Everything is set for the hotly-anticipated show of balladeer Christopher Cross who will perform back-to-back with smooth jazz band Workshy featuring Chrysta Jones at a big concert on Nov. 29 at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Big Dome presentation from Ovation Productions is the centerpiece of the four-city Philippine tour of the two singing sensations which premieres tomorrow, Nov. 28 at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City and to be followed by other performances on Nov. 30 at La Salle Coliseum, Bacolod City and Dec. 1 at Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City.
The concert series brings together for the first time on the same stage two of the biggest and brightest names in music in the ‘80s who attracted millions worldwide with their unique brand of music featuring sophisticated ballads and smooth jazz sound.
Christopher emerged as one of the greatest singing stars of 1980 who gained acclaim not only for his extraordinary talent but for helping define adult contemporary radio with his string of smoothly sophisticated ballads led by the chart-topping Sailing.
A frequent performer in the country during the past several years, Christopher enjoys a huge following among thousands of local fans whom he has captivated with his rendition of smooth, sweet and soothing ballads that have endured for many years.
His other Top 10 hits that established him as one of the biggest musical stars of 1980 were Ride Like The Wind and Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do), which he sang for the motion picture, Arthur, starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli.
His 1979 self-titled debut album garnered five Grammy Awards for Sailing, Ride Like The Wind (featuring backing vocals by Michael McDonald) and Never Be The Same.
He made music history when he became the first and only artist to personally receive all of what is considered as the “Big Four” in the Grammy Awards (Best Record, Best Song, Best Album and Best New Artist) in the same year.
Sailing won three prizes in the 1981 Grammy Awards (Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Arrangement), while Arthur’s Theme garnered the Oscar Award in 1981 for Best Original Song (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen).
Christopher’s second album, Another Page, was released in 1983 and featured the hit song, Think Of Laura, No Time For Talk and All Right, while his third album, Early Turn Of The World, came out in 1985.
Chrysta, on the other hand, was a founding member of the band Workshy which she organized in London in 1986 together with Michael McDermott and Kevin Kehoe until it evolved into a duet when Kevin left the group in 1992.
The group immediately gained widespread attention for its extraordinary sound best described as a cross between the music of Swing Out Sister and the down tempo beat of Matt Bianco, with a dash of Sade thrown in.
Among its original works were Never The Same, Get It Clear, Trouble Mind, You’re The Summer and many others.
It has also recorded an album of Bacharach standards, such as Do You Know The Way To San Jose, There’s Always Something There To Remind Me, This Guy’s In Love With You, Close To You, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, The Look Of Love, I Say A Little Prayer, and many more.
Workshy is also remembered for its cover of the songs, If I Ever Lose This Heaven, Hello It’s Me, I Saw The Light and, most especially, It’s Too Late by Carole King.
The Philippine tour of Christopher and Chrysta is presented by Ovation Productions, etc, 2nd Avenue, C/S Origin, Jack TV, RJ 100.3 FM, Philippine Airlines, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Chrysler Jeep and Dodge, Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Tagaytay Highlands, Pearl of the Pacific Boracay, The Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, GMA 7, Magic 89.9 FM, Monster Radio RX 93.1, 96.3 WRocK, Energy FM 91.5, 105.1 FM Crossover, Love Radio, 97.9 Home Radio, XFM 92.3, Optima Solutions, GetzMo! and Focalcast.
Tickets to the Araneta Coliseum concert are priced at P3,700, P3,200, P2,700, P1,700, P800 and P500 and available at Ticketnet outlets at SM Department Stores and at the Araneta Coliseum ticket office. For details, call 911-5555.