Is Chad headed for the big time?

Who would have thought the young, unassuming hometown boy from Cebu would be doing an album with some of the topnotch jazz/studio musicians in the US?

No one from the local music industry knew – not the producers, singer or musicians. Heck, even the singer himself didn’t know until the last minute.

After all, a couple of years or so back, Chad Borja was known mostly as a pop singer peddling sappy ballads and other jukebox-orriented material. And although he was able to carve his niche in this genre, he wasn’t too happy with the results.

"I’m really more of a jazz-oriented singer," Chad confesses. "I love listening to pop-jazz or jazz fusion, including Bobby Caldwell, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Luther Vandross and a lot of other light instrumental stuff."

Even before he went solo as a singer, Chad figured in a few jazz-oriented showbands, including the Cebu-based Zee Band and the latter-generation New Minstrels. "During our band days, I’d sing the harder Al Jarreau stuff, like Spain," he enthuses. "I didn’t realize that it would be such a far cry from my solo stuff later on."

Little did Chad know that the very people he only used to read about in his jazz CDs would soon be the very people he’d be collaborating with, including legendary Hollywood studio giants (bassist) Marcus Miller, (drummer) Steve Gadd, (bassist) Abraham Laboriel (guitarist) Oscar Castro-Neves, and many others.

Not to be forgotten, of course, is Yutaka Yokokura – the man largely responsible for producing Chad’s fifth album, titled Show Me The Way. While his name might not ring a bell among the MTV crowd, it definitely commands respect in the jazz circle.

The Hollywood-based musical arranger, producer and koto player has been quietly working behind the scenes with such artists as Kevyn Lettau, Pauline Wilson (the Filipina singer from the jazz group, Seawind) and other artists from the (now defunct) GRP label.

Remember the live version of the popular Earth, Wind and Fire hit, Reasons? The one with the live sax solo? Well, that was Scott Mayo playing, and he gets to solo in Chad’s album. Oh yes, Kevyn Lettau did some vocals for him too. How about that?

The Yutaka collaboration was something beyond Chad’s wildest dreams. "It came about when I was in the States for some shows," he explains. "Maybe I was just fortunate to have this friend there who was also a good friend of Yutaka. So when he broached the idea of meeting him, I just froze."

If meeting Yutaka seemed reason enough to gawk and stutter, imagine what Chad’s reaction was when the idea of a collaboration was broached. "I had to pinch myself several times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming," Chad quips, "After all I was a virtual nobody in the music biz. I had to ask my self,’ Why me?,’ And the humbling thing about it was that Yutaka was very encouraging and was never stuffy and arrogant, considering his stature in Hollywood."

And so, Chad shuttled to and from the States starting 1997 to about early 2000, throughout which most of the work was done. He stayed in Yutaka’s home (lucky guy, huh?) and learned the ropes from his very willing musical mentor.

"When it was all over, I knelt in front of him and let out a big shout," Chad recalls. "It was a totally nerve-wracking experience, because he was a very stern guru. Of course, he just laughed at me when I did that.’’

"One of the thing I learned from Yutaka was how to be more consistent musically," Chad continues. "Prior to him, I thought my greatest musical moments just came about as tsamba, you know. But he made me realize that you can actually make it happen everytime."

"Another thing he taught me was that no matter how talented you are, for you to really make it in the States, you have to be original. In fact, he said that one of the strongest talents here is Kuh (Ledesma). I also think that Joey Ayala and Grace Nono have what it takes to make it there," Chad muses.

Speaking of Kuh, keen music aficionados must have noticed that Chad has figured prominently in many of Kuh’s shows, both here and abroad. What accounts for thier harmonious musical chemistry?

"Maybe it’s the way I bring out the best in her," Chad ponders."I remember when we were doing a show in New York, and we were backstage. She seemed very tense and I just comforted her by saying how she should just relax and enjoy and think about how all those people came over just to see someone of her stature sing live. And you know what, after that, her face brightened up and she exclaimed, ‘Oo nga ano!"

Tomorrow, Kuh, along with special guests Chad, Regine Velasquez and Joey Generoso (lead vocalist of Side A Band) will be melding their unique voices in a rich musical tapestry of Barbra Streisand classics in a concert aptly called, Kuh Ledesma Sings Streisand," to be held at the Manila Hotel.

From one legendary musical guru to another. Who else could have been so blessed? Yet through it all, Chad shrugs off the accolades and would rather go about his life without the trappings of fame and success. That’s sage wisdom obviously picked up from his fleeting brush with his fabled Zen master.