Noel for Christmas, other albums

As evidenced by his name, singer-composer Noel Cabangon of Kanlungan fame was born on Christmas Day. So it is not at all surprising that he would come up with something truly special for his first Christmas album. And what else can the title be but the simple four-letter word so full of meaning, Noel?

Produced by Cabangon and Bob Aves for the Jesuit Communications Foundation, Noel goes beyond the usual CD release. It is also a Christmas card with an ingenious cover design by Cholo Abenes and Juan Gabriel Cabangon. In keeping with the greeting card concept, it comes with a mailing envelope, a pocket for the CD and writing space to make it truly personal. If you are thinking of sending out cards to your friends, something more thoughtful and personal than e-mail, then check out Noel. It is a beautiful card and I have to admit that Noel’s soulful style with its jazzy overtones sounds ideal for the melancholy type of Christmas carols that Pinoys like very much.

Noel has new originals composed by Cabangon like Pasko Na! Pasko Na!, Pasko Dito Sa Amin, Nahan ang Tapat Mong Pagsinta, Nang Ikaw ay Dumating, Diwa ng Pasko and Happy Christmas, by Gary Granada Huling Hiling and Pamaskong Pangarap, by Toto Sorioso Hey! Happy Holidays! and by Gabby Malvar and Gang Badoy Natutong Umibig Muli. There is also the Filipino Christmas standard Pasko Na Sinta Ko by Francis Dandan and Aurelio Estanislao and from foreign shores but now also indispensable parts of the Filipino Christmas celebration, the songs The First Noel, The Christmas Song.

Make a present of Noel to your friends and make sure to also get one for yourself.

Cabangon, who is really on a roll these days, is also one of the guest performers in Let Your Praises Be Heard by Bukas Palad. He duets with Cooky Chua, another divine sounding song artist, in Sa Tingin Mo one of the cuts in the new album of inspiring music from the Bukas Palad Music Ministry. The Ministry started out with members Norman Agatep, Jandi Arboleda and Manoling Francisco who is best known for his Hindi Kita Malilimutan. When Francisco left to become a Jesuit, Norman and Jandi were joined by other members and the group soon became one of the leading interpreters of the new religious music.

The sleekly produced Let Your Praises be Heard show how far the group has come. Aside from Noel and Cooky, the album also boasts of guests Regine Velasquez in Child, Lea Salonga in We are Yours, and Jett Pangan of The Dawn in You. The other cuts included are Nasa Palad Mo, Love Like Rain, Earthkeeper, Let My Spirit Sing, All Shall be Well, Everything, Arms of Love, Iyong Angkin, My Way to You, Come to My Aid, Holy Three-in-One and Jandi and Norman’s composition Let Your Praises be Heard.

Check this out for uplifting sounds during the Christmas Season.

And because Christmas is the best time of the year for children, you might as well also listen to Children of the World, an album that features Sampaguita, the London-based kiddie group of Filipinos and which is dedicated to children. Produced by the famous Vehnee Saturno and released by Candid Records, Children of the World aims to raise funds for the underprivileged children of the Philippines. All profits from the sale of the album go to charities dedicated to helping children in crisis, sick, neglected, orphaned, abandoned, sexually abused, indigent and deprived of schooling or out on the streets.

Saturno originals like Pity on Me, Children of the World and Love is All We Need are the Filipino tunes included in the album. Then there are popular tunes like Tomorrow from the musical Annie, the Paul McCartney-Michael Jackson duet The Girl is Mine, the recent hit for Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman Something Stupid and Paul Anka’s Puppy Love. And that is not all. The centerpiece of the album is a medley of songs like Chim Chim Che-Ree, Let’s Go Fly a Kite, A Spoonful of Sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, and others from the movie Mary Poppins which I am sure kiddies everywhere will enjoy singing along with.

Add giving the album to your list of good things to do for others this Christmas.