A most unlikely Valentine duo

A generation, roughly 20 years and some more, separates song artists Martin Nievera and Sarah Geronimo. That is if you go by when they were born and then count the number of years that separates those dates. But sweep aside the years and just check out the music and you will find that very little separates this unlikely pair. So all those of you out there who thought that Martin and Sarah together on stage will never work are in for a big surprise on Feb. 12 at the Araneta Coliseum in What Love Is, their first show together.

Fans, will of course be treated to their big-selling songs. Think Martin’s Say That You Love Me and Sarah’s How Could You Say You Love Me or Martin’s Forever and Sarah’s Forever’s Not Enough. Or even Martin’s You Are My Song and Sarah’s To Love You More. And what about those gorgeous theme songs that they both recorded, Ikaw and Ikaw Ang Aking Pangarap. See how closely these titles and their themes resemble one another and then imagine how it will sound if they were to exchange hits while singing. Nice.

The closeness becomes even more pronounced when you get to their covers recordings. While both easily proved their worth with original materials, their first big hits, Be My Lady for Martin and Forever’s Not Enough for Sarah, which coincidentally were both composed by Vehnee Saturno, they both built a bigger following by recording oldies. Most of them, love songs. I Want To Know What Love Is for Sarah. Somewhere Down The Road for Martin. Right Here Waiting for both of them. And many others.

Because it happens during the Valentine Season, most of these songs will be part of Martin and Sarah’s What Love Is show. There will be surprising new stuff as well, Fireworks for Sarah and Baby Baby for Martin. Sarah will also join Martin in his show-stopping Broadway medley although I do not know if Martin will return the favor by joining her in one of her all-out dance numbers. But who cares if he will turn twinkle toes for the evening or not. The songs are what matter and they have so much to give from that treasure trove.

The Manhattan Connection, The Songs of Jose Mari Chan

Speaking of old love songs, here is good news for fans of Jose Mari Chan and a CD to watch out for. Janis Siegel, member of the famous Manhattan Transfer has produced an entire album of songs by Jose Mari Chan, arranged by Yaron Gershovsky and recorded and mixed by American jazz and pop artists in New York.

Set for release soon, the CD is titled The Manhattan Connection, The Songs of Jose Mari Chan. This is the first time ever that some of the finest American musicians have recorded an entire album of songs by a Filipino artist. We often hear complaints about how foreign acts are affecting Filipino creativity, this album should give us an idea of how things can change by allowing the foreigners access to music by Filipino talents.

Top tenor holds free concert

Tenor Abdul Candao, who continues to make waves in the opera and concert halls of Europe is in town. And he wants to share his good fortune by giving a free solo concert at the EDSA Shrine tonight at 7:30. He will be accompanied by pianist Jonathan Arevalo Coo. The audience can expect to be treated to selections from Abdul’s vast repertoire that includes Ernani Cuenco Gaano Kita Kamahal, George Canseco and opera roles like Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly or Radames in Aida.

Abdul graduated from the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. He now resides in Vienna but performs all over the world. Most recently, he took part in the world premiere of Christiof Schlingensief’s Mea Culpa at the Burgtheater in Vienna and sang Almaviva at the Oper im Berg Summer Festival in Salzburg.

So you want to be a musician?

And to close, I would like to share with you this quote I found in yesterday’s issue of Dean Kay’s The ASCAP Daily Brief Powered by The Dean’s List on-line news about the music business.

A child says to his mother, “Mom, when I grow up I think I’d like to be a musician.” She replies, “Well honey, you know you can’t do both.”