falsetto vocals by Morales.

Don’t know much more about the Morales brothers, but it’s another example of Pinoys contributing to music scenes across the globe.  Even if they get stuck in the shadows (see pic below of the Morales brothers in the back row on the right)

Barrabás - Wild Safari (LP Back Cover) - 1972

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE (Philippine Popular Music Revisited):

Boy Katindig - “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” (1981) from Midnight Lady

Just a quick PGE post for this Saturday (err Sunday morning) from Boy Katindig.  Part of a long lineage of great Pinoy jazz musicians, Boy’s 1981 Midnight Lady featured some nice fusion funk pieces (“Language of Love” and “Midnight Lady”) but right now I’m feeling his version of the Skip Yarborough penned track “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” made famous by The Emotions and recorded by countless others.

For those who need a little Rhodes in their life right now.  Beautiful work on the Rhodes and mini-Moog by Boy that conjures up some of the best work by Bob James on CTI.  He’s a keyboard master and one of the legends of Manila Latin Jazz.

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE (Philippine Popular Music Revisited):

The Reycards “Let It Be Me” (1977)

The Reycards were Rey Ramirez and Carding Castro and they were one of the most popular acts of the late 50’s and early 60’s in the Manila club scene.  Rey was the suave crooner and Carding was the comic relief who also had considerable singing chops.  Check the album cover and see if you can tell which is which. They were actually one of the opening acts, along with Dolphy & Panchito and Pilita Corrales, for The Beatles during that group’s historic and disastrous 1966 trip to the Philippines.  The Reycards toured internationally and made a particularly big splash in Las Vegas.  They eventually relocated there permanently in the late 60’s and became bankable headliners.

“Let It Be Me” is off their 1977 album IN MANILA and is a cover of a track made famous in the US by The Everly Brothers.  The song is actually a French song called “Je t’appartiens,” recorded by Gilbert Bécaud, written by Bécaud and Pierre Delanoë.  Typically a ballad, this version is distinctly a Vegas show stopper, but features a pretty nice rhythm track and solid break just before the Tagalog verse. Try listening to this song while walking to the corner coffee shop.  It’s pretty darn irresistible.   

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE (Philippine Popular Music Revisited):

Anthony Castelo “Kailangan Ba” (1978)

Anointed “The Philippines’ King of Love Songs,” Anthony Castelo began his career as a member of vocal groups from Philippines and eventually in Los Angeles, California.  His pleasing baritone and, most likely, his very agreeable good looks caught the attention of the Philippine recording industry.  Among those was Tito Sotto, who was the executive producer on Castelo’s 1978 self titled LP on Sunshine Records through Vicor Music Corporation.  

I found this record on a thrift store dig.  When I finally had a chance to listen to it I went straight to “Kailangan Ba” because the previous owner had put a check mark next to it.  Good call, previous owner.  I never heard the song before, but something about it I found infectious beyond nostalgia.  1978 was the year I left Philippines for the US.  Maybe I did hear this song as a kid.  Feels like I did.  A muffled jeepney stereo driving through Quezon City?  Piped through the SM PA system, perhaps?

Primarily a crooner of love ballads, Castelo set aside the histrionics and concocted a breezy late 70’s gem.  ”Kailangan Ba” has an easy going melody and airy lyrics that is quintessentially Pinoy Pop elevated by a summery groove and a delectable keyboard break at the 2:10 mark.  Despite the subject matter of a lover leaving one for another, the track has a head out the car window vibe that is undeniable.  

Hope you enjoy.  More music to come.

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE (Philippine Popular Music Revisited):

Bong Penera “Sa Dako Pa Roon ” (1980)

From 1996 - 2006, Bong Penera, the Philippine’s pre-eminent Jazz/Samba/Bossa Nova purveyor of the late 70’s graced the 88 keys not in some grand hall or national institution, but rather the Nordstroms at Woodfield Mall in Shaumburg, Illinois.  While the oblivious well-to-do shoppers of the high end department store browsed for a new pair of deck shoes or a smart cardigan, an oft forgotten national treasure of the Philippines was playing “One Note Samba” on the Baby Grand by the escalator well in men’s furnishings.  

In Philippines during the late 70’s and early 80’s, Bong was the lone word in Brazillian jazz.  With his band, Batucada, Penera produced essential Philippine jazz records A SAMBA SONG, BATUCADA SA CALESA and BONG PENERA.  His compositions have been re-recorded by many artists and at one point he was considered to be for Philippine music what Lino Brocka was to Philippine movies.

By the mid-80’s, Penera hit the international circuit eventually settling in the jazz rich city of Chicago.

His first LP is highly sought after by crate diggers and has brought in upwards of $500.00 on Ebay.  While the Brazilian music craze of the early 2000’s looked towards new output from Brazil as well as its back catalog and new artists coming from US and Japan, the rest of the world seemed to have missed out on a golden chance to re-discover Penera’s music.   Meanwhile, he’s still playing regularly in Chicago.

Look for SAMBA THROUGH LIFE: THE BEST OF BONG PENERA on Penny Rose Records.

Taken from his self-titled third LP, Jazz/Samba/Bossa legend Bong Penera’s “Sa Dako Pa Roon” has a timeless sound.  A cool and steady Bossa/Samba groove with Penera’s Jobim-esque vocals singing in Tagalog.  When that tambourine comes in 1/3 of the way, it’s hard not to dance.  I’ll post the reprise version on my next post.  A darker version with a child (or child like) vocals.  That is also equally irresistible.    

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE: Philippine Popular Music Revisited

Vilma Santos “Ooh, Lonesome Me” (1971)

*Will be attempting to post more music regularly and not over think it.  Just Filipino music that makes me happy.

A dubbed out, psych, Phil Spector-esque version of the Don Gibson country classic by the 1960’s Philippine child star.

Vilma Santos starred in films since the age of 9 and eventually became a matinée idol in her teens.  Although not blessed with the most accomplished singing voice, a recording career soon followed.  500,000 copies of her debut “16” in 1968 made sure more records would follow.  Mostly singing covers of American songs and doing so with her thin heavily accented voice.  Most of her music has long been cast aside as novelty, especially after she established her acclaimed acting career.  The dismissal, however may be largely due to the unfair mockery of anyone who speaks English with a heavy Filipino accent.  This seemingly common reality has been mined for comedic material for years in the Philippines.

True, most of her music is really just fluff, but most are fun fluff.  Jaunty pop concoctions created with some talented musicians and producers of the era.  Utilizing all sorts of genres ranging from Psychedelic Pop to Country & Western while using source materials by Burt Bacharach or Phil Spector.  She also does a great Ska version of the classic “My Boy Lollipop” by way of Barbie Gaye through Millie Small that I will someday post here.

I chose “Ooh, Lonesome Me” first because I just find the barrage of jangly guitars and trippy echo layers along with Ate Vi’s unmistakable vocals to be completely charming and quirky.  Good innocent fun. 

THE MIXTAPE

1. “Ooh, Lonesome Me” - Vilma Santos
2. “My Boy Lollipop” - Vilma Santos
3. 16 - Vilma Santos
4. GUY & PIP - Nora Aunor
5. DJ’S PET - Sharon Cuneta
6. HIGH SCHOOL - Sharon Cuneta

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE:

Celeste Legaspi “Pag-Ibig Na Lubus-Lubos” (1976)

(PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE:Philippine Popular Music Revisited)

On the record sleeve of CELESTE, a collection of covers from English to Tagalog by singer and stage performer Celeste Legaspi, translator and Artistic Director of Teatro Pilipino of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Rolando S. Tinio states that “Translating foreign pop songs into Pilipino is not intended as an exercise in fadmongering or yellow music-making.  Rather, it is an attempt to fill up the Pilipino ear with insights into common experience, nuances of thought and feeling…The purpose of translation is not to stifle or replace original creation, but to open doors and windows for native genius by showing new possibilities and approaches for the Pilipino creator.”

Sure, but it also shows this Pilipino singer getting down on the Roberta Flack classic “I Feel Like Making Love” like you can’t believe.  The LP also features a lovely version of “Loving You” by Minnie Ripperton.  All in Tagalog and groovy as heck.

I played this song once in a conference full of college kids.  A couple of them walked up to me and said “I’ve never heard a Filipino song sound like that.  Wow, it’s cool.”   Paging Mr. Tinio!  Sounds like Pilipino ears in the States needs some insights too.

Love this version.  Celeste Legaspi’s voice is one of the strongest and purest in Philippine pop in the 70’s and 80’s.  Wish these great singers delved more into soul instead of the standard concert ballads that has become the norm.  Great stuff though and the production in the 70’s in the Philippines were on it.

THE MIXTAPE:

1. Pag-Ibig Na Lubus-Lubos - Celeste Legaspi
2. Damdamin - Didith Reyes
3. Ang Tangi Kong Pag-Ibig - Eva Eugenio
4. Love On Your Mind - Sharon Cuneta
5. Feel Like Making Love - Roberta Flack
6. Neither One Of Us - Rico J. Puno
7. Irog Ko - Celeste Legaspi
8. Loving You - Minnie Ripperton
9. Neither One of Us - Gladys Knight and the Pips

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1970’s Philippines.  Martial Law.  The Manila Sound.  Making diversions funky and smooth.  Collected and mixed from all vinyl by joel quiz.

HAJJI - Ako Pa Rin 
ABC EXPRESS - Gustong-Gusto Kita 
BLACKBUSTER - Shotgun Shuffle 
VST and COMPANY - Disco Fever 
ELLA DEL ROSARIO - Shake It Baby 
SOLID BAND - Walang Sigla 
YOLLY SAMSON - Inibig Ka 
BOYFRIENDS - Palikero 
HALIK - Suplado Ka 
BLACK OPINION - Bahay Yugyugan 
HANGMEN - Let’s Boogie Now 
BOYFRIENDS - Seksing-Sexy 
HAGIBIS - Katawan 
NANNETTE - Ganyang Lang Ang Pag-Ibig 
RICO J. PUNO - Selos

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