It Begins...'Round Midnight

Ask the question "What makes a jazz singer," and you will get a multitude of answers.  For me, jazz singing isn't about syncopated rhythms, or endless scatting. For me, a true jazz singer feels the words of the song, and has great sense of rhythm. I have been listening to Karin Allyson for a while now, but until a couple of years ago I never graduated her to be a true jazz singer, who can sing the blues. In her latest album, "'Round Midnight," she even takes herself a notch, giving us a stylized jazz album. The concept of this album is pretty simple, but hard to pull off: imagine yourself seduced by a music coming from a dark alley, and as you follow it, you see a lady on stage singing, and it is midnight. How di you describe the perfect music for midnight? It really difficult to describe it in words, but play this album, and you will get a sense of what it is. Ms. Allyson gives us a splendid selection of tunes: from a languid version of Bill Evans' "Turn Out The Stars," to a slightly lilting "Send In The Clowns," which is a song that is very easy to destroy. I love the quiet, earnest melancholy of "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows." And any version of Anthony Newley's "There's No Such Thing As Love" is fine by me. I get very protective of that song. I don't want every jazzette in the world to tackle it, but I want the best ones to own it.  The version of "Sophisticated Lady" here just seems a hairline out of place, but that is just me perhaps. All in all, there's still a tad bit of effervescence in her voice which doesn't make her the down and dirty blues singer that I most prefer, but I respect her - this is clearly a singer who has paid her due, and knows what she is doing, and feels every word of her songs. We could do much much worse.  

Crossing Over

It's a tricky thing - crossover.  I can't think of Broadway performers who have transitioned successfully to pop music, as much as I cannot think of Pop performers transporting successfully to The Great White Way (I still can't get over The Donny Osmond Joseph) Anyway, I had this in my mind when I was listening to Matthew Morrison's first album, "Matthew Morrison." It's smartly produced, and there are songs with great hooks. Listening to the songs separately, they stand out. "Summer Rain" is a fantastic summer song, although it does remind you of "Hey Soul Sister," or any number of Bruno Mars songs.  I like the soul inflections of "It Don't Matter To the Sun" and find myself humming it after I listen to it. Yet the album, as a whole, doesn't quite jell. The over-all tone is shizophrenic, and we kind of sense that Mr. Morrison himself is still looking for his sound. Truthfully, he does well in pop singing and theater music. You can totally sense the latter with the closing song, "It's Over," which, really could have been culled from any modern musical. He sings it with heart and pathos. And, I do understand his inclusion of the star duets with Elton John and Sting but I thought it distracted, for they felt like karaoke. Well, he is from Glee, after all, the ultimate karaoke musical show. So all in all, don't judge the album as an album, judge the songs by the songs.

Singing Queens

If you saw "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert" on Broadway and loved it, then I have no doubt you will love its cast recording. I did, and find myself grooving.  The vocals on it can be a little tepid  - Will Swenson seems uninterested, and Nick Adams has never been known to be a vocal powerhouse - but if you listen and imagine the costumes and sets which are the real stars of the show, it becomes an extremely satisfying aural experience. Listening to it out of context, though, I wonder if an ordinary listener would be able to "get" the whole thing. Like - what is with the different tempos of "Don't Leave Me This Way"? The countrified "I Love The Night Life" doesn't make much sense on record. And the inclusion of "Follie! delirio vano e quest?" from La Traviata? Don't even try. All the pop songs sound like one interminable one after a while. Perhaps because those songs are shoehorned into scenes as opposed to creating music to move the scenes forward. The cast recording, unfortunately, showcases the weakness of the production as a musical. But as a "souvenir" for an enjoyable night of theater, this recording succeeds. Choose your experience.

It's Just Another Auld Lang Syne

Well, I have a date with myself tonight - and it will be good. I think it has become more a tradition for me to just have a quiet NYE. My toleration level now for smoky crowds and parties is almost nil, so I will just do what I like to do, and be happy. Let's all say goodbye to 2010, and welcome 2011 with welcoming arms. It gets better. Let me post this Barry Manilow song, I always feel sad whenever I hear it. Up until the 90s, he used to always sing this on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, but I guess nowadays this song would be too melodic for Rhianna fans. I think it encapsulates what I always feel on this day, every year...

Just Sing Your Songs

I don't want to sound ungrateful. But one of the Christmas gifts I got this year was the new Lea Salonga CD, "...Your Songs," and, well.. let's just say that I am not very fond of it. To be sure about how I really feel, I played it one last time before writing this review, and my sentiments have not changed. The repertoire is based on an online survey she launched of fans choosing songs they would love for her to sing.


Lea Salonga is one of the Philippine's most beloved exports, so I will not even challenge her artistry. I mean, the gal can definitely sing. But somehow, I always thought she came off better seen than on record. Maybe this is because of her stage background, and let's face it, she is more a musical performer than a recording artist. "...Your Songs" (I am tempted to ask why there are periods before those words, but I won't even bother) Somehow she has a habit of releasing live albums of her (local) concerts, and while the first of them were tolerable, the last ones have been fairly derivative. Well, this one is the worst. Maybe the magic of the show didn't translate on record, but this one is just a pain to listen to. 


The tracks consist of mostly medleys. The ones with Richard Poon (imaginatively titled Pinoy English Love Songs and Pinoy Tagalog Love Songs, as if we couldn't tell the difference) is more of the same 'ol stuff, Filipino pop songs that are interchangeable, some of which Lea herself has recorded on her studio albums. Plus, Richard Poon isn't quite an engaging singer on here, and he has zilch vocal chemistry with Lea. The other duet medley, with Ai Ai De Las Alas, is of mostly Aegis songs, and is practically unlistenable. Never mind Ms. De Las Alas, but Lea herself sounds incredibly strained. Lea's voice, in this recording, is mostly metallic, and I don't know if I should blame bad recording engineering, or...a deteriorating quality in her voice? The "Broadway Songs Medley" consists of predictable fare: her songs from Les Miz, "Memory," and "Defying Gravity." (Ho-hum) She does "Electricity" from Billy Elliot. She need not have bothered.  And when she tackled her take on current pop songs like "Poker Face" and "Rehab," it is akin to Kiri Te Kanawa singing Rhianna. You really sound like you're slummin' it, girl!


But all is not lost. I blame most of the above to her tackling material that is not only not suited to her personality but also to her buttery alto. When she sings on her home turf, like a soaring "Thank You For The Music," or "You've Got To Be Someone" from Chaplin, there is no one better. And as an added bonus, there is a version of "Bayan Ko," which is the same arrangement from her well-applauded number from Corazon Aquino's funeral. Too bad she didn't follow her heart. This could have been a much better recording. 

Annie-mate Your Holidays

One of the most puzzling things in the world is why Annie Lennox was dropped by her label, Arista. I think she is one of those artists who have never made a bad record. All her solo albums have been emotional journeys for me. But she is back, now on Decca, and has released a Christmas album. It is nothing short of a Holiday miracle. 


It is not your traditional Christmas album, though. You won't be imagining sleigh rides nor won't be seeing your momma kissing Santa while listening to these Christmas songs. Most of these are ancient chorale numbers, and indeed she recorded these with a South African choir. (Proceeds of the record will benefit women and children living with AIDS in Africa)  Imagine yourself in those atmospheric Protest churches, and add to that a dash of modern arrangements, and you will get the vibe of this album.  The songs aren't secular, but it doesn't matter, cause the message is the same. The great thing about Annie's voice is that it's so flexible - it is ancient, it is modern, it's always arresting.  

Burlesque Queens

BURLESQUE, the upcoming movie, is really exciting me. Why? Because it has so much potential. It could either be an exhilarating motion picture musical, or it could be a glorious hot mess along the lines of "Showgirls." Either ay, I think it is destined to be a camp classic. Well, if I were to base it on the soundtrack, well, it still could go either way. The music is definitely not a "traditional" in the sense that it is not a musical, but more like pop songs embedded into the movie. It is 80% Christina, 20% Cher. I have really really tried to get Christina Aguilera, and I found out that the best way for me to enjoy here is to listen to her songs individually. I like her fine, but listening to her song after song just exhausts me - that damn melisma can really give me a migraine. And listening to the soundtrack, that is still the case. They try to give her some "range," musically: there is the mildly appealing 50s style doo wop song "Something's Got A Hold On Me," and the bluesy "A Guy Takes His Time," even the immensely playful "I Am A Good Girl." Sadly, though, on record she does not truly convey any kind of character. And of course, when they give her the bombastic diva ballad, "Bound To You," she stays very very far away from subtlety. (I think she has three epileptic seizures in the course of the four minute song)  Cher fares much better, at least she personalizes her songs a bit more and you get a glimpse of the role she plays in the movie, even though her character sounds a lot like Cher. "You Still Haven't Seen The Last Of Me" sounds like 80s Cher well, and could very well be a hit.  Christina fans will love her songs, Cher fans will have wet dreams over hers. In the context of the movie, with pretty imagery, might make the songs appeal more to me. For now, though, these are just bland pop.

The Gift That Is Susan

It seems destined, isn't it? The Susan Boyle Christmas Album. The persona, the voice, her demographic base : all of these things just beg for her to record a Christmas record. And why should she disappoint ? Ta-Da!  "The Gift."


I think I have said before that I liked her first album, and I still do. I don't go out and seek for it, but whenever a song from it plays on my iPod, I appreciate it, and bask in its "moment." "The Gift" follows a similar path - it's pretty low-key, and I suspect it's the type of album that "creeps" to you. It isn't flashy or showy in the manner of a Mariah Carey album. Mot of the arrangements are clean, and cross the border between traditional and new-age. Even I am surprised that Ms. Boyle sings with such nuance that you really never tire of listening to her. I also like that she mixes her songs with non-traditional secular selections, such as "Don't Dream It's Over," and "Perfect Day," and she does a sweet and soft version of "Hallelujah" that makes it distinctive to other versions (I think it would be a perfect counterpoint to kd lang's strong and defiant take) But let it be known that the album fares best on the traditional Christmas carols. They soar but never overpower. I can imagine singing them while having Christmas dinner - they won't be obstructive yet still provide the perfect atmosphere for the Holidays. My favorite track: "Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace," a song we used to sing in elementary. She whispers it almost, like a prayer. God would listen. 

Two Faces Of Christmas

I guess it's that time of the year again. The new Christmas recordings have started to come out, and of course I come and report on two of them: Mariah Carey's MERRY CHRISTMAS II YOU, and Shelby Lynnes' MERRY CHRISTMAS. I cannot think of two more distinct albums celebrating the same thing. 


I was prepared to hate Mariah's disc. It's her follow up to her hugely successful Christmas disc, which I read is third only to Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole in sales. I don't remember much about that disc, although I must say that "All I Want For Christmas Is You" has become a latter-day classic - heck, I have even memorized the song. I thought this new one would be as bombastic and over-produced. Well, the verdict is that indeed, it is as colossal in production - does this woman do anything small?  Yet, I found myself responding to it, surprising myself most of all. The album comes in diva stockings, of course: the great voice is as strong as ever. Those waiting for her whistle notes will not be disappointed. It's modern, it's current, and darn it, I found myself groovin' to her hip-hop infused "Here Comes Santa Claus."  It's gospel infused, too, as you can imagine. You could almost see the all-black choir backing her up in "The First Noel/Born Is The King." And there's a great original song there, too. "Christmastime Is In The Air Again" caught me at first note, and no wonder, I just found out that it was produced by Marc Shaiman, 'Hairspray' composer himself, and Bette Midler's frequent collaborator. If only for that song, I will give this album two great thumbs up. I wonder if this album will last the test of time, though. I wonder if I can listen to it five years from now and feel the same way. 

I do know, though, that I will always want to listen to Shelby Lynne's "Merry Christmas," since it is one of the best holiday albums I have heard in a while. Most yuletide discs are basically karaoke records - the singers' voices give it personality, or they don't. Shelby's album sounds like her, for sure, but even the most popular Christmas songs sound like new tunes in her hands. Listen to her Southern-fried version of "White Christmas," and its message has never been more personal. I can imagine Shelby sitting by a bayou on a muggy December night, reminiscing of wintery, snowy days gone by. And while everyone and their mother will out strain their vocal chords shouting "O Holy Night" out with abandon, Shelby takes the quiet route: O night divine, indeed. Its plaintive message almost shocked me. I thought to myself - is this the same song I have been hearing all my life? And her original compositions are fantastic. On "Ain't Nothing Like Christmas," she recreates the atmosphere of a honky tonk bar Christmas party, and "Xmas" is heartbreaking, about someone who sings that Christmas is sad because everyone goes bad. I think she has been on record about having a difficult childhood, and the autobiographical tone of this song strikes a truly melancholy note. 


Ultimately, both albums serve specific Holiday music purposes. Mariah's is a circuit party album. I can imagine playing it while exchanging gifts with friends, with everyone exclaiming, "Girl - just listen to that bitch Mariah hit those notes," as go go boys take their shirts off and everyone is shimmying. It's a fun, fun, bitchfest: slightly tacky, slightly serious, all Mariah. Then after everyone leaves, and the merriment is gone, I will be playing Shelby's album and be on "contemplative" mode. You think about the times, you think about your life, and if there is someone there to hold your hand, you squeeze it back and look into their eyes and smile as you make your way to slumber. 


And then I'll wake up and Christmas will be over. 

Kuh At 30

Inspired by this article, I made my own version of my 30 favorite songs by Kuh Ledesma. To celebrate her thirty year anniversary in show business, here's *my* thirty:

1. Dito Ba - I only really appreciated this song much recently, maybe because when it was a hit it was played everywhere. “Kung saan kay lalim ng luha, ligaya’y kay babaw”  That lyric describes perfectly the feeling of sadness - how small things can help you ease the pain, but eternally cannot wipe away your unhappiness. I even think the more recent  Kuh recordings of this song have more texture, enhancing its poignancy.

1. Paano Kita Mapapasasalamatan - Although ultimately this is one of what Streisand calls “dependent victim songs,” it’s such a Pinoy sentiment - you loved me, now what can I do for you. One of the most difficult things sometimes is to just accept love. “Sapat na bang mahalin lang kita magpakailanman pa man.” Kuh sings this with a controlled sentimental style that it never feels cloying.

1. Mayron Sa ‘Yong Nagmamahal - An inspirational song that doesn’t push too hard, and isn’t such a hard sell. When someone feels down and out, it’s essential to have Kuh Ledesma sing to you “Mayroon sa yong nagmamahal, Nakikinig sa yong dasal.” I just realized that this would be a perfect song for the gay youth. When they feel like they are all alone in the world, it is the perfect song that would tell them “It Gets Better!”

1. Sana - I always thought this song was so ahead of its time. It is somewhat of a “story song,” and my favorite line in it has always been “Ang almusal mo sana, ako’ng magaahin, Masarap ba siyang magluto kaysa ‘kin “  There’s longing, but then she confesses that she was the one who left, she was the one who cheated. I mean, at that time, it was such a modern 80s woman kind of song, and Kuh Ledesma typified the Modern 80s woman. It was fabulous!

1. Home - I remember playing this song incessantly. Every morning on my way to school, I would put this song on an infinite loop that our driver got so sick of hearing it.  I thought Kuh was the closest thing I could get to Diana Ross. “A world full of love - like yours, like lime...like home” 

1. Your Song/This One’s For You - Kuh says that people would always request her to sing these songs, and that is just a testament to how beautifully arranged this is. I loved the segue way from one of song to the other, it’s so effortlessly. And maybe the two songs strike a chord with me because both were sung and composed by two iconic gay men. “Like everything else I have, this one’s for you...”

1. Flor De Liza - When George Canseco teams with Kuh, it’s always an artistic win. To some, this is just a theme song for a forgettable film, but Kuh sings the song wth such  bravura that the song lasted better than the movie where it was used. “Flor De Liza sa yong isip at kamusmusan ngayon, di mo mauunawaan ang takbo ng panahon...”

1. Minsan Sa Isang Panahon - If hard-pressed, I always say this is my favorite Kuh song of all time And it is. It’s near perfect. The dramatic arrangement. The dramatic vocals. There is no other singer in the world who can supply just the right pathos for this masterpiece of a song “Nangyari na minsan sa isang panahon, kamatayan man ay di hahadlang”

1. Completely -  This song is from “Tinimbang Ang Langit,” and was perfect for the dramatic arc. “Completely....I am yours my love, completely.” 

1. Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa - Another lesser known theme song, and another Canseco/Ledesma collaboration. I love how the chorus builds to a crescendo to emphasize its insistence. “Pinulot ka lang...pinulot ka lang sa lupa” And that phrase is repeated a lot of times in the song, to great dramatic effect. 

1. Making Love - Another “story song,” which Kuh excels in. One of the great things about Kuh as a singer is you always feel there is a character who tells a story, and that is most evident in this song. “Cause making love is empty, when the feeling’s not there. Love has a price, and money won’t take you there...”

1. Pakiusap - The voice and the guitar. Its simplicity is its beauty. “Pakiusap ko sa yo...kaawaan mo ako.”  Always an alto, but Kuh’s soprano never sounds strained.

1. Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika - Her version of this song opens her “Ako Ay Pilipino” album and it perfectly frames that gem of a record. You have never heard this song until you have heard Kuh’s slow-burn slightly languid take on it. “Ito ay atin, sariling atin...”

1. Till I Met You - I remember watching the Metro Pop Festival on television and seeing Kuh perform this song for the very first time, and I knew right then and there that it would be a winner. Everything was in synch that night: the arrangement, her vocals, right down to her “bagong paligo” hairstyle. “This feeling seems to grow more every day, I love you more each day”

1.   I Think I’m In Love - There are many songs about heartbreak, but not as many about that moment when you realize that you are in love! Kuh perfectly captures that happy/grateful euphoric feeling in this song. When she sings the lyric “Every single day, every single night, every single moment of my life,” doesn’t her vocal syncopation sound like your heart beat when you are with the person you love ?

1. One More Try - This would be my # 2 favorite song of hers. I love how she seemingly pleads to the one she loves when she is singing this song “Hold my hand, and look straight in my eyes, if we can’t say goodbye, then we’re worth one more try...” In the hands of a lesser singer, it would have been melodramatic, put Kuh throws enough ice on it, that the effect is that achy “guards-up” emotion. No one else can do it that way. No one. 

1. A Song For Isabella - On her Christmas album, this is Kuh’s version of Barbra’s “The Best Gift.”  Maternal gratitude never sounded lovelier. “And through the years, I’ll always be with you, my inspiration for everything I do...”

1. What Matters Most - Take away all the riches and material things, and what matters most in one’s life? Kuh answers your question in this simple paean to the real joys “What matters most in this life isn’t what, but simple things like when one holds your hand...”

1. As Time Goes By - On her standards albums, this one stands out more than the rest.  Kuh intelligently essays the lyric “So take my hand with a fervent prayer, that we may live and we may share..a love affair to remember..”  Don’t you just love how she sings the word remember in the end, extending it to five syllables. 

1. Help Me Forget - When you realize that love has failed (as they sometimes do)  you just get to a point that you are so emotionally exhausted that you can only pray that you forget that person...or do you really? “Maybe we don’t belong...”

1. Feelings - Only the trues of the true singers can transform the sappiest, corniest songs into a wonderment. With John Lesaca on violins, heartache becomes beautiful. “Trying to forget my feelings of love...” 

1.   Nakaraang Pasko - A modern classic. There are only few memorable Tagalog Christmas songs of late, and Kuh gives us one of them. I love the harmony that begins the song. “Isipin mo lang tuwing sasapit ang pasko...”

1. Huwag Masanay Sa Pagmamahal - Kuh sings this song with The Apo, and the best part is when she does her vocal entrance - it’s akin to seeing the Acropolis for the first time. Breathtaking “Bakit parang umaangal ka ngayon, ngayon at nasa yo na ang pagibig ko? “

1. Precious - An under-rated gem from her US debut album. The guitar and that voice. Bliss. “And I will give it to you, all the time...”

1. Ang Ibig Sabihin Nito - She always plays with the classics, and this is an experiment that explodes. She bridges the gap between the old school Filipino songs, and rap. Old and new, it blended so effortlessly. And who says you can’t reinvent the kundiman? 

1. Paano Kaya - Another one of my absolute favorites. Sometimes you realize that you have fallen out of love. How do you tell them? “Paano kaya sasabihin sa yo, na ang pag-ibig ko’y unti unting naglalaho...”

1. Special Memory/Friend Of Mine - A perfect medlette of two of Odette Quesada’s songs. And the vocal arrangement by Babsie Molina (for two voices) is as brilliant, and Kuh - well she just puts more bling on this diamond.

1. Hindi Kita Malimot - I absolutely adore (again, the two-voice version) of this song, and though I love her studio version on her “Duet WIth Me” album, above all when she sang this with Nora Aunor live, the song never bloomed more. 

1. Divas Medley - This ten minute medley with Zsa Zsa Padilla - where they sang each other’s hits - is to die for.  Kuh sings ZsaZsing’s songs with such command, they sound like they are her own’s. Perfect treadmill music.

1. Creepin’  - Ledesma Does Wonder. (In More Ways Than One)

I'm Confessin' I Love Liza

So it's been raining, it's been cloudy, and I am listening right now to Liza Minnelli's new album CONFESSIONS. I wish I had some wine with me and it would have been more perfect because as it is, it's pretty damn good!

This album is supposedly inspired by Liza and her piano parties wherein she and her guests would sit around a piano and just...sing. I have actually heard from a number of people who have been to her parties and they say that she is very much at home with intimate singing with thoughtful interpretations of the Great American Songbook. On her recent Oprah interview, she has said that she considers herself a "modern vaudevillian," and I agree but I think people forget that she is also a singer. I know her voice isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I have always loved it: it has a lot of personality, it's robust, sort of a more modern (at that time) version of her mother's. Well, nowadays , it's more old-fashioned but never dated.

She has done this kind of album before ("Gently") but this one seems more cohesive, better, just more...Liza. This stems from the perfect arrangements and accompaniment by the wondrous Billy Stritch. It's happy, melancholy, spare, trio, everything you want in an album of standards. And even though her mannerisms show up once in a while (the need to bombast, the "shhhh") it never distracts because you always feel like she feels the songs, and the lyrics. Yes, her voice isn't what it was, but this album still draws from all its strengths. And the song selection - divine! My favorite is the contemplative "On Such A Night Like This, " (where she pays tribute to her own mother) but every other song is just as great. And she proves that she can make even such an iconic song as "At Last" her own. Of course, she sings one of my favorite songs of all time, "I Got Lost In His Arms," so that's a plus.

So excuse me as I look at the cloudy evening sky, and get lost in Liza's voice, right now, I can't ask for anything more...