With a song in his heart

For old time’s sake, Lolit Solis was the first to arrive at Congo Grille last Saturday for the mini-presscon for her former alaga Gabby Concepcion’s Gabby’ng K Ganda concert with K Brosas and Vice Ganda set for July 2 and 3 at the Music Museum, never mind if Lolit had to delay reporting to GMA for that day’s airing of Startalk (she usually leaves her home in Fairview mid-morning, has her hair and face made up at Bambbi Fuentes’ salon on Timog Avenue and shows up at the studio promptly before 1 p.m.).

The two initially bridged their years-long gap (created by that infamous 1994 you-know-what) two years ago when Gabby came home from an extended stay (“exile?”) in the States, at the wake for Gabby’s father Rollie.

“It was Lolit who was pushing me into singing,” revealed Gabby when asked when he realized that he could sing, adding with a joke, “gusto ko talaga kumanta pero ‘yung kanta ang ayaw sa akin.”

“Binabantayan ko talaga siya sa studio para pilitin kumanta, pero ayaw talaga niya,” laughed Lolit. “Kaya palagi naming pinag-aawayan ‘yan. Do you know what his ‘national anthem’ was? Nandito Ako!”

But look at Gabby now. Not only does he have an album (released by Warner Music, carrying the songs Gabby said he often heard his father sing), he’s also confident enough to “concertize,” something he did on the side when he was in California where his main job was in real estate.

“It’s actually my second concert at the Music Museum since I came back,” volunteered Gabby. “I’m starting to enjoy it. During the show, I make it a point to go to the audience and let those who want to sing, or sing with me, kaya maraming natutuwa. ‘Yan ang highlight ng show ko. They enjoy watching me ‘live,’ when they watch me in my movies hindi ko naman sila nakakasama. But iba during a show. I’m there in front of them, ‘live’! At puede pa sila makipag-duet sa akin.”

With K Brosas and Vice Ganda, the show should be a riot.

“I haven’t seen Vice perform ‘live’ kaya excited din akong panoorin siya,” said Gabby.

What if, just if, K or Vice Ganda would pull a surprise on him by touching sensitive parts of his body or “sexually harassing” him, which is very possible?

“Uy,” Gabby hastened to warn, “wholesome ang concert namin!”

When Funfare interviewed him for the first time about his being a singer, Gabby jokingly called himself a Bathroom Concert King. has he perhaps graduated to a higher level since then?

“That’s my ‘title’ kaya pinaninindigan ko na ‘yon. Doesn’t everybody sing in the bathroom?”

Of course, I assured him, everybody does, including even such great singers as Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck (who did a concert at the Big Dome last night).

“But they can’t get the ‘title’ from me,” laughed Gabby.

Aside from Nandito Ako, Gabby’s favorite songs are Mula sa Puso and My Way (which has caused countless deaths when sung off-key by drunks in beer joints).

If he were to court a woman with a song, what would it be?

“Come What May. I love that song.”

(Note: Gabby’ng K Ganda is produced by Front Media Entertainment and presented by Primadonna, Caress Nail Polish and Xcyclone Quality Mountain Bikes. Major sponsors are Zen Asia Spa and Massage, JobsDB.com, OpenRice.com, Space, Blush magazine, World Food Exchange magazines and Manila Bulletin. For tickets, call TicketWorld at 891-9999 or Music Museum at 721-0635 or 425-7077.)

Briefly noted

•  During her recent three-day visit as Smartmatic-TIM Ambassador of Goodwill and Transparency, 2008 Miss Universe Dayana Sabrina Mendoza Moncada of Venezuela met with our very own (1969) Miss Universe Gloria Diaz during an event at the Una Mano School at the San Pablo Apostol Parish in Tondo run by the Canossa Tondo Children Foundation, Inc., which is sponsored by Gloria. Dayana donated several laptops. She said she hoped that “the children will be able to use the Internet and acquire skills that are required in this hi-tech world we now live in.” Francis Calubaquib, one of Funfare’s “beauty experts,” asked Dayana if she wanted to join showbiz here and she smiled, “Why not?” Dayana also met with 1973 Miss Universe Margie Moran and attended several Habitat for Humanity projects.

•  Only six slots (out of eight) were chosen in a ballot-voting for members of the board of directors of OPM (Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mangaawit) — Ogie Alcasid, Christian Bautista, Jose Mari Chan, Dingdong Avanzado, Noel Cabangon and Gary Valenciano. Headed by Mitch Valdes for more than 10 years, OPM was established 24 years ago by a group that included Celeste Legaspi; APO‘s Jim Paredes, Buboy Garovillo and Danny Javier; and Subas Herrero. Ogie denied that he’s being offered a position in President-elect Noynoy Aquino’s administration. “But I will ask Pres. Noynoy to help OPM,” said Ogie.

•  Last June 17, Karylle performed at the DXO Club in Singapore. In the packed mixed Filipino-Singaporean audience was stage singer-actress Ampy Sietereales who works as a regular at the Universal Studios Singapore, together with the family of Philippine Ambassador Minda Calaguian Cruz who are big fans of Karylle’s and S2S Music Singapore managing director Dean Agustin. Karylle’s repertoire included her hit songs Never Get Over You Getting Over Me and Ikaw, and a Lady Gaga medley and Beatles songs.

•  Kuh Ledesma recently performed at a benefit show in San Isidro, Lupao, Nueva Ecija, dubbed as Pistang Kristiyano 2010, with the Sowers Band, Pangasinan’s best, and worship ministers (that included Joseph Blanco, Mamerto Patricio II, vocalist Edmund Martinez, Joel Blanco, Mikee Mones, Danlord Aligam and James Montero). Proceeds will go to the construction of the Touch of God Global Harvest Church under Senior Pastor Ronaldo D. Peridas, D.D. Aside from Lupao Mayor-elect Richard Ramos, present were Balikbayan guests, town and barangay officials, and school principals and teachers.

What’s up?

•  From reader Myrna Almaria (no address given): In a recent Funfare, you mentioned Jeffrey Hunter, the leading man of Barbara Perez in the Hollywodd movie No Man is an Island produced by Universal Pictures. If memory serves, I remember that Hunter died after he fell from a horse while shooting a movie in the Philippines. He broke his spinal column and suffered from slip disc. He was about to be operated on in one of our hospitals but he opted to fly back to the United States for his operation which was unsuccessful. I guess his slot for his operation was given to my husband and the doctors who operated on my husband were successful. My husband is now 74 years old, very active and full of life. Thank God, my husband and I are both happy senior citizens.

•  Corrections: Part of the sentence in last Monday’s column about Krista Ranillo that said, Krista was seated at a table next to that of Amanda Seyfried (who plays Meryl Streep in Mama Mia) should have read, who plays Meryl Streep’s daughter in Mama Mia...From reader Nico del Valle (on the “sexy talk” with Tom Rodriguez, a Waray-Waray): Pinabacdao and Catbalogan are in Western (not Eastern) Samar...From reader Dr. Micael Sta. Juana of Las Vegas (on last Sunday’s Conversations with Ricky Lo piece on Jaclyn Jose and daughter Andi Eigenmann): In the ABS-CBN soap Agua Bendita, Agua is the good girl and Bendita is the bad girl, both played by Andi...And Alfie Lorenzo (on the same Conversations piece): The ABS-CBN Kristine Hermosa soap was Prinsesa (not Reyna) ng Banyera.

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