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.  

RAKENROL AFTER PARTY - May 4, 2011 | LAAPFF 2011 | Live Mix by joel quiz

Here is my live (rough) mix from the recent after party for the Rakenrol screening at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on .  Recorded by Un-G (Gary Gabisan).

Courtesy of http://superastig.com/

It’s a jumbled mix of Pinoy Rock, Punk, Soul and Disco.  All vinyl.

Set List:

• Please - Sing A Simple Song
• Mike Hanopol - Laki Sa Layaw
• Pepe Smith - Sa’ Yo
• Urban Bandits - Hoy
• Sampaguita - Easy Pare
• Haji - Stevie Wonder Medley
• Anthony Castelo - Kailangan Ba
• Celeste Legaspi - Pag-Ibig Na Lubus-Lubos
• Tribe - Siggy Siggy
• Barabas - Wild Safari
• Black Opinion - Bahay Yugyugan
• Soul Jugglers - Hanggang Magdamag
• Ella Del Rosario - Shake It Baby
• The Skyflakes - Meathead

photos by Gary Gabisan

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):

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.

BEAT SOUL FUNK: The Pinoy Groove Experience 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Originally posted on March 3, 2008 on UpsetterSound.com’s Los Relics Radio curated by good friend filmmaker, DJ, musician, urban scholar, neophyte skater and family man Lakandiwa de Leon.  His call out to selector friends to make mixes to share for Los Relics allowed me to share my growing collection of Pinoy (Filipino) centric records.  Not a lot of venues I can play VST or Eva Eugenio, but I can always play Bataan or Barabas though.  Although I once played a Black Opinion (Philippine Funk-Disco band) track at a club but no one noticed or realized it was in tagalog, not even Apl de Ap, who walked in on the empty club as I started my set.  Alas, “Bebot” is not in this mix.

So, one restless night at 2am I started pulling records of varying styles, origins, languages and eras but all had one thing in common, all were made by Filipinos (full blooded or not) whether solo or part of the band.  Whether it was the Morales brothers as part of Spain’s psych-funk band Barabas or Afro-Filipino Joe Bataan from Spanish Harlem, beat music from the Rocky Fellers in the US or Jaime Salazar from Cebu, Philippine dream pop from Rey Valera or blissful 70’s pop from Apo Hiking Society and Cinderella, or from the Bay Area, soul wailer Sugar Pie DeSanto and ethno-funk heavies Dakila, all of them Pinoys and all make up this diasporic mixtape.

Two years after recording this rambling and rather technically flawed mix I have made it somewhat of a mission to help re-introduce Philippine popular music to an audience that would not normally seek them out as well as re-contextualize the music for people to appreciate and enjoy again or for the first time.  A tad grandiose, but I will attempt to, at least.

One funky track at a time if I have to! ;-)

Anyways, hope you check it out and share it with friends.

THE CURRENT AND FUTURE MIXTAPE:

1. BEAT SOUL FUNK: The Pinoy Groove Experience
2. DISCOMANILA
3. PINOY ROCK
4. PINOY LOUNGE
5. PINOY FOLK
6. PINOY JAZZ