Joey Ayala's Ethnic Fusion: A Passion for Things Filipino

Around three years ago, I was at a gig in Old Manila. I was with writer/poet Karen Kunawicz. Joey Ayala was going to perform at a launching of an alternative band. He was wearing a casual attire with his acoustic guitar. He was walking toward me and I said' Hey Joey" and he smile and said Hello back. The atmosphere of the place was really cozy. He sang a few songs in Filipino, mostly old and new stuff. Joey has a charisma that breaks barriers He has always been passionate about the preservation of the environment and also the safety of the natives. This video is called Magkaugnay(which means relatedness of things).

Check out this video about the legend himself.

Panasiatic Solutions Sinkhole.

We went to the Panasiatic Solutions Job Fare. It’s a new call center which hopes to get as much as 3000 employees. I have seen a lot of competitive people around and I know these people have what it takes to make it. We were endorsed to a recruitment officer by the name of Lucky . Upon first glance you would think that this lady is gentle of spirit and is also perceptive. She looks as if she has the sensitivity of a training officer. She also looks like an angel as one of the applicants remarked. Then she asked us to read. It was a surprise because other recruiters did not require it (there were around three recruiting kiosks and we thought we were lucky to be endorsed to Lucky..the name said it all).

After working for eight years in the industry, I know I have the necessary skills and accent to make it. I know I am capable as others should be on the waiting lists. Little did I know that I would be rejected like the rest of the competitive people I know. We waited for three hours on the line at the Government Center ! These guys texted me after. They said they didn’t make it and those people that Lucky hired were actually those that don’t have call center experience and were less competitive. Lucky turned out to be the Unlucky wall before us. Oh well that does it. There are still other s but then again this left me a lasting impression of the kind of people Pan Asiatic took for their recruitment department. And these very same people will be the downfall of the company four years from now.

Will I ever attempt to apply again as what the rejection slip told me to do? With these kinds of people how can I be assured of my tenure ship with the company? Do they make sound judgment? No. And my answer is also no.

Grace Nono II

Yesterday I talked about how I discovered Grace Nono. But I failed to mention that producer/husband Bob Aves is from Bacolod. I also remember seeing her live Tropical Depression ( a reggae band) at the University of St La Salle. All I could think of at that time was that the feeling I got is the same intensity when I listened to the music of Dead Can Dance. There is that powerful excursion in her music as if she is summoning all the elementals and hurling them to you.
I lost track of Grace a years passed. Someone burrowed her second album from me and never bothered to return it. One of the reasons that strike me is her brand of contralto. As what a critic wrote: it sounds sweet but with a kick. Actually it’s quite big and broad for her small frame. She has a way of coloring it, given her background in singing jazz before her venture to this terrain.
I no longer her an eco f her on the radio, given the popularity of Emo bands as well as pseudo lounge acts that makes you long for the days when Filipino music was truly original and not a rip off of Western acts. These days they are doing covers of songs that you know, could never top the performances of their American originals.
I could no longer hear voices like her’s . And there is an urgency in the air…as what my favorite Irish singer Liam O’ Maonlai said, fanaticisms is only brought about by something that is dying. And My God isn’t he right?

Grace Nono

I have followed her career since the 90’s when ethnic fusion was really new. It’s like a renaissance of traditional music in mainstream culture. All of sudden there are folk bands that came out celebrating protest music as well as the usage of indigenous instruments.

It’s a wonder that Salidumay made it to the top 40 pop radio. I began collecting her albums. She along with Joey Ayala became the face of Filipino ethnic fusion. Yes the songs are taken from the mountains and arrange with modern production techniques as well as arrangements.

On the Road

Years ago I hiked with two friends all over the island of Negros . We cheered when we crossed the border of Occidental to Oriental while stars glittered above on an evening. We were at the back of a truck. It was an adventure. It was something I made n between the highway of my youth and adulthood. It is not something that a regular person would do-limited funds in the pocket and all.

I remember how I felt-the burning concrete of the highway under my feet. Months like this makes one remember a lot of things. Like the first time I fell totally with this Norwegian musician who took me to Cebu and then broke my heart. It's fine though. It's part of life.

One has make no apologies because years from now, the only thing that matter I the madness and laughter. Not the what- might- have- been. So I thank Jack Kerouac for the beautiful madness of trying the life on the road. Because it is not something one would do under normal circumstance. Because youth is never about making normal choices.

Forest Park

I hang out at forest park last weekend to get my blues away. I love what tey did to this once abandoned place. They put a pool where you can go on boating. Then t boasts a number of trees hence the name. The only thing that really bothers me is how loud the karaoke can get. I mean it is ok to sing. But if it gets to loud especially when the songs are horrible, then it gets into my nerves.

Maybe I should try going there when there are very few people coming from D class.

The Change

Whatver happened to the old Bacolod? Everyday, there traffic levels become increasingly unbearable. Even people around look like they are from either Cebu or Manila. Hey, we used to be laid back folks right? That's why people call us 'down South' because of that attitude. But now everywhere I look everyone is trying to undo themselves...like there is something wrong that needs fixing. I am not against progress. Hey that's th main reason why I am living here in the first place. Jobs are on the rise and we have all the options to hop from one job into another when it starts to suck.

But look at those cars! I remember a DJ on the radio complaining about student swith cars. They cram the who University parking space. One would think there's a lot of things going on and that there are so many people. Only to find out there were only 30 students. With thirty cars.

There is too little time for everything

What Young People Do...

These days, seeing young men in bikes is a common scene . Especially when you live in areas like what's shown on the video and also around the Capitol Lagoon. Enjoy!

Masskara Festival

I have not much coverage here but I will let you in for details.

What is Masskara Festival?

answer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MassKara_Festival

The video:

Night at the Ibiza

I talked to Chris, the manager of Ibiza located at The Metrodome and he is originally from the Bahamas. You can really feel that vibe when you talk to him. He is camera shy so don't ask why there are no pictures of him here. We were at the parking lot enjoying the breeze. My friend Patrick who is a resident DJ was cranking up the volume of some really nice Trans music from artists like DJ Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk. Ibiza brings Europe into Bacolod.

The Bacolodnon: So how do you find the people of Bacolod City?

Chris: The people here are nice and friendly. They are all smiling a lot.

How do you find the general vibes here?

The vibes are easy compared to all places around the world. It's also cheap here. You can do a lot of stuff.

Why the name Ibiza?

There is a place in Spain known as Ibiza, they club 24 hours a day...I just want to do something different.

And Ibiza reminds you of clubbing right?

When you want to do a club business, you have to make something different apart from what others are doing. The food, the drinks..we have to make sure we have the best. The food is affordable, the drinks too. There's the aquarium which could not be found anywhere. I took things from Europe and pout it here.

What places have you been into?

Been to Germany. Holland, been around...I was into manufacturing..chicken tuna..you know,I did imports to Australia and Iran...I closed my business and came here to be with my family. My family is into business. I like creating new things. Bringing imagination into life.

What have you observed in terms of the musical culture here?

I understand that people here love a lot of Hip Hop. Not a lot of people are into Trans and that is what we are trying to do. We are trying to do things that not a lot of people do.

When you talk about trans or drum and bass, it's a European kind of thing

That is right...

About life in Bacolod..

Last time we checked on the Internet were trying to decide where we are going to base. With all the things going on in Manila I decided to base here. Since it is safe and cheap here . Bacolod id a blissful place. It is cool here. This is not the main branch. We are still planning to do the Mega. Which is big like what you find in Europe.

Who planned the concept, designs ..everything?

The concept and everything are what I have seen from my travels. This is Ibiza ultra. The next will be Mega which is big.

So you've been here in Negros for 6 months. So what places have you been to?

Generally everywhere. I have been to MO2, Bar 21...I have been around. I've been trying to see what they don't have so I can put it here.

I think the place I accommodating too. Just on the side of the street.

Yes and we try to make everything affordable. We have the best cooks in town. We just give them a little bit of American and Mexican menu...just research, research. There's no entrance fee for now.

You have an an aquarium at the bar.

Yes it's the only one in the world actually. Nobody has that.

So how do you relax?

I just sleep man. Have some time with my daughter.

Chris works hard for his new venture. I love the place. I love the vibes. And most especially the music.