Bossa nova Pampanga style

Is there anything Andy Alviz will not do for his native Pampanga? I guess that given all that he has busied himself with these past years, the answer to that would be, nothing. Just think, he already had both feet inside the door of international musical theater but he opted instead for a more relaxed and rewarding existence in Pampanga.

Alviz is a director, writer, choreographer, composer, dancer and I just found out, also a singer. He got his big break when he became the resident choreographer of Miss Saigon Asia. He could have kept doing this for years or moved on to other shows. Instead he went home, pulled up all his stakes in the city to live in a farm. Then he organized the ArtiSta. Rita and Teatru ImaARti theater companies. These exposed Kapampangan culture to its widest audience ever. 

Doing theater in Pampanga led to the discovery that many of his amateur actors, who by the way come in all ages could sing. So Andy put together a choir and moved to recording and did Kapampangans proud by putting all those folk songs and new works on discs and preserved for posterity. He later formed a label with friends that they named Q&A Productions. They made quite a splash with their first venture into recording. Kekaku Kaku Ka, Kaku Ka Keka Ku, an all-Kapampangan album by the award-winning jazz artist Mon David. Encouraged by the results, Andy moved on to something more daring. His latest project is Kapampangan music but arranged bossa nova style.  

Pampanga’s Best Bossa, which Andy produced for Q&A Productions, is an interesting mix of folk songs and new works. I have never been able to make head or tail of Kapampangan but it is not all difficult to connect with the songs in the album because of the bossa arrangements. Truth to tell, what I find truly amazing is how familiar melodies like O Kaka and Singsing easily adapted themselves into the Latin rhythm.

Alviz sings all the songs and he does very well with a full-bodied baritone that infuses life into the lazy bossa beat. Other traditional folk songs included are Aro Katimyas, Dalumdum Ning Bengi, Inyang Malati Ku, Malagung Kakung Palsintan, Sintang Matua, Mekeni King Siping Ku, O Patag A Bunduk and Atsing Rusing. Original tracks are I Mario, Maria Ya and Bossa Pampanga composed by Landlee Quiva and Paralaya and the best cut in the CD, Abe Pakakalale composed by Alviz.

Now used as he was to the grand production of the likes of Miss Saigon, Alviz plunges into his own projects in a big way. His bossa adventure, the Kapampangan way does not end with Pampanga’s Best Bossa. Now also available is the companion piece titled Bossa Pampanga. The CD features almost the same song line-up but interpreted by Various Artists. Among these are O Kaka by Pot Romero; Dalumdum Ning Bengi by Jumbo Tayag; Inyang Malati Ku by Ging Pineda; Malagung Kakung Palsintan by Jonas David; O Patag A Bunduk by Izza; and Atsing Rusing by Joe Velez.

Visayan Hitsongs

Speaking of regional music, music fans from the South might be interested in knowing that an album of timeless Visayan songs is now in the stores. The Visayan Hitsongs Collection has 18 cuts all performed by the original artists. A lot of these recordings like Usahay by Susan Fuentes and Matud Nila by Pilita Corrales are now considered classics and are available for the first time on CD. Come to think of it, most of these songs were first released on vinyl 45 RPMs many years ago and have been out of the stores for quite sometime. Don’t you just love how technology preserves everything?   

This is truly a must for all Visayans or for anybody who has come to appreciate the diversity of language that is a trademark of this country. The rest of the songs included are Gimingaw Ako and Dahong Laya by Susan Fuentes; Matud Nila, Bisan Sa Damgo Lang and Balud Sa Kalimot by Pilita Corrales; Baleleng, Pag-utlan and Marieta by Max Surban; Ihilak and Ikaduhang Bathala by Victor Wood; Langit Ug Yuta by Teresa Sedilla; Sama Sa Usa Ka Damgo by Dante Pagapulaan; Walay Palad and Ayaw Katahap by Rosalie Robles; Ulahi Na Ang Pagbasul Ko by Evelyn Bacarra; Walog Sa Luha by Ester Alferes; and Pasayawa Ko Day by the Pilipinas Singers.