MANILA, Philippines - In this day and age of digital downloads and laptop studios, Fil-Am artist, media master and 10-time Billboard Magazine honoree Craig Abaya embodies the spirit of the independent musical artist. A native of San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood, Craig grew up with a strong attraction to various art forms. Today he draws from all of them as a musical artist, filmmaker, photographer and designer.
Bernal Heights has always been a haven for filmmakers, musicians, dancers, writers and painters. Says Craig, “Growing up, it was mostly I who got my friends into music and filmmaking. As for all the other artists in the neighborhood, well, there must be something in the air.”
A musician at a young age — guitar at 12, drums at 11, piano at six, there was never any question in Craig’s mind that he will play a musical instrument. He fell in love with several of them.
“I’m not terribly educated as a musician and I’m comfortable with that fact. You can either draw from what you know or you can draw from what you don’t know, which is limitless,” he says.
Craig has won several awards in songwriting, including 10 from Billboard Magazine.
As artist/songwriter Craig is recognized for his leadership in the San Francisco Bay Area music, film and multimedia communities. He’s been the topic of several stories on Apple.com where he’s been called “the media master.” Recording Magazine editor-in-chief Michael Laskow wrote, “Here’s one that I love.” And, “This guy has all his ducks in a row.” Dave Sholin, American radio personality and the last person to interview John Lennon, commented, “That singer has a lot on the ball.”
What sets Craig apart from most other artists is his skill at various levels of the creative process. He produced and engineered his debut album, The Fine Art of Politics. In addition to singing and playing several instruments, Craig is joined by well-known musical artists. These include well-known Myron Dove (Santana), Kenney Dale Johnson (Chris Isaak), Eric McCann (Clarence Clemons and the Red Bank Rockers) and our very own now Bay Area-based Jo Anne Lorenzana.
Following in the tradition of The Beatles, The Who and Muse, Craig favors musical versatility over genre. Songs on the album have won awards in rock, alternative, pop, country and more.
Also a professional video director who has worked with music legends such as Neil Young, Bruce Hornsby and Paul McCartney, Craig directed his own music video for the track Silly Sentimental Fool. He is already in the planning stages for several more.
The Fine Art of Politics CD includes 14 self-composed songs, vocally performed and arranged by Craig himself, with major instrumentation he himself played with some of the best American musicians in the Bay Area. The titles are Living The Lie, Anesthetized, Making Other People Rich, Chameleon, Luv Is A Pain, Ulterior Motives, Touch Me, Something That I’m Not, If It Could Be You, Saint In Babylon, Little Boy Blues, Person Within Your Soul, and songs being played and promoted in several Philippine radio stations, When Change Comes on 107 NU Rock and Internet Radio and Silly Sentimental Fool on Star FM.
The Fine Art of Politics is an exclusive release at Pinoy Tunes.net (download) and Amazon.com (CD).