JOSE Mari Chan’s songs contain witty expressions of old-fashioned romance.
The Bloomfields first caught our attention as the opening act in a Gary Lewis concert several years ago at the Big Dome. The crowd instantly connected with what they saw—a young band that played old music with an infectious energy.
After making hay in gigs here and abroad as a retro group specializing in Beatles and other 1960s tunes, and surviving internal conflicts including letting go of some members and a couple of managers, the band appears ready to start all over again with a surprise: an all-originals debut album.
The self-financed “Hit the Ground Running,” released under its own label, The Bloomfieldsband Music Inc., took us a few weeks to appreciate—at first it was a bit disconcerting to hear the band playing originals and yet seemingly unable to shake off its Beatles influence.
But then, and here comes another surprise, the band’s efforts actually pay off, if the listener would be sensitive enough to notice. Although it’s hard to deny that the vocals on the first track, “No Room For Jealousy,” do sound like John Lennon’s, soon it becomes apparent that the band succeeds in exploring its own creativity.
The Tagalog songs prove that there’s beauty in mixing the cheerful tone of ’60s music with the lyrical sensibilities of urban Filipino youth. The themes of teenage love (“Panaginip”), recreation (“Break Time”) and escape (“Express Highway”) get more exciting with Lakan Hila’s splendid guitar work; obviously his solos are lifted from classic rockabilly and even George Harrison’s signature riffs, but they sway with the kind of landi that could only come from a Pinoy axeman.
“It’s Complicated” has an interesting arrangement, no matter if it adapts the swirling climax in the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.”
THE BLOOMFIELDS succeeds in exploring its creativity.
There are more discoveries waiting to be stumbled upon in this album, and now we’re still wondering who among bassist Louie Poco, drummer Rocky Collado and rhythm guitarist Dino Pascual sings the lead vocals on the tracks because the liner notes don’t say it. Perhaps it’s time to watch the band live onstage again.
Meanwhile, yet another surprise comes in the form of a CD featuring the songs of Jose Mari Chan, interpreted by a team of singers and musicians dubbed The Manhattan Connection. Turns out it’s Janis Siegel of the outstanding jazz vocal group Manhattan Transfer who handles most of the album’s vocal arrangements and sits as producer.
The only hit single here is “Constant Change” and that’s a wise decision on Siegel’s part because it allows the listener to appreciate Chan’s lesser known, if nearly obscure (at least among the young generation) material. What we hear is a treasure trove of tunes that sparkle with old-fashioned yet witty expressions of romance and heartache—rendered mostly in elegant mainstream jazz.
“Like Night and Day” and “Thank You, Love” easily stand out for their nostalgic elements, but “So I’ll Go” is a fusion gem, its guitar work by Ben Butler guaranteed to cheer up a broken heart.
The rest of the repertoire are no less worth repeated listens, especially the lone a cappella track, “I Have Found My World in You.” Cheers to everyone who worked on the CD, and hats off to Chan for not letting these songs gather moss.