Monday, March 24, 2008 Costanilla: 'Usa Ka Tingog,' for production By Sam Costanilla spotlight
I HAD a very pleasant afternoon last Monday when I finally met textmate Jeanne Torrefranca. She happens to be a long-lost friend of composer Paul Melendez, the guy behind Mabuhi, billed as the anthem for Cebuano unity. Jeanne told me they last met 25 years ago, but only got his number through me after reading an article I wrote about him recently. Anyway, Paul later joined our table and the three of us had a very lively discussion about an exciting project that the two of them intend to pursue.
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PAUL told me that he and Jeanne are seriously planning to produce a compact disc album of some of his original Cebuano and English compositions. Paul, prolific songwriter that he is, has several unrecorded songs to his credit. Anyway, what is this exciting project that I’m talking about? It’s a remake of Paul’s Usa Ka Tingog (One Voice) in the tradition of We Are The World. Paul and Jeanne stressed that this particular composition (it won the grand prize in the 1998 Cebu Popular Music Festival) will be re-recorded with some of Cebu’s veteran and neophyte singers as the artists. Each artist will sing a line or at least a few words of the song, making Usa Ka Tingog a collaboration and mixture of various voices.
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THIS particular song, originally rendered by Lea May Caseñas 10 years ago, talks about unity and cooperation in order to achieve success. I told Paul and Jeanne that re-making Usa Ka Tingog this time with various artists would be a first in Cebu’s musical history. So when they asked me to come up with suggested names, I rattled off the following: Gil Maningo, Dante Luzon, Baby Condeno, Boyet Lim, Lauro Flores, Elmer Cabahug, Novo Bono Jr., Ester Alferez, Jimmy Marquez, Raki Vega, Eva Santos, Ivan Joseph, Al Comendador, Jaime Salazar, Eking Fernandez, Myles Carciller, the Sakdap quartet, Elvis Somosot, Leo Patrick Acibar, Maria Donna and Ann Feji (both based in Hong Kong), Linda Dajao-Sayson, Max Surban, Maricel Suaring, Wilson Po, Nanette and Edwin Dilao, Mario Jadraque, Alma Villa, Armistice Abayan, Grant Dosdos and Sally Rama. Paul, Jeanne and I myself may also participate in the re-recording, adding our own voices to the song.
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YES, as I already mentioned, Usa Ka Tingog will be re-produced in the tradition of We Are The World. It’s an ambitious but a doable project. Our main aim in doing this is to elevate the local music industry into a higher level, not to mention the propagation of the song’s theme of unity and cooperation as a way of solving present-day problems. If there are other artists out there whose names I forgot to mention here, kindly call or text me now so that Paul, Jeanne and I can start deliberating on the final casting. We are also looking for interested co-producers of the album. Be part of a historic event in the local music scene. If plans don’t miscarry, we intend to launch the album in December, that’s nine months away. So what are you waiting for? Call or text me right now.
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THERE are plans for the Cebu Catholic Television Network channel 47 to collaborate with Carlo J. Caparas, one of the country’s top filmmakers, for them to produce a Western teleseries in Cebuano. Fondly called direk Carlo, this writer’s close friend is a Cebuano by heart and marriage. His wife Donna Villa is a true-blue Cebuana.
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NETWORK president Nonito “Tatay Dodong” Limchua told me that he wants the television outfit and direk Carlo to collaborate on a Cebuano/Visayan Western teleserye and introduce something different—actually a first—in the local television industry. However, everything is still in the planning stage. I understand that the Manila-based Caparas couple will be coming over next month so maybe that will be the appropriate time for extensively discussing the exciting plan.
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THOSE who have not yet seen the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center dancing inmates perform live will have a chance to do so on Mar. 29. There will be two performances on that day, one at 10 a.m. and the last at 3 p.m. Both shows are open to the public, but those that want to see the dancing inmates should pre-register now by calling 2536070, 2531970 or 2543454. For those who do not have private cars, the Capitol is fielding its brand-new bus to drive the spectators to and from the
jail facility.
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WHAT’S this I heard that some officers of a local broadcasters’ club are engaging in a word war over their leader’s bossy ways? Is it true that the co-officers are assailing their leader and even talking behind his back?
