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For the past 21 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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MY HARANA BY CHARMAINE CLAMOR
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Artist: Charmaine Clamor
Album: My Harana, a Filipino Serenade
Label: Freeham Records
CHARMAINE Clamor is perhaps the leading Fil-Am Jazz singer today. She is among the very few Asian Jazz artists to capture the meticulous sensibilities of Americans. Her landmark record, Flippin’ Out appeared on the JazzWeek World Music Charts for seven straight weeks, remarkable achievement for a mixed language release. Charmaine’s latest work, My Harana, a Filipino Serenade is not a Jazz record but a traditional Filipino Kundiman record released here in the US.
The 12-track album is Charmaine’s homage to the roots of Filipino music.
She compiled her favorite regional serenade songs of the home country and sang it in her trademark warm and sultry vocal style.
Among the songs she recorded in this collection are: O, Ilaw (Tagalog), Mekeni King Siping Ku (Kapampangan), Pamulinawen (Ilocano), Ay Kalisud (Ilonggo), Malinac Lay Labi (Pangasinan), Matud Nila (Visayan), and an English track, Labis (Too much).
The album is sparsely instrumented with just the basic serenade tools of a nylon guitar, some light percussion, and bass.
Pinoy Jazz legend Mon David even sang and played guitar in one of the tracks, Minamahal, Sinasamba. Charmaine is a great singer. Her tones are so rich, and her range is perfect for the genre she originally chose, Jazz. However, although she sang all the tracks in this record superbly, the album, as a whole, is nothing spectacular. I expected some sort of a genre-bending production that would take Kundiman to new heights. Kind of like Charlie Parker meets Ruben Tagalog. Instead, the album is regular Filipino restaurant music that we always hear being sung while enjoying some Kare-Kare in a clay pot Litson and some Inihaw na Tadyang.
Again, the songs and the performances are great, but the concept of releasing an album as traditional as this only means that it may have been released with a strictly foreign audience in mind. If so, then it succeeds on that, since it will definitely introduce Filipino folk songs to western ears. It will indeed sound fresh to them, but definitely not to Filipinos who frequent Ihaw-Ihaws and Palayok-palayoks.
Perhaps, Charmaine could do another one but with more Bebop and Swing to augment the traditional harana songs. Now that will be spectacular.
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Drama King Christopher de Leon said that he does not plan on running for any position, local or national, in the upcoming 2010 polls. In an interview, De Leon, who lost his bid for the vice gubernatorial position in Batangas in 2007, said that he would just focus in doing showbiz projects.
"Wala talaga akong balak tumakbo sa 2010. Trabaho muna. Ngayon there's so many (showbiz) offers coming my way I will just grab each one of them may movies, television series. I think I have to concentrate more in entertaining," explained de Leon.
The actor, who is now part of ABS-CBN's hit series "Kahit Isang Saglit" admitted that if ever he will change his mind he would still prefer to run in Batangas. "Yeah of course sa Batangas," de Leon said.
De Leon said that losing last year's race has nothing to do with his decision to stay away in politics. He stressed that running for the vice gubernatorial post was a wonderful experience that he really enjoyed since he learned so many things and felt the love of Batangueños.
"Hindi naman, it was a wonderful experience. The people -- I've felt the love of the people and it's more than enough for me I enjoyed every minute of it. To serve is my goal pero kung ayaw 'di huwag," he explained.
Working with Gov Vi De Leon, who is now the chairman of Ecotourism in the town of Lubo, said that he is very much willing to help Batangas Governor and Star for All Season Vilma Santos on her effort to promote tourism in the province.
The actor's statement stemmed from reports that Governor Santos wanted to meet him for the said project.
"I'm very much willing, I'm an advocate, a member of the ecotourism of Lubo. I'm the chairmam of Lubo. So we will see what happens. Hindi pa kami nagkikita. She's busy doing her work sa Batangas but I'm willing to talk with her anytime," he said.
De Leon is now busy shooting for his upcoming film "Kaibigan" with Dawn Zulueta and Senator Jinggoy Estrada. "Kaibigan" is an official entry for this year's Metro Manila Film Festival.
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MANILA -- AT the Divas 4 Divas presscon, Regine Velasquez says she didn’t feel out of place when she accompanied BF Ogie Alcasid and kids Leila and Sara in Hong Kong Disneyland. “Their mom, Michelle, and boyfriend Mark Murrow were with us at nagging okay naman ang bonding naming lahat,” she says. “Sabaysabay kaming nag-shopping at namasyal.
“Thrilled talaga ang dalawang bagets na dinala sila ng papa nila sa Disneyland kasi first time nila makarating dun.”
What can she say to her detractors it’s not nice for her to have joined them as it’s a family affair? “Alam ko, may mga nagsasabing hindi maganda tingnan at parang sabit lang daw ako kasi lakad ng family nila ‘yun.
“But I guess you just can’t really please everyone dahil may mga nagsasabi naman sa akin na natutuwa sila to see na maganda ang samahan namin ni Ogie at ng mga anak niya, even si Michelle. Magkakaibigan naman kaming lahat and, honestly, I see nothing wrong with that. Now, kung ‘yun mismong mga bata ang magsasabi na ayaw nila akong kasama, then I won’t go. But even when I visit them in Australia, we all get along fine kaya wala akong nakikitang problema. We really enjoy each other’s company.
“Now, if it’s a problem for some people, opinion na nila ‘yun at wala akong magagawa. Bahala na sila sa gusto nilang isipin.
“All I can say is maaaring para sa kanila, parang hindi normal ito, pero nangyayari naman po talaga ang ganito and all of us are really okay. They’re going back to Sydney next week at kami naman ang dadalaw sa kanila ni Ogie roon, and sina Michelle at Mark naman ang mag-aasikaso sa’min.”
What can she say about Michelle’s statement that she’s hoping Ogie will get to marry her someday? “She didn’t tell it to me mismo but I was told she said that on TV and I’m flattered naman that it came from her mismo.
“I’ll be honest na gusto ko rin naman mangyari ‘yun balang araw, but like what we say ni Ogie, we must wait muna at hindi dapat minamadali ‘yan. We’re taking our time to make sure we won’t make any wrong moves in the future.” (MNS)
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Actor-comedian Vhong Navarro and actress-singer Toni Gonzaga are back together in the dramedy flick "My Only U."
The two who'd been considered as one of the country's successful big-screen team up expressed their excitement for their upcoming film under Star Cinema that moviegoers will surely love.
In an interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com, Navarro, who's known for his comedy antics admitted being nervous for his new project with Gonzaga.
"Sobrang exited ako kaya lang kinakabahan ako kasi dito my scenes kami na seryoso, oo nandiyan yung chemistry namin, yung pacute namin. Kulitan pero may scenes kami na may drama. Natakot lang ako kasi first time ko na makikita ako sa scenes na serious o konting iyakan yun lang," explains Navarro.
For Gonzaga, she considered "My Only U" as the happiest film she'd ever made."Masayang masaya I think ito yung pinakamasayang pelikula na naagawa ko sa far kasi puro tawanan puro comedy, puro patawa sa set," the actress told the news site.
Gonzaga and Navarro said doing the film was a challenge for them especially because their characters in the film are not the usual comedy roles they are used to playing.
"Challenging kasi mahirap palang mag-drama," Navarro admitted.
"Yung character ko before ay happy, jolly pero ditto (I'm Winona) na may pagkanegative ako sa buhay ayaw kong magmahal kasi baka mamatay ako," Gonzaga said.
In the movie, Navarro portrays the role of Bong who is secretly in love with Winona. He does everything to save her love who comes from a family which is under a curse: Winona is fated to die at 25.
Knowing that she doesn't have long to live, Winona never entertains the idea of falling in love and just focuses herself caring for her blind father (Dennis Padilla). After Winona marks her 25th birthday, Bong and Winona find a second chance in life but eventually, Bong will discover through a medical exam result that Winona's days are indeed still numbered. Bong tries everything to keep it as a secret from Winona, who now finds herself falling in love with Bong.
“How do you love someone when you know that someone can't stay," this is what Gonzaga shared about the story's plot. By A BUANDEVEZA, abs-cbnNEWS.com
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Two award-winning Filipino films are the best of the best in the recently concluded 13th Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea.
Milo Tolentino’s “Andong” won Best Short Film or the Sonje Award and a $10,000 cash prize.
Chris Martinez’s “100" won the Audience prize, which is dubbed the KNN Award (KNN is a major TV network in Korea) and a $20,000 cash prize from the KNN Foundation.
Both “Andong” and “100" also won the Best Short Film and Audience Awards at the Cinemalaya film fest last July.
“100,” which competed in the New Currents section, also received a favorable review from The Hollywood Reporter’s Maggie Lee who described it as “thoughtfully scripted and performed with a delicate balance of gravity and humor.”
“All the screenings were sold out in one minute,” recalled Martinez.
“100" and “Andong” are among seven films from the Philippines that were screened in the Korean festival, along with Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto’s “Confessional,” Francis Xavier Pasion’s “Jay,” Joel Ruiz’s “Baby Angelo,” Dante Mendoza’s “Serbis” and Adolf Alix Jr.’s “Adela.”
“100" will have its commercial run in local theaters on Dec. 3.
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Pinoy Dream Academy Season 1 runner-up Ronnie Liang is busy promoting his first album entitled "Ronnie Liang: Ang Aking Awitin." Liang's first album has a mini-repackage with his hits' Kapampangan versions.
"I'm inviting everyone to buy a copy of my album 'Ronnie Liang: Ang Aking Awitin' under Universal Records. It has 14 tracks with my first single 'Ngiti,' and my second single 'Gusto Kita," he said.
"And my second mini repackage album contains the Kapampangan version of 'Ngiti' with music videos and also the Kapampangan version of 'Ikaw' which is my fourth single," Liang added.
"Ang Aking Awitin" songs include "Ngiti," "Sa 'Yo Lang," "Ikaw," "Gusto Kita," "Saan Darating Ang Umaga," "Kaibigan Mo," "Nais Ko," "Minsan," "Ang Aking Awitin," "Nag-Iisang Ikaw," "Kung Ako'y Uuwi," "Walang Iba," "Ngiti (acoustic version)," and "Ngiti (minus one)."
Liang is a mainstay of ABS-CBN's weekly variety show "ASAP'08" and part of the hit television series "I Love Betty La Fea" with Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz. He is considered one of the most talented singers in the country today. He made headlines when reports came out saying that he is wooing "Pop Star Princess" Sarah Geronimo. After all the reports that surfaced, the crooner decided to keep mum when it came to matters of his heart.
Liang started his show biz career when he joined various singing contests including the defunct singing search “Pinoy Pop Supertstar.” He first got public attention as the grand contender who was disqualified from the singing competition for having a manager. The show’s contract said that a contestant must be free from any talent manager or handler.
But Liang's career got a boost with the reality show "Pinoy Dream Academy", where he became the second placer. He was dubbed as PDA’s resident heartthrob.
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Valerie Concepcion always has this animated, energetic voice when hosting, giving her that natural upbeat preppiness that is hers alone. This is the main reason she was noticed by Energo.
Nowadays, she is is extremely busy, with her regular hosting in “Wowowee,” which brought her to Canada and back, her new show “Banana Split,” and also her recently released “Slendance” fitness album. She says,“When I’m tired, I just take Energo.”
When Gilbert Geolingo, a product associate of Energo was asked why Valerie was their one and only choice to be their endorser, he said, “Valerie is fit, she has this mass appeal which will help Energo cross any economic status, and we also want to tap the female market.”
So for the female professionals out there, there is now a drink that is suitable for you, which is safe and BFAD approved. Whether you’re a man or woman, blue- or white collar worker, sustain your energy just like Valerie by going for Energo, a drink that’s 100% Filipino.
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