A dream come true for Tats

Save for a few exceptions, I am sure all composers dream of one day performing their own works in their own albums.  One possible reason is that like most of us Filipinos, composers also dream of becoming a singing star like perhaps Carole King or Jose Mari Chan.

Now some of them may not sound like singing champions but you have to admit that nobody has a bigger right to record their songs than the writers themselves. Another likely reason is that although they are most of the time satisfied with the rendition by other artists, they still seem to have that nagging feeling that they could have given their songs their own, more sincere, if not better, interpretations.

I do not know to which one of those reasons Tats Faustino subscribes, but the much in-demand composer, arranger, musical director and even creator of popular jingles is now also a recording artist. He performs his songs in an album simply entitled Tats Faustino, which was released a few weeks ago by Viva Records. 

This CD is doubtless the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream to become a singer.  That, I believe, was unfortunately relegated to the back seat for the simple reason that Tats turned out to be a prodigious worker as far as his other talents were concerned.

Tats grew up in a house filled with music but never had any formal training. Amazingly, that means he does everything by ear. Now, although he never prepared for a career as a musician, he was greatly influenced by his older brother Mon, who got into music while a member of the La Salle Greenhills singing group, Kundirana.  Tats also joined Kundirana when he entered high school and it was not long after that, that friends discovered his talents.

One of those friends was the then fast-rising pop idol Gary Valenciano.  Gary V was the schoolmate who prevailed on Tats to give him one of his compositions entitled Hang On to record.  Hang On became one of Gary’s early hits and established Tats’ career in showbusiness.  In the years that followed, Tats turned arranger, producer, musical director, jingle writer and other related things. 

Tats would later go on to write Hindi Magbabago for Randy Santiago, The Other Side of Me for Sharon Cuneta, Sandali Na Lang for Agot Isidro, Dadalhin for Regine Velasquez and lots of other memorable songs for Kuh Ledesma, Pops Fernandez, Geneva Cruz and many other stars.  He now sings 12 of them in his own album.

Tats Faustino is a one-man effort with Tats as songwriter, arranger and producer of every cut.  The songs are There’s Nothing Left Inside; So Much; So Romantic; Say Forever, where he duets with Zsa Zsa Padilla; Hang On; Handa Na; Hindi Magbabago; Dadalhin, a duet with Regine Velasquez; Sandali Na Lang; De-hin De-hin; Kuhang Kuha Mo, another duet this time with Jaya and Basta Ikaw.

Nostalgia time at CCP

Speaking of Kundirana, whose "graduates" include not only Gary, Randy and Tats but also many other big names in local pop music, the group is staging a 35th anniversary reunion concert on July 1.  This will be held at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and it is presented by the La Salle Young Artists’ Foundation, Inc. 

I do not know what to expect with this one but I have a feeling the show will bring back lots of memories of the ‘80s and it would be fun to find out if the years have been kind to the Kundirana boys.  Nostalgia buffs out there should try not to miss this one.

Humperdinck show

Still on the local concert scene.  This one goes out to all ticket holders and all of you out there who had planned to watch the Engelbert Humperdinck show at the Araneta Coliseum.  It was unfortunate that the concert had to be deferred to a later date due to unforeseen circumstances.  Not to worry though because Viva Concerts promises an announcement on the new date as soon as they get word from Humperdinck. 

So hold on to your tickets and prepare for that date with  Engelbert.  The hitmaker behind After The Loving, The Last Waltz, Release Me, The Way It Used To Be and other tunes, promises a truly romantic evening of memorable songs soon.