No short cuts for Jay R

Move over R. Kelly. There is a new guy poised to take your place in the R&B hierarchy. Come on over and listen, Ashanti. Here is somebody who might make an interesting singing partner, song by Ashanti featuring Jay R or in some later time, perhaps Jay R featuring Ashanti. But I take back what I said about Jay R making Pinoy R&B music. Save for two cuts with Pilipino lyrics, the contents of Gameface, his debut album for Universal Records is every bit as American as those you find in the Billboard charts.

Although he acquits himself well in Kaibigan and Vehnee Saturno’s Bakit Pa Ba, it was wrong of me to expect R&B, Pinoy style from Jay R. The guy was, after all, born and raised in the US. He had been performing since he was 13 and was a veteran of recording sessions in Southern California by the time he was 16. Jay R was by then already writing songs and providing back-up vocals to recordings released in the US, Latin America and even the Philippines. If you will check out some of those old recordings by Donna Cruz, Vanna Vanna and other artists, you might just find one or two of his compositions or even Jay R himself doing the singing in the background.

The people at Universal so believe so much in Jay R’s talent , they went all out with the production of the album. No shortcuts were taken. All that mattered was to give Jay R a fitting showcase with Gameface. In keeping with his LA roots, Gameface was produced by Americans and recorded at Natures Finest Soundlab, which sounds like a studio in California. Of course, it also follows that 11 of the album’s 12 tracks are also of foreign origin. Design for Luv is the first single release. The song’s video was also shot in L.A. Another strong favorite fast gaining airplay is Our Love.. The rest of the songs are Where Do We Go,, All I Need, Gotta Girl, Farewell, Rivers Running, Tougue Ring, My Bestfriend’s Girl the two Tagalog songs and the title cut.

It amazes me to hear a Filipino doing R&B with just the right sensibility for the music genre. Another thing I am glad about is that Jay R’s natural affinity for R&B comes across with clarity. This is no guy putting on an R&B, hip-hop, rock or whatever image because it is what the music buyers like at the moment. Jay R is the real thing.

Woman’s World

It’s a woman’s world in the local hit charts with songs by three female singers dominating the list: Regine Velasquez, Anna Fegi and newcomer Sarah Geronimo, now giving F4 very stiff competition. The top ten favorites among local listeners are: Hinahanap-hanap Kita , Regine’s cover of the Rivermaya hit from the soundtrack of the movie Pangarap Kong Ibigin Ka; To Love You More, the winning song by Star for a Night champion Sarah Geronimo; Saan Ka Na Kaya Ngayon by Anna Fegi; Can’t Lose You by F4; Mr. Swabe by Parokya ni Edgar; Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas; Spaghetti Song by the Sexbomb Girls; If You’re Not the One by Daniel Bedingfield; I’ll Be by Edwin McCain; and Passenger Seat by Stephen Speaks.

Bertol Bids Elvis Goodbye

Just heard the news. Chito Bertol has decided to hang up his Elvis jumpsuit in permanent storage. One of the country’s most popular interpreters of Elvis music is now officially retired from performing and will concentrate on his job as president and general manager of the Manila Seedling Bank Environment Center.

The Filipino Presleys, Chito among them, of course, are among the best in the world. And that includes those in the US where they are a dime a dozen. The local Elvises sing with kind of heart and soul that would have made the King of Rock and Roll proud, unlike those impersonators from other countries who look more like caricatures than serious artists.

Bertol’s retirement is a loss to all those Presley fans in the Philippines but it also means that he will now be able to devote more time to taking care of those trees, replanting forests and making the environment a healthier and more beautiful place to live in.