Light and Shade

Thursday, February 10, 2011

CONVERSATIONS with PER SORENSEN as he gets ready for his Baguio Concert, Insights on Coming Back to the Philippines, and Promoting his English-translated latest album "Vage".

I remember way back when I was in high school, I used to roam around town in my Grandma's old busted Volkswagen with my car stereo pumped to full volume, jiving with the remixed tunes of Fra-Lippo Lippi's "Light and Shade", "The Distance Between Us", and "Stitches and Burns". During the early 80's to the late 90's, the new wave genre was King of the rock and roll music scene. Now, in a world dominated by Rn'B, hard rock, hip hop, and pop, seldom do we hear the tunes of new wave gracing the airwaves and our portable music players. Tunes that have defined music's evolution from what our ear drums hear before to the beats that pump through our hearts now. Never did I realize, that 20 years later, I would again hear the "sounds" I played in my joyrides around Baguio City in a special press conference held in Hyatt Bay View hotel in Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

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Per Sorensen, frontman of famous New Wave Band Fra Lippo Lippi, optimistically greeted us as he entered the room. Sorensen, a Norwegian-born artist, said he had "a great trip and had rested well" after arriving from his flight last Sunday. After ordering a glass of cold water, Sorensen immediately proceeded to the interview area to talk to different news correspondents from around the country. Jennifer Manansala-Bautista, owner and general manager of Waltrix productions - promoter of the Baguio leg of Per Sorensen's tour sat down beside me and gave me a brief background of the artist.

I learned that Per, had an early exposure to music. At the young age of four, he already learned playing the drums. At 12, he already had mastered the Piano. By 19, he performed as a back-up singer for various bands doing funk, rock, and soul covers of songs. By 1983, Sorensen came on board as Fra Lippo Lippi's Voice. Sorensen brought to life some of Fra Lippo Lippi's songs such as "Light and Shade", "Beauty and Madness", "Some People", "Angel", "Everytime I see you", and "Stitches and Burns" - Cult classics that are forever etched into the hearts and minds of Music enthusiasts. And at last, my turn arrives.

Paul: So how's your trip so far?

Sorensen: Pretty good. I've been here for ... say... 5... 6 times already.. Couldn't get any better.

Paul: This'll be the first time you'll be playing in Baguio City, what are your thoughts? Baguio City is one of the coldest places here in the Philippines. These times, temperatures there go to a record low of up to 9 degrees Celsius. Are you prepared to play and perform in a cold environment?

Sorensen: Oh yeah! (I'm) Pretty much excited in playing in your city. This is my first time to visit (Baguio), so.. I guess, I'll be havin' a great time. 9 Degrees Celsius? I wouldn't worry about that. Im Norwegian by the way, our temperature there goes down to at most Negative fifteen degrees so I wouldn't see that as a problem.

Paul: The Baguio Leg of your tour falls on the festive month of February. The Time the City celebrates its annual Panagbenga Flower Festival. How do you feel about this? Anything Special in store for audiences to expect in your concert?

Sorensen: Well, im pretty much excited having my tour fall on (Panagbenga's) month. I'll be accompanied by "ZOO" (Arnel Pineda's Band), uhm... we'll be performing live, we'll be doin' a lot of rehearsals after this... Well it's purely work.

Paul: I here you have lots in store for your Baguio Concert, Can you give us a teaser of what you have planned for us?

Sorensen: Well Paul, I'll be doin' more songs this time.... More songs from my "Vage" Album... Oh by the way, Im comin' up with a new Album, it'll be a translation of my "Vage" album which is written and performed in Norwegian... I just did some translations of some of the songs, and hopefully , you'll be hearing some of 'em in Baguio City... Expect also some "In-betweeners", it's gonna be a long performance, it's an hour and 30 minuites... so I hope everybody'll have a great time.

Paul: Baguio's a really nice place to visit this year with the Panagbenga Festival going on. Any plans to do some tours while you're here?

Sorensen: I'll try, I really got a busy schedule... But I'll try my best. Like I said earlier, this is my first time to visit Baguio City, so I'll definitely try to go around town and visit some of the tourist spots in Baguio

Paul: Well, Thank you Per for your time. And we'll see you in Baguio.

Sorensen: Looking forward to it, Thank you Paul.

With that, I stood up, shook the hand of the Legendary Per Oystein Sorensen, and I proceeded to sit down in our table as lunch was prepared by the hotel staff. Per, after finishing some interviews, proceeded to the Keyboard/synthesizer to do a sound check. As he did that, I immediately told myself "wow, this is it... I'll finally hear it live and from 10 feet away!" Sorensen immediately played "Beauty and Madness" then he did a version of "Later". I'm very much surprised that his voice hasn't changed that much throughout the years. We concluded the Press conference, and headed straight home to Baguio. Seated in the back of the van, on my way up to Baguio, I tried to recall some of the lyrics of the songs I played in my car stereo 20 years ago. "He will paint the Light and Shade... the colors and the trees..." I hummed its familiar tune as I travelled.