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For the past 21 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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WHEN a band comes up with an album, very few can appreciate the blood and guts involved in pulling off such a task. Perhaps the regularity of bands coming up with new albums killed the novelty of the deed, especially here in the US, where everyone earns dollars and anybody can just go into a studio and tape whatever there is to be taped.
Likewise, a lot of people buy computers with recording software and record their music themselves - D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself)
In the old days recording artists are often called, recording stars. Now, they are simply called recording artists. Sadly, the glitz and glamour that was once bestowed upon recording artists have tarnished due to the ‘ordinariness’ of the art of recording. Anybody can be a recording artist today.
This is why The Kuwagos matter. The Kuwagos, the Bergenfield, NJ band that released their debut album, has put the shine back on the star and has taken D.I.Y to another level - the level of excellence. The recording of their debut is D.I.Y in the highest order.
The songs were superbly written, the performances were impeccable, the recordings were well done, and the packing of the physical CD is that of commercial quality. Considering the fact that the hands that wrote and performed the songs were the same hands that put the cellophane shrink wrap around the CD case, it is just fitting to call
The Kuwagos are recording stars more than anything else. A lot of aspiring artists, with money, go for the big bucks studio but still manage to create a CD-full of crap. But the Kuwagos, with just about anything needed to come up with a good recording, managed to make a great one.
The Kuwagos matter. for many reasons. Here are a few:
They matter because they have put great song writing into D.I.Y. and proved that financial limitation is not a limitation at all.
Likewise, they have proven once and for all that what really matters is not the million-dollar gear that records and manufactures the CD. It is the material that is inside the CD that counts.
Who really cares that the guitar used in the great Kuwagos track ‘Maynila’ was an old classical guitar, with rusty strings, borrowed from a fellow artist named Binky Veloria?
Who cares that the amp used to generate the massive opening riff of the album kicker ‘Gusto Mo’ was a tiny $50 practice amp?
Who cares that it was the Kuwagos themselves who packaged their debut album using a makeshift shrink wrapper and laser printer?
Nobody. As long as we feel our hearts warm up to the sentimental yearnings for our home country in ‘Maynila’, as long we get our legs moving to the irresistible groove of ‘Gusto Mo’, and as long as we continuously look at the Kuwagos CD and marvel at how great the songs are, we could care less on how much money was spent on gear, recording, mastering and packaging.
When good music plays, everybody listens. But when great music plays, everybody remembers. The Kuwagos will definitely be remembered. I suppose that the legacy that they want to impart to any aspiring Fil Am artist is this : If you do it yourselves, do it well. Do it real. And if that will not make The Kuwagos legitimate recording stars, I don’t know what will.
The Kuwagos will join the line up for Phil-US Expo ’08 on May 17 or 18 at the New Jersey National Guard Armory in Jersey City at 678 Montgomery St. and Summit Ave. For more info please call 201.920.6936 / 973.239.2539 or visit www.philus-expo.com
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NEW YORK– The organizers and staff of Special Edition Press, Inc., the premier promoter of Filipino special events recently met together with top Filipino musicians to select the top 5 finalists for the Pinoy Musik Festival Songwriting Competition.
Top selected songs and composers are: Season of Love by Shiela Marie Pamfilo, You are Mine by Nemz Danuco, Kailan Kaya by Jay Alvin, Nandito Lang Ako by Rodio "Chua jojo" Batayen, and Habang Tumatagal by Marevic Parcon.
Other songs submitted by Filipino composers are: That's What She Said by Christian Heal, Aya Ayo lang ta bay by Fausto Luis Brizo Give me the Right to Love by Jude Edgard Balsamo, Artistic Love by Thaddeus Dellosa, Pagkat Ikaw by Kristine Fuenty and Heaven Sent by Jehan Mari Maturan
This competition open only to Filipinos residing in the Philippines, has produced about 20 exceptional entries. Top five songs will be interpreted and performed by select singers at the Pinoy Musik Festival at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey on May 17 & 18. Winning entries vie for the major cash prizes amounting to Php 100,000 pesos.
The Pinoy Musik Festival is made possible through the efforts of Nanding and Mila Mendez to provide a venue for Filipino musicians and artists to share their talents to the music industry here in the US. The songwriting project is assisted by Ogie Afable, Joe Valledo and Rose Javier, together with musicians Eric Celerio, Gilbert Laurel, Noel Gamboa and Ramon Tarrayo.
This event is sponsored by MYX, Citibank, Mama Sitas, Aryty, Western Union, Asian Journal, MoneyGram, mygringo.com, Tancingco Law Offices, Special Edition Press & Philippine Fiesta.
For sponsorship, exhibiting and attending, call 212-682-6610; email: sepmgzn@aol.com or log on to www.pinoymusikfestival.com.
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NEW YORK–Madison Avenue in NYC from 41St. to 23rd St. is the place to be on Sunday, June 1 2008 as the PIDCI (Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc) with the cooperation of the Philippine Consulate General of New York commemorate the 110th anniversary of Philippine Independence with a Grand Parade that kicks off on 40th Street and Madison Avenue.
The theme this year is Tribute to Filipino Excellence: “Likas na Karunungan, Kakayahan at Kahusayan”. PIDCI
President Raul S. Estrellado, PIDCI 2008 Grand Marshal Reverend Monsignor Oscar A. Aquino and Consul General Cecilia Rebong will lead the parade down Madison Avenue.
Contingents of Fil-am organizations will be joined by special guests from other states and from the Philippines. The Philippine Basketball Association Legends USA headed by Abe King, Jr. is marching in the parade with a group of PBA heroes such as Francis Arnaiz, Danilo Florencio, Estoy Estrada, Abet Guidaben, Yoyoy Villamin, Rey Lazaro, Yves Dignadice and Naning Valenciano.
Other PBA legends such as Atoy Co, Bernard Fabiosa, and Mon Fernandez have been invited to march with their fellow PBA Legends.
CBS 2 TV anchorperson Kristine Johnson and CBS 2 news reporter Hazel Sanchez will be the parade emcees at the reviewing stand on 29th- 30th Street TFC/ABS-CBN International will also be participating in the celebration and is presenting an hour show at the cultural program in the street fair area.
Headlining this special show segment is international artist Charice Pempengco – who shot to fame with her show-stopping singing performance at the Ellen De Generes show last fall. She will be joined by the talented singer/songwriter/TV host Randy Santiago and the equally talented comedienne/singer Fe De Los Reyes.
Also expected to wow the Fil-am audience with their dexterity and skill in ballroom dancing are the Dancing with the Stars Kids – Jaryd Farcon and Cara Abaya Campos who will perform a special ballroom dance number at the cultural program.
Opening the cultural program are three up and coming local bands who have made great strides in the local music scene – Illustration – who specializes in power pop, Paper June – whose trademark is poprock- soul groove and Receptor which makes a return to the PIDCI cultural stage with their unique brand of music.
The United Ilocano Association of Tidewater (UIAT) in Virginia will showcase folk, hiphop and ballroom dances and the Halau Hula 'O Hokulani Hula School from Hawaii will give the audience a preview of the innovative Hula dances that they will be also be performing at Carnegie Hall. Official sponsors for the 2008 Philippine Independence Day Celebration in New York are AIG, TFC, ABS-CBN International.
Additional sponsors include Direct TV/Satellite Television, Krystal’s/Café 81, Western Union, HSBC, United Staffing Registry/United Home Care, UPS, Estro Entertainment, and The Filipino Reporter.
For inquiries: PARADE: Raul Estrellado (President) 201-421-6187, Antero Martinez 347-837-5853, Jenny Vi Niguidula 917-455-8309. STREET FAIR Sofia Abad 347-558-3728; Mario Garcia 732-425-4907 CULTURAL PROGRAM Vivian Velasco 212-841-1646. email: pidcinc@gmail.com. Please visit the website www.pidci.org. and visit the Fan profile on Facebook (www.facebook.com) and Friendster (www.friendster.com)
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