A spiritual trip with Sa 'Yo Lamang

She may have lately been sometimes in and sometimes out of the local music scene but you can bet that Jamie Rivera will make a big splash when she decides to be in again. One of the ‘90s top hitmakers and one of London’s West End’s fabled Filipino Miss Saigons, Jamie is back again and, surprise! she is now also a record producer. Just take a look at how special is this CD that she has put together.

Titled Sa ‘Yo Lamang, it is a collection of some of our most loved religious songs. These are songs familiar to us through the Holy Mass and other Catholic services. I know, they have also all been recorded before. But admit it, we still get a lift or go into prayer mode whenever we hear them. And we can certainly use something like those during these difficult times. Besides, I have to say that the CD has very good versions performed by top song artists and some award-winning choirs.

These choirs are the winners of the Sa ‘Yo Lamang Chorale Fest which was held last February. They are the Hail Mary The Queen Children’s Choir, grand prize winner; Ars Cantica, first runner-up; and The Heralds Choir, second runner-up. They show here how much they deserve their prizes. They get to do a solo spot each and then join one of the featured artists in a special number. Also featured singing back up are some of the other finalists in the competition.

Serving as bookends to the whole package is of course Fr. Manoling Francisco’s moving Sa ‘Yo Lamang. It opens and closes the album. The first cut is by Jamie herself with the Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir and at the end is another version by Juris Fernandez, erstwhile girl soloist of the M.Y.M.P. with the Ars Cantica Ensemble.

In between are On Eagles’ Wings by the Ars Cantica Ensemble; Lead Me Lord by Aiza Seguerra; One More Gift by The Heralds Choir; Pananagutan by Bugoy; I Offer My Life by Erik Santos with the Optimi Choir; Take And Receive by Chin Chin Gutierrez with Lighter Side Movement; Panalangin Sa Pagiging Bukas Palad also by Jamie; Anima Christi by Liezel Garcia with The Heralds Choir; Give Thanks by Fatima Soriano; and Shine Jesus Shine in a medley with Shout To The Lord by the Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir.

Sa ‘Yo Lamang is nothing new but it is always heartening to find local producers investing on CDs like these. And at a time such as now when the music market is down at that. We love finding hit tunes but finding something that uplifts your mood and makes the daily grind a little better beats anything in the charts.

Speaking of religious recordings there is a strong chance that Pope Benedict XVI might just become the first Roman Pontiff to win a music award. This is the Classical Brit where Music From The Vatican: Alma Mater is one of the nominees for Album of the Year. The CD features new classical compositions and prayers recited by the Pope. It is a superb production where three composers, Stefano Mainetti, from Italy and a Catholic; Simon Boswell who is British and does not practice any religion; and Nour Eddine who is from Morocco and a Muslim came together to create heavenly music for the Vatican.

I just love what Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his liner notes to Alma Mater. He is so right when he said that: “I am convinced that music really is the universal language of beauty which can bring together all people of goodwill on earth.”

Alma Mater should be a shoo-in at the Brits but there are other interesting nominees of which it can also be said that their music brings together all people of goodwill on earth.

These are Together by the male quartet Blake; Camilla Kerslake’s self-titled debut for Take That Boy Gary Barlow’s label; Heroes by the military band Coldstream Guards; Britain’s Got Talent teen discovery Faryl Smith’s first CD; Memory Lane by the Fron Male Voice Choir; Enchanted Voices by Howard Goodall; Band Of Brothers by Only Men Aloud; Harmony by The Priests; and O Fortuna by new classical to pop crossover heartthrob Rhydian.