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For the past 20 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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Good artists can come up with great work using whatever is needed. But great artists can come up with great work with whatever is left.
Such is the story of The Kuwagos.
The genesis of this Bergenfield, New Jersey quartet made up of vocalist/guitarist & chief songsmith Gatchie Ignacio, lead guitarist Mark Anthony Lopez, bassist Rommel Kabigting, and drummer Marc Dunhill Lacsamana, is the typical ‘we met in a Jersey high school’ story. Their origin as a band goes along the same lines as their life story here in America.
None of the Kuwagos were born in the US, and all of them still have strong family ties back in the home country.
And unlike most Fil Am bands who can pretty much gear themselves from head to toe, the Kuwagos are regular working class immigrants, who still send money back to the homeland to make their relatives’ lives more comfortable. For that reason, most of the Kuwagos’ songs were written, played and recorded using borrowed equipment and rented time.
Yet at last, finally, they are releasing their self-titled album. - The Kuwagos.
It is an album done in the middle of double-jobs, diaper changes and hurried remittances - obra de amor. But still, it is an album of enormous quality and promising potential.
When listening to their album, one cannot question the sincerity of the material. It is a CD seething with Filipino reality. The band and the music is as Pinoy as Balut. They are a living, breathing Botong Francisco mural. A walking version of the Sarao Jeepney.
In the album opener ‘ Gusto Mo’, Ignacio relates how he pleases his woman by juggling two jobs and cooking steamed rice for her. It is a song that all Pinoy immigrants could relate to, instantly.
And in the song, ‘Tabo’, Ignacio supposes that all Filipinos living in America, without a doubt, uses a ‘Tabo’ - a small dipper used to scoop water for bathing. Filipinos in the homeland use it to effectively clean themselves with minimal water consumption. Undoubtedly, even the Philippine president knows what Ignacio is talking about.
By any means, the Kuwagos debut is not a politically-charged recording. Neither is it a collection of serious patriotic marches. It is a fun rock n’ roll record. Think Yano and in New York. It is simply real Fil Am music.
The Kuwagos created perhaps one of the first albums to catalog the real Filipino-American experience in a light yet poignant way.
It is so honest, catchy and great in-spite of the fact that they only wrote and recorded it with whatever is left.
Album launch will be on January 27, 2007 at Wazzup Cafe - 8 Bedford Ave, Bergenfield, NJ. 7:00 PM
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NEW YORK - One of the most endearing Filipina singer-songwriters in recent memory, Barbie Almalbis, will be playing New York City on February 10, 2007 as part of her American tour.
The show, produced by the new production outfit D’ Opulent Productions, will be held at the Rebel Club - 250 West 30th Street between 7th and 8th, and will also feature some of the best local artists: S.I.G.H, The Kuwagos, Bleud and Attaku.
Known for her sweet and honest songs, Barbie Almalbis started her career in Manila back in the late 90’s playing clubs like Freedom Bar and Mayrics.
She formed a band called Hungry Young Poets after her solo start, and then released the band’s debut album that included the massive hit, ‘Torpe’.
Barbie then left Hungry Young Poets and formed Barbie’s Cradle, which continued to releases hit songs like , “Tabing Ilog’, ‘Dear Paul’ and ‘Goodnyt’, to name a few.
After the success of her new band, Barbie decided to return to her original setup as a solo singer-songwriter and released her first solo album in 2006 called ‘Parade’. The solo effort was well received by her fans and critics and landed her the opportunity to tour the States.
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NEW YORK - Back in high school, any guy who can play the piano intro of the Introvoys’ song ‘ However Which Way’ at a soirée is about 95% sure that he’ll get a girl. The 5% probability of not getting any is if the guy doesn’t sing and look like the band’s front man - Jonathan Buencamino or if the guy doesn’t even resemble Paco’s shadow.
Back then, the Introvoys was the lady’s band. They were a big deal.
Every aspiring musician wanted to be them. Every single they released were hits.
In fact, the famed WLS FM disc jockey Triggerman used his famous line ‘The Biggest Band in the Land’ for the first time in reference to the Introvoys.
They had bodyguards to shield them from their millions of fans, who chased them like they were chasing, yes, The Beatles.
Now, where does a superband go after such highs, and after some years of inactivity?
The answer is BIGGER. The Introvoys are back and they will be a bigger deal.
On January 19, the band, with some new members, will be launching their album ‘New Beginnings’ at Hollywood’s Knitting Factory. The expectations are high, and the whole Philippine music scene, as well as the Fil Am scene, are abuzz with the thought of the Introvoys’ new release.
For those who are dying of itch, ‘New Beginnings’ is a collection of the band’s greatest songs. A greatest hits album? Yes. Old songs? Yes and no.
The new album is unique in such a way that the old songs were given some fresh arrangements to give it a newer and, we might say, grander sound to suit their new fan base.
The hits are all in the new album:- In A Little While
- Stay
- Di Na Ako Aasa Pa
- Just A Dream
- Calling All Nations
- However Which Way
- Desire
- Tell Me Why
- Maynila
- Kaibigan
- Kailanman
- Line To Heaven
- Will I Survive
- More Than A Friend
- Living My Life
- Eroplano
- The Big Ride
- Lullabye
It’s a track list that most bands can only dream of.
The band is made up of original members, Jonathan Buencamino on vocals, JJ Buencamino on Keyboards and Paco Arespacochaga on drums. They are now joined by two new members: Steve Guadiz on guitar and Chot Ulep on bass.
For those who are lucky enough to be a part of the launch on January 19, savor the experience. Buy the album and party hard.
But for the rest of who are miles away, you can only wish that the band would consider playing the east coast this year.
As for me, I just got my copy of the record, which I will review for the February issue. I am enjoying the new versions and I am much thankful that the piano intro of ‘However Which Way’ is still the same because I kinda know how to play it and there’s a soirée coming up very soon.
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LEA Salonga returns to the Broadway stage, as Fantine in Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of “Les Miserables.”
The new production of “Les Miz” will run at The Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) in New York and “has been extended until at least the summer of 2007 due to strong box-office and enthusiastic audiences.”
Lea is an old hand in the international musical blockbuster, she played the role of Eponine years back on Broadway and essayed the same role during the “Dream Cast” 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Her road to international musical stardom began when she played the role of Kim in the Boublil and Schonberg musical extravaganza Miss Saigon on West End and bagged the Lawrence Olivier Award. On Broadway, Lea yet again took home Tony Award for best musical actress. “I begin working on March 6,” Lea said.
“She will be working in ‘Le Miz’ for eight months,” Mrs. Salonga said.
Les Miserables producers say that Salonga would be expected “to stay in the production through the entire period.
Mrs. Salonga said she would accompany her daughter, who would be bringing firstborn Nicole Beverly to the U-S, who turns a year old on May 16.
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