Basia after 15 years

Basia (photo) is back in town. One of the biggest contemporary jazz artists from the ’80s era, she is only known as Basia. And that is all that her fans need. Basia is Basia and after all these years, there’s still no one like her around. Besides with a surname like Trzetrzelewska, I am sure we would all much rather just refer to her as Basia.

Although born in Jaworzno, Poland, Basia is known all over the world for her Latin-flavored kind of jazz. Among her most popular songs are Half A Minute, Whose Side Are You On and Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed from her early days with a group named Matt Bianco. Then there are Cruising For Bruising, Time And Tide, Waters of March, Promises, Clear Horizon, Drunk On Love, Third Time Lucky, Baby You’re Mine, Yearning, Astrud, An Olive Tree, Go For You, New Day For You, Perfect Mother, From Now On and Angels Blush from the time when she went solo.

Basia has quite big following among us Pinoys, most especially with the yuppie set from twenty years ago. That was also the time when pop-jazz artists like Kevyn Lettau, Mike Francis and similar acts were top favorites hereabouts. I believe though that although she comes from that time, Basia’s music will also go big with the local bossa nova crowd of today.

That is actually Basia’s music, slow Latin jives with a sexy feel. What makes her different is that there is nothing soothing or whispery about her singing. Basia can belt it out big like those R&B divas. She also has a full, flexible voice and can always land on the right notes. You can also add her extremely wide range, probably three octaves. It is a fact that one cannot help but be amazed at what her vocals can do while listening to Basia.

Basia performs tonight at 8 at the Araneta Coliseum. So you can expect to see all those yuppies from two generations at the Big Dome this evening ready to chant “promises, promises…” This is not her first gig here. Basia has visited the Philippines several times before. Maybe three or four times, but I am sure that her many fans would find this one particularly special.

For one, they will surely enjoy hearing her old songs again. Nobody sings them like she does. Mahirap gayahin si Basia. For another she has been away from the music scene for quite a long time. She was actually in “retirement” for almost 15 years and this tour is part of her comeback bid. And best of all, this is not just another “greatest hits” show by an artist from the long ago past. Basia has lots of new songs from an album released only some weeks ago that we will hear live for the first time in the show.

The new CD is fittingly titled It’s That Girl Again and Basia has not changed at all. She is every bit as sultry and confident with her singing as before. And take note, she wrote all of the lyrics and collaborated with others for the melodies in this album and also co-produced with Danny White who arranged and played keyboards. White and Basia started out together in Matt Bianco so you will find a lot of that famous sound in the album.

Opener If Not Now Then When is a spirited tune that echoes her big sellers and has all the makings of a hit. There’s A Tear, with its simple arrangement, best shows off her clear-toned singing. Winners, Everybody’s On The Move and Blame It On The Summer are made for slow dancing. And if you want to hear Basia harmonize with herself, she does this very well, there is Two Islands.

Also included are Someone For Everyone, I Must, A Gift, Love Lies Bleeding, They Know Nothing About Us, Amelki Smiech, song in her native Polish, It’s That Girl Again, Oh Mama and Clear Horizon ‘09. Helping make this CD a truly impressive package are the musicians. You will find great solo work throughout, the keyboards, guitars, the sax, even a flugelhorn, all serve to enhance the well-crafted production.