Do you hear what I hear?

I would be in shambles if we celebrated Christmas without song. In a season that is potentially quite stressful, holiday music is among my only sources of solace. So with just a few hours before we hit the 25th of December, here's to share with you some of the Christmas albums that have continued to keep me sane and safe through the years.

THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS (SWINGLE SINGERS)

Undoubtedly my favorite Christmas album of all time. I had been a fan of The Swingle Singers' earlier holiday collection and jumped at the prospect of getting this more recent one when fellow chorister Tonet Santana volunteered to get me copy while he was in the U.S. With 21 tracks, THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS embraces the narrative of the Nativity from all possible angles and reflects all the shades of the season, from somber to grandiose, in a cappella. O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL and MAGNIFICAT are staggering beautiful, and the group's SILENT NIGHT never fails to make me cry.

A SOULFUL CELEBRATION (QUINCY JONES)

Maybe not technically a Christmas collection, the album is a modern take on Handel's Oratorio, and traces the lush history of African-American music. I first read about the Quincy Jones's project in the early 90s and was flabbergasted by the roster of artists involved in it: Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Patti Austin, David Pack, Al Jarreau, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis, The Yellow Jackets, to name a few. My personal favorites are AND HE SHALL PURIFY and I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH, each with distinct R&B flavors, both rousing in totally different ways. I have three copies of the CDs--the two that I've lent out have never returned.

CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT (CARPENTERS)

College classmate and songwriter Vincent Wongaiham played this non-stop during those months we were working on our thesis with Sandra Herrero-Gonzalvez and Jo-Ann Sto. Tomas-Reyes. Festive and full of cheer, the album conjures images of Christmas pageants and Dorothy Hamill on ice at the Rockefeller Plaza, what with the tubular bells and sleigh bells plus the dense orchestral arrangements in most of the tracks. I must have been influenced by the album sound when writing the musical we produced in college. Thanks to Karen and Richard, we got an A+.

AN EVENING IN DECEMBER (FIRST CALL)

The album had an underground following when I was in college; campus choirs kept requesting scores of ONE SMALL CHILD and STARLIGHT, among others. Coincidentally, I was then producing Bukas Palad's Christmas album and must have been swayed by the rich choral arrangements that were tapered for more pop-sounding choirs, and evident in AN EVENING IN DECEMBER. The sound was and still is both stirring and refreshing.

A CHRISTMAS ALBUM (KENNY RANKIN)

Maybe 5 years back, fellow musician Gino Torres gifted me with this album from one of our favorite vocal stylists, Kenny Rankin. Of course, I never told Gino that I had already owned a copy; besides, I was perfectly fine with owning two. With just man and guitar, the album manages to give new meaning to traditional Christmas songs and carols, infusing jazzy vibe and sometimes melancholic rhythm to such classic melodies as WE THREE KINGS and LITTLE DRUMMER BOY--and mind you, these are songs I had previously no liking for. Ooh, I am still mourning Rankin's recent passing.

THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION (AMY GRANT)

This was my lucky find last year. I already had one of Amy Grant's holiday albums (which dear friend Reggie Regala borrowed, then lost but replaced immediately), and was elated to come across this collection compiling the artist's favorite Christmas tracks and some new ones to boot. My favorite BREATH OF HEAVEN and the first version I ever heard of the now-too-popular GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST made the cut. Equally moving for me beneath drums, synthesizers and electric guitars are I NEED A SILENT NIGHT and A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER.

NOELS SANS PASSEPORT (SWINGLE SINGERS)

I borrowed a cassette of this album from choirmate Lourdes Uranza-Jungnitsch and never returned it. Absolutely fabulous! Produced nearly 40 years ago, the music continues to intrigue and uplift with the magical arrangements of carols from around the world--all through scatting and without any of the original lyrics being uttered. Particularly fascinating for me are the medleys that take the listener through musical movements, rising and falling and rising again to depict the myriad of emotions that Christmas brings. I learned recently from friend and musical genius, Palan Reyes, that a CD of the album now exists.

PASKO NA! (BUKAS PALAD)

All right. I guess I lied. Pasko Na is my favorite Christmas album of all time. But I am biased; you see the tracks are written, arranged, and recorded by people I love, and those who have shaped my perception of music and Christmas. They are a big reason why my holidays shall be forever filled with song.

A merry, merry Christmas to all!

Basia: It's That Girl Again

Back in the 80s, when our band used to play one of the music halls along Annapolis St., we would open our first set with a Matt Bianco crowd favorite, HALF A MINUTE. It was easy to see why the regulars at the lounge liked it--the song was a novel treat; through it, the U.K. band had successfully redefined the pop jazz sound with its contemporary take on samba, and had showcased one of the most distinctive voices the music world was to hear--an intriguing voice that came with an equally intriguing name: Basia Trzetrzelewska.

Her English wasn't perfect and her tone was almost reedy. But like an oboe in a sea of richer, fuller timbres, she stood out gracefully especially with her signature multi-layered harmonies. Soon enough, Basia was a star on her own, recording a successful string of hits through her first two solo albums: TIME AND TIDE and LONDON WARSAW NEW YORK in 1987 and 1989, respectively. Five years later, she churned out THE SWEETEST ILLUSION, which although was not as applauded as her initial projects, remained true to her Latin-laced vibe and rich rhythms. It is still among my all-time favorites.

However, the period that followed seemed to reflect some serious drought. A live project and three compilations followed, but sorely missing was a studio album, which fans like I were seeking. You can therefore imagine my glee when I discovered and secured her newest CD launched earlier this year, 15 years after her last studio album.

Titled IT'S THAT GIRL AGAIN, the CD is indeed a comeback. It is a return of that same voice, vocal style, and distinct musicality. At 54 (Basia turns 55 on September 30), the artist sounds as fresh and vibrant as she did on TIME AND TIDE, and yet her music somehow feels the same. The experience of listening to her CD is thus most comforting. Will the new tracks climb the charts in the same way that PROMISES, NEW DAY FOR YOU, and CRUISING FOR BRUISING did? Perhaps not. We have a new set of ears listening these days. But old fogeys like me will be most happy.

But what makes me happier is that Basia will be in Manila on October 21, 8:30 pm, at the Araneta Coliseum for a one-night performance. Apart from singing her popular favorites, the artist is expected to give us a sampling of her latest tracks (I'm guessing the album will finally be available in Manila by then). And while I have a difficulty choosing my personal favorite, I am predicting that the one I'm posting here will have a pretty good following. Here's A GIFT.

Echoes of Kenny Rankin

I do not remember why Manoling Francisco, Jandi Arboleda and I insisted to include PUSSYWILLOWS CATTAILS among the songs in ECHOES, a song book we were asked to put together in 1979 by the Knights for Christ for use in masses at the Ateneo de Manila Grade School. Maybe we were just too young to understand what constituted liturgical music (we were barely 13 years old). Maybe we thought it possessed a lovely meditative melody. Maybe we felt that listening to it was a divine experience.

But I do remember growing in a house where the song and other tracks popularized by Kenny Rankin would play frequently from my sister's phonograph. I would laze around on the carpet after chores, staring at the ceiling but fully absorbing the haunting tunes of HOUSE OF GOLD, WHEN SUNNY GETS BLUE, and THROUGH THE EYE OF THE EAGLE. And when my sister gave birth to my niece, Selene, it was no surprise that among the first songs that the kid learned to sing was HERE'S THAT RAINY DAY.

Soon, a sale in the 80s at the music bar of Ali Mall allowed me to start my own collection of Kenny Rankin albums. And so with my little savings, I purchased the cassettes of LIKE A SEED, SILVER MORNING, THE KENNY RANKIN ALBUM, and AFTER THE ROSES all at once. But more recently, I was ecstatic to receive from fellow musician Gino Torres, Rankin's A CHRISTMAS ALBUM, and to discover on a shelf of hard-to-find CDs, the artist's covers of Brazilian music in the album HERE IN MY HEART.

Apart from Rankin's buoyant and beautiful melodies, what has drawn me to the artist all these years is his unique timbre--one so calm yet penetrative. It is rich without being flamboyant, unassuming and yet inspiring. Supple and pristine. His tenor is as innocent and playful as a child's (he was discovered by his music teacher who felt his rendition of O HOLY NIGHT in a Christmas pageant was lovely). And his personal interpretation of tunes allows us to experience tired songs in a whole new vibrant light (when John Lennon and Paul McCartney were inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, McCartney requested that Rankin represent the duo by virtue of Rankin's exquisite recordings of BLACKBIRD and PENNY LANE).

Rankin himself reveals the secret. "My interpretation of the songs is purely emotional," he explains. "I've been accused of straying from the melody, but when I sing, I'm feeling, not thinking."

It is a pity that Kenny Rankin has passed away (he died last June 7, just 3 weeks after his lung cancer was detected). I never did get to catch any of his performances in Manila, and I had always yearned to watch him live. Luckily I have my cassettes intact. Oh yes, and a few of my own songs have been inspired by the man's talents. I guess he breathes through some of us still.

Below, find two live performances from Kenny Rankin. The first is PEACEFUL in the late 60s, a song that became a huge hit for Helen Reddy. The second is a fairly recent version of his classic, HAVEN'T WE MET.

Of Idol champs and runners-up

Opinions regarding the American Idol finale results have never been as polarized as they are this season. On the one hand, many are frustrated by how an obviously polished performer with all the vocal tricks up his sleeve could be trumped by an unassuming, guitar-toting neophyte. On the other hand, others are declaring that the overly theatrical glam-rock finalist could never sell as many records as the more radio-friendly, all-American boy whose every note drips with pure heart and soul.

Me? I've already absorbed that Kris Allen is America's new Idol, and Adam Lambert, his runner-up. It's time to move on and watch how these guys fare in the real world, away from reality TV. They do have big shoes to fill, after the relatively successful reign of the two Davids, Cook and Archuleta, considered among the Idol alums who earned the most profit in 2008 (with Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and Jennifer Hudson above them).

Fresh from their performance at the Mall of Asia (MOA) concert grounds last week, last year's winners have so far sold 1.8 million albums combined since they debuted their CDs in November 2008 (based on album sales, Cook is the 7th best selling alumnus in Idol history, and Archuleta, the 14th even if their CDs have enjoyed the shortest time on the shelves)--a pretty good showing versus Season 6's Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, who since 2007 have sold just 1.3 million, and better still than Season 5's Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee with 1.1 million albums in close to 3 years. 

After the Cook-Archuleta finals, it was evident where the challenges lay for these two. Cook had cultivated a clearly defined musical sense, but needed to develop a tighter, more personable connection with his growing set of fans. Archuleta, teeming with charm, needed however to establish a sound that would make him current and hip. But months of touring and collaborating with top-rate producers have placed them at the top of their game, and their concert in Manila proved this.

Because Cook's vibe is rich and dark, it was easy for him to get lost in his own performance at the MOA, with songs like LOST and DECLARATION from his album, and Fleetwood Mac's LITTLE LIES. Yet, he had enough presence of mind to draw his audience in, working out the crowd with his spiels and interacting with everyone by occasionally stepping off the stage and toward the spectators. And though he admitted belting out songs which most in audience had never heard, he rocked it, proving to be a most seasoned performer in so little time.

Archuleta, meanwhile, rallied the audience with his unique teen pop rock style. Too shy perhaps to engage the crowd and rushing between songs, he nonetheless enthralled with his velvety voice, flawless riffs and eloquent keyboards. Easy to the ear crowd faves were CRUSH and ANGELS from his CD, Vanessa Carlton's A THOUSAND MILES, and a soon-to-be-released dance track, ZERO GRAVITY.

What about our newest idols? It might take a long while before they come anywhere near Season 4's Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice, who together have sold 10.4 million CDs to date (9.6M of which is Underwood's alone). But the momentum is with Allen and Lambert. After a sharp drop in Idol popularity since the time of Hicks and McPhee, record sales of and voting for Idol contestants have steadily increased in recent years (100 million voters this season finale, 38M reportedly from Allen's home state of Arkansas). 

Lambert may have to tone down his act while preserving the essence of his musical style, playing less on technique and building popular emotional rapport. Allen will have to push the envelope on his guitar act and reinvent the genre in the same way (and perhaps even more forward looking) as Jason Mraz has. Even more than the entire Season 8, this will be exciting to watch.

And the remaining idols of the season? It's noteworthy that although Hicks's and McPhee's CDs haven't quite sold as well as expected, Season 5's alums have collectively been the most successful in Idol history with 7 of them in the top 20 in terms of record sales to date. Chris Daughtry is #4, Kelly Pickler #8, Taylor Hicks #11, Elliot Yamin #15, Bucky Covington #16, Katherine McPhee #18, and Mandisa #20. Can this year's contestants top that? Now that the season is over, we can all wait and see.

Here's the top 20 list of successful Idol alumni based on record sales to date:

That strange logo after Martin Nievera's version of the Philippine national anthem

Those of us who sat glued to the edge of our seats awaiting the Pacquiao-Hatton match on TV might have been caught off-guard by the logo that appeared after Martin Nievera sang his rendition of the Philippine national anthem at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last May 2 (May 3, Philippine time).

Pictured above, the logo belongs to the National Historical Institute (NHI), an arm in the culture and development agenda of the government, whose mission includes promoting Philippine history and cultural heritage through research, dissemination, conservation, sites management and heraldry works. It is responsible for the conservation and preservation of the country's historical legacies, and includes among its tasks ensuring the proper use of the national anthem in accordance with Republic Act 8491 (Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines). I guess the logo simply indicates that Nievera's version is acceptable, unlike others including those sung in previous Pacquiao fights.

It will be recalled that Councilors in Davao raised their eyebrows after Sarah Geronimo sang the Lupang Hinirang before the November 2006 battle between Pacquiao and Erik Morales. The slow and kundiman-like rendition was seen as a bastardization of the national anthem, prompting Councilor Nilo Abellera to file a resolution reminding Davaoenos on the proper way of singing the song.

But Geronimo is not the only one to put her spin on the anthem. In the first Pacquiao-Morales fight (March 2005), and in the Pacquiao-Larios match (July 2006), Lani Misalucha and Bituin Escalante, respectively, also took liberties with the song. Meanwhile, in the January 2006 re-match between Pacquiao and Morales, Jennifer Bautista fell awkwardly off-key in the anthem's last lyric. And who could forget Christian Bautista's abbreviated version during the Gerry Penalosa vs. Bernabe Concepcion event in 2007? The string of events prodded NHI's Teodoro Atienza to remind Kyla (whom Pacquiao handpicked to interpret the Lupang Hinirang during the October 2007 rematch between Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera) about the mandatories of singing the national song.

But what are these mandatories? R.A. 8491 specifies that the Lupang Hinirang "shall be in accordance with the musical arrangement and composition of Julian Felipe." This means the anthem should carry a brisk and martial mood and tempo; after all, the original music was intended to be a march in duple time (2/4 meter)--and thus the emotional kundiman approaches are deemed unfaithful to the original spirit of the song. If properly rendered, the anthem should sit comfortably between 53 to 60 seconds. It should also be sung in the national language regardless of where it is played. Apart from these, R.A. 8491 prohibits the performing of the anthem for mere recreation, amusement, or entertainment except for the following occasions:

1. International competitions where the Philippines is the host or has a representative;

2. Local competitions;

3. During the "signing on" and "signing off" of radio broadcasting and television stations; and

4. Before the initial and last screening of films and before the opening of theater performances.

So apparently the NHI prescreened and approved Nievera's rendition of the national anthem. Good for the artist as singers who do not follow the guidelines set for the use of the song can be fined P50,000 or be imprisoned for 1 year, or both. But whether I liked the version or not is a different story. For now, you be the judge:

Kate McGarry's MAN OF GOD

Throughout the Holy Week, I kept singing in my mind MAN OF GOD--partly because it had been quite some time since I last played it on my iPod, and partly because it seemed appropriate given the time of year. The tune, however, isn't a liturgical one; but it's an insightful piece from jazz artist and recent Grammy nominee, Kate McGarry. 

Thanks to Laine, who brought home McGarry's CD (IF LESS IS MORE, NOTHING IS EVERYTHING) from Hong Kong, I have been introduced to this acclaimed artist who has a rather unique approach to music.  She says, "I've always been drawn to the space of silence between the notes. It is in the silence that the secrets of songs reveal themselves." In MAN OF GOD, McGarry finds purpose in a world of illnesses, and expresses her discovery through her less is more philosophy in music.

Below are the lyrics to the song, and the music track itself. 

Listen between the lines. 

Happy Easter to all!

MAN OF GOD

Kate McGarry

How do you know a man of God?

Can he cure your ills?

Does he quote the Bible?

How do you know a man of God?

Can he read your mind?

Does he feed the poor?

How do you know when someone's heart

Is bending on his knees through the night and day?

How can you tell whose prayer it was

That kept the child fed or war at bay?

Where will you seek a man of God?

Behind long, black robes?

Or those stained glass windows?

Where will you seek a man of God?

Would you look next door?

Over your big, white fences?

And if you find a holy one,

Will you beg forgiveness for you human flaws?

I'm praying for a miracle so we can learn

That love is the one, the one true law.

What if you are a man of God?

Would you recognize yourself without a halo?

What if the love you fear to show is enough 

To feed a world of starving souls?

You can feed them.

Will you feed them?

Debunking the Grammy Curse

Tomorrow, John Legend performs at the Araneta Coliseum as part of his highly successful EVOLVER world tour--proof that there is life after Grammy's Best New Artist Award.

Many consider the award to be a curse perhaps because some winners have never been able to duplicate the successes of their debut records. Legend won the award in 2006 for his GET LIFTED album, particularly for the track ORDINARY PEOPLE (thankfully, he decided to keep the song for himself after initially considering it for a Black Eyed Peas project). But 2 more albums and 6 Grammys later, Legend is going strong.

Maybe the supposed curse more accurately pertains to the likes of Milli Vanilli, who won in 1990 but were stripped of the award because...well we all know why.

Check out below the list of Best New Artists ever since the award was created in 1960. Any protests? I have a few.  

Meanwhile, I've got the Green Light to head to Cubao tomorrow. If you can't catch the show, pick up the album: EVOLVER, from Columbia Records.