Everything came rushing back to Music and Magic

THE GANG’S all here for the Oct. 3 reunion concert. From left: Jet Montelibano, Eva Caparas, Vicky Pangilinan, Kuh Ledesma,
Fe de los Reyes and Angeli Pangilinan

Perhaps it was the “magic” in their name. The last time the 1980s show band Music and Magic performed together was in 1996. It didn’t feel like 18 years had passed, they said, when they gathered recently to rehearse for a reunion concert on Friday, Oct. 3.

The words, the melodies, the “voicing” came rushing out of their lips—and their hearts— as if it was only yesterday that they made the Alibi Bar at the Regent of Manila, one of the most popular watering holes at the time, their glitzy stomping ground.

“The chemistry is still there. Everything just came naturally for us. It was magical,” said Fe de los Reyes, one of the original singers, along with Angeli Pangilinan, Jet Montelibano, Eva Caparas and Kuh Ledesma.

“There was no effort at all,” said Kuh, the group’s main draw, whom Fe described as “Diana Ross to our Supremes.” Kuh left Music and Magic after almost two years with the band to focus on her solo career.

Angeli had second thoughts about joining the concert, feeling she was the “rustiest” in the group. “I was a bit scared,” said Angeli, now a talent manager. (She was replaced by Vicky Sevilla-Pangilinan when she left the band.) “But the connection was immediate. We practiced a song that I hadn’t done in 30 years and we still knew the blending. It was so heartening. Now, I’m enjoying myself.”

Formed in 1979, Music and Magic became famous for its takes on hits from the 1960s to the 1980s, punctuated by flashy choreography and costumes. The band likewise landed regular stints at Peppermint Park and Atlantis in Singapore, and the Pyramid Club in Kuala Lumpur.

Other members taking part in the Friday concert at Philippine International Convention Center’s Plenary Hall are musicians Toto Gentica, Nonoy Mendoza, Hector Pedero, Butch Elizalde, Bobby Taylo and Jeannette Casuga.

(For tickets, call Viva Concerts at 6877236; Artist House, 8151953; TicketNet, 9115555; and SM Tickets, 4702222.)

Excerpts from the Inquirer interview:

How does reuniting onstage feel?

Nonoy: I’m very excited. We’ve all been friends for so long and raring to do a reunion gig—it’s about time! We tried to do this a few years back for our 30th anniversary, but our schedules didn’t allow it.

Toto: We’re glad we can do this; I hope this isn’t the last.

Hector: I’m thankful that we can move at all!

Butch: We’ve never lost touch, thanks to social media. But seeing each member and performing together, it’s just different.

What is it about your performances that drew audiences to your show?

Butch: The energy was always positive. We sang covers, but we varied the treatment.

Jet: We didn’t strictly follow trends. Even if a certain song was popular, we didn’t perform it just for the sake of covering it. We made sure the material suited us.

Angeli: We weren’t exactly the best vocalists out there, but we were a fun group. We also didn’t pretend that we were champions of local music; we sang covers and did it well.

Kuh: We were pitted against other bands, but we were all willing to work hard because we love what we do. We were at one point put on a weekday schedule, but we still packed the place.

Costumes were also a huge component of your performances.

Kuh: Having nice costumes definitely helped; they spiced up the entire experience. People watched not only because we sounded good—we looked good, too.

Eva: The costumes were the icing on the cake. Later on, various designers started approaching us, offering to make our outfits.

The choreography was almost theatrical as well.

Fe: Everything had a concept. We even used Broadway musicals as inspiration for some acts.

Vicky: I think that’s what separated us from other show bands. There was always something different happening in each number.

Eva: Everything was thoroughly thought out—what we sang, how we sang it, how we spoke, how we moved, what we wore.

How did everyone feel about the singers getting more attention?

Toto: That’s but natural; we didn’t mind.

Jet: Yes, but we made sure we never left out the rest of the crew. There’s always close interaction between the musicians and the singers. They grooved and had choreography, too.

What was it like when Kuh left the band?

Jet: We wanted to prove that we could still do it. We further improved our visual concept and did workshops. We even worked with [filmmaker] Peque Gallaga as creative director in some shows.

Fe: Yes, I consider Peque as a mentor. When Kuh left, we discovered a lot about ourselves. We had to step up and reinvent ourselves in order to grow.

Were there clashes in deciding what material to use?

Kuh: Everyone had their own likes and dislikes, so it was very important for us to listen. And if someone opposed a certain idea, we were just fine with it—no one got mad.

Fe: But it was great because everyone was so creative. You could feel the energy and the passion.

Eva: Well, as they say, when there’s no conflict, there’s no change or progress.

What are your fondest memories with the band?

Toto: I once fell off my chair but my hands never left the keyboards—I continued playing!

Hector: Falling asleep while playing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”!

Butch: Angeli’s shoes flying off her feet when doing kicks. And then the audience would return it to her.

Vicky: I had nothing when I first joined. But they all looked after me, especially the girls. They offered me accessories, clothes, jewelry. Aside from teaching me the material, they also showed me how to fix my hair and do my makeup!

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