Lani: A supreme artist in a superior show

Did you know that a funny thing happened at Lani Misalucha’s concert (reported in a “scoop” in this corner) last March 21 at Trump Taj Mahal hotel-casino resort?

Listen to Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre (of The Filipino Reporter):

“Midway through the show’s first half, the enthralled crowd could no longer contain its delight at Lani’s spine-tingling performance that they began showering her with praises, hollering words at every turn like ‘beautiful!’, ‘awesome!,’ ‘magnificent!,’ ‘bravo!,’ ‘wow!,’ and ‘you’re the best!’ which Lani graciously acknowledged with a smile and dramatic gestures of a true diva.” 

According to Edmund, without exaggeration, “watching Lani on stage is something every soul must experience. With an almighty voice, commanding stage presence and genuine appreciation of her audience, the Filipina diva never delivers a less than stellar act, prompting stage manager Marisse Panlilio to describe Lani as ‘a league of her own’.”

No wonder The Venetian, one of the top casino resorts in Las Vegas, is said to be eager to acquire Lani from Las Vegas Hilton, where she regularly performs in a show called Voices, produced by Giordano World Entertainment Production.

“[The Venetian] talked to us in January but they wanted us to start the show with them by March,” said Lani in an interview for Funfare conducted by Edmund shortly before her Atlantic City show. “That’s really close and we should give Hilton at least three months notice if ever we decide on something.”

But sources said The Venetian, which is reportedly eyeing Lani for the majestic and much bigger The Venetian Showroom, also wants to take over from Giordano the production rights of Voices which is the only stumbling block in the negotiation.

Moving to The Venetian will be a major career step as it will give wider exposure to the artist formerly known as Asia’s Nightingale, now dubbed in Vegas as the “Siren of the Strip.”

“It’s all up to my producer,” Lani said. “Everything is still under negotiation. I just do what he says. If it’s meant to be, then it’ll be.”

Edmund said that Lani’s Atlantic City engagement gave the East Coast patrons, many of them Trump Taj Mahal’s esteemed players, a chance to experience one of the Philippines’ most important artists and one of Vegas’ rising talents.

“Lani’s Broadway medley was pure magic, with the crowd humming with her as she dished out with great passion themes from Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Cats and Sound of Music. Her much-anticipated signature aria, the Nessun Dorma from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, was a total knockout and got the casino’s entertainment executives blown away, according to Drs. Ramon and Ching Legarda of Group Ole, producers of the Atlantic City concert.

“These executives have been in the business for so long and yet they admitted they haven’t seen anything like Lani,” Edmund quoted Dr. Ramon Legarda as saying. 

But the Italian aria became more than a show-stopping number. 

Added Edmund, “The diva turned emotional as memories of her late father, who passed away in 2002, suddenly dawned on her as she was about to begin the song that made her the most supreme Filipina vocalist of all time.”

“My father taught me this music,” the teary-eyed Lani told the audience about Nessun Dorma (“Her voice quivering,” noted Edmund) “Hindi na niya ako naabutang kantahin ito sa Las Vegas.”

By the time she hit the first note, many in the crowd were wiping away tears.    

“She’s incredible, grabe ang lung power niya...grabe and voice range,” Edmund said he overheard travel agent Zoila Mendoza of Long Island, N.Y., saying (he brought along her mother, Remy Mendoza, a retired nurse from Rego Park, N.Y. “Saan ba galing ‘yang babaeng ‘yan? It’s my mom’s first time to see a concert and she’s like a little girl gushing over Lani Misalucha. She can’t believe that there’s a Filipino artist as great as Lani. Manood daw ulit kami kapag may Lani concert.”

Not all in the repertoire was heavy stuff. But just the same, Lani turned the light fare into extraordinary.

“Her soulful rendition of Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love was unforgettable and the most favorite among younger fans, Beyonce’s Beautiful Liar. Her Tagalog numbers, Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin and Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, were a generous treat to OPM lovers.”

As expected, Lani’s now famous impersonation of Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Beyonce, Celine Dion and Britney Spears drew guffaws and astonishment.

“She nailed Tina Turner and Diana Ross perfectly, thanks to the elaborate accessories and outfit, as well as Lani’s elastic face and versatile voice,” said Edmund.

“We know she’s good at impersonating other Filipino divas,” said Dr. Willy Lagrada of Edison, New Jersey, who watched the show with his wife Carol and their three teenage kids, who all instantly became Lani Misalucha fans. “But we’re amazed that she could also do international artists like Tina Turner. She’s a damn good artist dahil kuhang-kuha pati voice and looks.”

Lani’s back-up singers, Noybelle Gorgoy and Kharisma Sky, both shone on stage, according to Edmund.

“The two non-Filipino performers were definitely not lightweights as they took on eye-catching solo numbers showcasing their superb vocal prowess and sex appeal. Gorgoy performed Lady Gaga’s Poker Face and Sky Beyonce’s Sweet Dreams. The two talented hotties also held their own when they joined Lani as a trio in a classical (and absolutely amusing) version of Queens’ Bohemian Rhapsody and We Are The Champions. It was a riot.”

The two-hour Vegas-style extravaganza was directed by Lorrie Ilustre, one of the Philippines’ most formidable musical directors and arrangers, who is also behind Lani’s successful Voices. He was joined by international Peruvian keyboardist Ricardo “Cocho” Arbe, famous drummer George Bryant, and renowned guitarists Jeff Zinn and John Wedemeyer who, reminded Edmund, “all have shared the stage with top artists such as Wayne Newton, Gladys Knight, Jeffrey Osborne and Ben Vereen.”

* * *

He looks like the late Francis Magalona, complete with Francis’ smiling eyes.

“I’m flattered (by the comparison),” said upcoming singer Chris Cayzer who is part-Chinese, part-American, part-Japanese and part-Spanish “but mostly Filipino.” His parents are both Filipinos, though. His dad is from Manila and his mom, an Araneta, is from Zamboanga. “His surname is foreign-sounding because my dad got it from his adoptive father.”

Born, raised and educated in Brisbane, Australia, Chris, 23 (on Dec. 29), was discovered by Jojie Dingcong during one of his vacations here five years ago. After a bit part in the Sam-Bea movie Close To You, Chris did a stint in the ABS-CBN Sunday noontime show ASAP, a radio show and as a veejay for Global TFC (The Filipino Channel). Then, he moved to the defunct GMA noontime show S.O.P. (replaced by Party Pilipinas), and has just been recruited by TV5 as one of the hosts of its Sunday noontime show Party On Five (POV), directed by Rich Ilustre, which premieres on Sunday, April 11, followed at 4 p.m. on the same day by still another show, the youth-oriented B.F.G.F., with Kian of Callalily as co-star (and Joyce Bernal as director).

“My father’s business here is gun manufacturing and importing/exporting,” volunteered Chris who has two siblings, both girls, one older and the other younger.

Does that make him gun-happy?

“No,” said Chris, “I’m guitar-happy.”

He named James Taylor, Eagles and John Mayer as his musical influences, including local artists Eraserheads, Barbie Almalbis and, of course, Gary Valenciano whose wife Angeli Pangilinan is his aunt.

His first (eponymous) album was released last year by Warner Music Philippines and he’s now preparing the follow-up.

Chris graduated with a degree in Electronics Business from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.

“I was brought up on Filipino values,” said Chris who counts among his close buddies Anne Curtis, Georgina Wilson and Raymond Gutierrez. “We’re a fun crowd.”

Asked who are more aggressive, Aussie girls or Filipinas, Chris smiled, “The Australians, definitely!”

* * *

I missed Amy Perez when she suddenly quit her very-early-morning program AMY (About Me & You) with Bobby Yan on dzMM. The “missing” didn’t last long, though. Last March 22, I caught Amy in an equally interesting (even more so) show called Face to Face on TV5 (aired at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, with replays near midnight same days) where she has moved to from ABS-CBN, her home for quite a time.

It turned out that Amy jumped the gun on ABS-CBN/dzMM by resigning before she could be “fired.”

After one viewing, I got hooked on Face to Face, never mind it it’s inspired by hit US show The Jerry Springer Show. I love its palengke atmosphere in keeping with the show’s “Barangay Hall on air” format” in which guests hurl insults at one another, short of clawing the eyeballs out of one another, as they argue their cases, with Amy acting as the referee when the hotheads start going out of control.

“We make sure that nobody gets hurt, physically,” said Amy. “In the end, maski hindi sila nagkakabati-bati, at least nagkakaroon ng resolution.”

The resident (legal) counselors, known as Trio Tagapayo, are lawyer Persida Acosta, Fr. Gerry Tapiador and clinical psychologist/family-counselor Dr. Camille Garcia.

In one episode, titled Babae, Ipinagpalit ni Lalaki sa Isang Bading, the poor spurned wife nearly killed her gay rival with more than dagger looks. The gay partner emerged as the winner because the husband, who turned out to be also gay, chose him over her.

The show is so good that it was able to entice director Conci Flores (That’s Entertainment, MAD [Martin After Dark], etc.) out of his nine-year semi-retirement.

“It’s the kind of show you cannot say no to,” conceded Conci.

Same with Amy who is known as Tiyang Amy (her co-host is Hans Mortel).

“What made me accept the show?,” asked Amy. “I love radio (She was replaced by Francine Prieto in AMY. — RFL) and I loved what I was doing...three years din ‘yon. I missed my listeners both here and abroad. Sabi nila, ‘Paano na kami? Pag hapon, ikaw ang bale kasama namin’. But I also missed hosting a TV show, so when the offer came...”

The show’s segments include Face-Off, Facebuking, Just Face It and Amy-nan.

After 29 episodes, Face to Face must be giving the competition a reason to worry. In just three weeks, the show scored a high rating of 21 percent audience share, according to AGB Nielsen Media Research.

Come to think of it, how would Amy like the idea of putting on the hot seats her “past,” Brix Ferraris (father of her first child), and her “present,” dzMM field reporter Carlo Castillo (father of her second child)?

It took Amy awhile to answer.

“Why not?”

And which side would she take, sa pula o sa puti?

“Carlo, of course!”

If ever, the episode would be a rater, I’m sure.

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