Christmas carols get Basil Valdez touch

CEBU, Philippines – After four decades in the industry, legendary OPM balladeer Basil Valdez continues to capture the hearts of music lovers as he returns to spread cheer this holiday season with his new album, “The First Christmas.”

Christmas was definitely in the air after the singing dynamo – the voice behind Filipino classics “Ngayon at Kailanman,” “Paraisong Parisukat,” “Paano Ba Ang Mangarap,” and “Muling Buksan ang Puso” – performed Friday night at Ayala Center Cebu’s The Terraces to promote his first Yuletide-themed album.

“I wanted this [a Christmas album] so much for a couple of years. In the beginning, they wanted me to do an all Filipino album, but then if you listen to the album of Ryan Cayabyab, the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and the choir, everything is already there. I could have used those and do the same songs, but sobra yung arrangement because it’s an orchestra. Then I decided to just do English songs, and these are what we call public domain na wala nang may-ari,”  Valdez explained of what took him so long to cough up a Christmas collection.

“The First Christmas” consists of classic carols given the Basil Valdez touch, such as “A Christmas Carol,” “God Rest Ye Merry,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” “What Child Is This,” “O Holy Night,” “Ave Maria,” “The Lord’s Prayer” and “Silent Night.”

“These are the songs nung grade school pa lang ako, naririnig ko na siya – for example, ‘Silent Night.’ From the 10 songs that I recorded, isa siya sa pinakamahirap. I didn’t expect na mahihirapan ako sa ‘Silent Night’ kasi iba ang discipline niya,” said the 63-year-old crooner.

He continued, “And then I remember when I was also in grade school, I got to go to church in St. Francis in Mandaluyong. On Sundays, laging may kinakasal and I will be looking at the choir, and I’d watch these gentlemen singing ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ and sobrang nagandahan talaga ako. Parang na a-uplift ako. So I decided to include that in my album kasi ang feeling ko when I finish it and if you just listen to it closely, parang na be-bless ka kasi yun ang reaction ng mga friends ko from the beginning to the end. Parang may storya ang kanta so nandun din ang ‘Hark the Herald,’ ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,’ pero seryoso na pagdating ng ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Lord’s Prayer.’ At ang ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ naman, nakaka-touch pala ang lyrics nun kasi ang alam lang natin yung mga kadalasang kina-caroling ng mga bata pero ang ganda pala ng mensahe ng mga kantang ito.”

Augmented by the Philippine Madrigal Singers, the album will easily be one of the most memorable Christmas albums by an OPM artist.

Valdez described the Cebuano audience as good listeners and having sharp taste in music, prompting him to give his best every time he performs here.

“Cebuanos are one of the most discriminating audiences. Ang hirap ng Cebu kasi I remember, I had my concert here, and the audience was trying to figure out my songs, until I finally performed the hits of George Canseco and I also did a good arrangement of ‘Matud Nila.’ Yun, talagang nagulat sila kasi I sung it in a traditional way. Cebuanos are even more difficult than the US crowd, because I’ve travelled all over the world and met different crowds from Europe to Africa. But Cebuanos are really different. You have to be really good because they are good in music. Magaling ang tenga nila. Hindi ka pwede magloko. Challenge talaga. Nakaka-stress.”

Asked how he took care of his voice all these years, Valdez revealed his pre-show routine: “I take something very cold before I sing. Baliktad because that’s what my doctor told me – kung saan daw ako sanay. Since I was in a band before as a folk singer, I took lots of cold drinks kasi when I do it, parang I can sing more, parang hindi ako paos. But when I take something hot, parang I lose my voice lalo na if I take salabat. And I also don’t vocalize before performing.”

When not indulging his passion for music, Valdez can be found painting or hunting for antiques. “Sometimes, pag ayaw ko na muna kumanta, I paint. I do sketches, pen and ink. I do Chinese brush painting. And then for the longest time, with one of my dearest friends Johny Manahan, we used to collect antiques. We buy Chinese chairs and see how it’s done kasi Chinese furniture is extraordinary, walang pako. We want to figure out paano kaya ginagawa ng mga Chinese ang kanilang furniture. Sometimes, we go to antique shops and look for something interesting.”

If there is one song that best describes the story of his life, it would have to be “Salamin ng Buhay.”

“I love that song, kasi ganun talaga ang buhay eh. It’s very reflective of what life is all about.”

Valdez, who used to be a healer, says that inspiring people is what gives him the greatest satisfaction as a music artist.

“It’s being able to connect to people and if I can see that they are getting insight whenever they hear my music, yun, okay na yun. If I’m able to inspire other people, kasi ang daming nagsasabi ‘Basil, ba’t ang galing mo?’ I hope they were able to get the insight that this is all a gift and this is not mine. I acknowledge the Lord with everything that I have and own. Everything that I am is the Lord. Sana kapag nakita nang mga tao na ang ganda ng voice, ang ganda ng kanta, sana ma-realize nila na it’s all from the Lord.”