The art of collaboration

Something can still be said for original Pilipino music. On the first Tuesday of December at Hard Rock Café in Makati, Ayala Land’s Avida launched the CD “Tunog Natin! Songs from Home” featuring remakes of memorable Filipino songs plus three new compositions, done by an interesting mix of both established and new artists.

Seven of the songs, such as Apo’s Pumapatak ang Ulan and The Dawn’s Salamat, aren’t merely warmed over, but here actually given a new lease on radio life, being in fact airwave friendly and no slouch compared with the originals.

It helps too that the Apo chestnut is done by the mascara’d Tanya Markova and uh, Arnee Hidalgo (sorry but we’re almost tempted to say, who she?, so out of touch we are with the current scene), giving the song fresh impetus especially with the onset of La Niña. In one of the rainiest Decembers in memory, the song certainly deserves a rehearing.

Also, neither does it hurt that the Dawn classic is here given a new fleshing out by the veteran rocker Pepe Smith and uh, Letter Day Story (again, temptation says who they?, looking like latter-day rockers), that would have made even the late Teddy Diaz proud. Salamat is the only true rock song in the collection, and so is the natural standout, but of course that’s a biased observation.

Harana, that staple of serenaders courtesy of Parokya ni Edgar, is given a makeover by the boy band 1:43, who acquit themselves rather well, and for middle-age listeners are perhaps better heard than seen.

Kanlungan, popularized by the duo Buklod from where Noel Cabangon sprang, has as interpreters Myrus and Princess Velasco, and the new version retains most of the folk aspect, yet with the inevitable touch of middle of the road. Thanks to the credits, longtime fans will learn that it was Cabangon’s partner in Buklod Rom Dongeto who wrote the song.

Barbie Almalbis and McCoy Fundales pair up in Kay Sarap Mabuhay, and the duet really makes you feel how sweet it is, not least when there’s a roof over your head during inclement weather. To Barbie’s credit she appeared at the launch, unlike the other big guns in the project, which could mean she doesn’t consider herself much of a big gun, as motherhood becomes her. She said goodbye to her shadow by noontime.

Jim Paredes and Faith Cuneta team up in Panalangin, as do Tricia Garcia and Gloc-9 in Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko and True Faith’s Medwin Marfil and Sheng Belmonte in Umagang Kay Ganda.

The songs are great to hear, they fill up the speakers down to the last nuance of a bass line, and Gloc-9’s hip-hop bridge to fill in the gaps is a pleasant surprise and inspired counterpoint.

I’m guessing but Kiss Jane’s Beep Beep could be one of the three new compositions, worlds apart from the Juan dela Cruz song of the same title, which is all they have in common. If the rock song evokes Divisoria and barkers and dispatchers, the pop song is a teasing entity worthy of Resorts World or even Roxas Boulevard when the lights go up.

The spirit of collaboration is heard all over this project, and might draw comparisons with the work of the latter-day Santana, whose recent hit albums also had a slew of featured guest artists to play counterpoint to that trademark ringing guitar.

During the press conference, one of the speakers said that the CD hopes to revive interest in OPM and appreciation of roots, and effectively bridge the divide between old and new artists. It could also prod radio programmers to comply with the three Filipino songs per hour directive no one’s following. Thanks to Avida and Chris Cahilig consultancy and all the Filipino musicians involved, “Songs from Home” is more than a good start. Already we can see a “Tunog Natin Vol. 2” on the horizon, if not altogether in the works. They can make this a series and come up with a “Songs of Exile for Vol. 3,” in the hope that this is not asking for too much.

It certainly sounds better than the “Tunog Kalye” pirated CDs sold in the former dens of iniquity. Already we can see the CD given out as complimentary copy to OFWs who one daydream of returning to the homeland and make a down payment for a little shelter in the suburbs.