the living compilation

PINOY GROOVE EXPERIENCE (Philippine Popular Music Revisited):

Sharon Cuneta - “Kung Ako’y” from DJ’s PET (1978)

First PGE post in ages.

Not much to say.  From the Philippine’s “Megastar” on her first record, DJ’s PET in 1978.  She was 12.  

Recorded in the milieu of the Manila Sound era but still wrapped in the warmth of the hazy sun of Philippine 60’s and early 70’s folk pop.  Written by the Pinoy Folk Rock duo Verde and Clarino (Tass Verdeflor and Len Clarino).  Something comforting about this song.  It’s at the junction of Pinoy Folk and the Manila Sound.  The acoustic guitar and string arrangement is at one with the dreamy keyboards and persistent bassline.  Add Mega’s doe eyed cooing and it’s all funky and sweet.  Maybe there’s just an inherent sadness and blurry eyed longing when I hear anything Philippines circa 1978.  

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.