CHARICE. Youthful vibe.
Charice has something for everyone in her latest recordings: You’ll enjoy grooving to the pulse-pounding beats of the dance single, “Louder” (now available on iTunes), which derives its charm from the singer’s youthful vibe and the song’s devil-may-care spirit. In it, the teenage performer sings about moving on after a heartbreak: “I’m staring out my window/ And the rain is pouring down/ But I’m not gonna drown/ I’m gonna be a soldier!”
But, if you prefer show-stopping ballads in the mold of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You,” you will be pleased to listen to “As Long As You’re There,” Charice’s solo number in “Glee: The Music, Vol. 6,” the hit TV show’s sixth and final soundtrack for Season Two. Interestingly, unlike most cuts in the album’s covers-heavy, 18-track repertoire, “As Long As You’re There” is one of only three originals!
We’re also looking forward to the single, “One Voice,” which Charice recorded with 17-year-old Filipino-Mexican-American singer, Jasmine Villegas, to raise funds for Gawad Kalinga. (If you recall, the latter sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez world championship match in 2008. Recently, she was also romantically linked to Justin Bieber.) What makes their collaboration more eventful is the fact that it is produced by the Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo and apl.de.ap.
Concept album
Another Pinoy performer who deserves a hearty pat on the back is Jose Mari Chan, whose songs are given a jazzy twist in the unique concept album, “The Manhattan Connection: The Songs of Jose Mari Chan.”
CHAN. A jazzy twist for his well-loved tunes.
Co-produced by The Manhattan Transfer’s Janis Siegel, the 12-track compilation features Chan’s songs, reworked with seamless singing and heady harmonies, some of them sung a cappella. The swing-and-jazz repertoire will remind you of the acclaimed jazz group’s classic tunes, like “Boy From New York City,” “Spice of Life,” “Smile Again” and “Until I Met You.”
Top picks: “Constant Change,” sung by Nic Bearde (who also sings the lovingly rendered “Stay, My Love”); the smooth “A Heart’s Journey” by Leo Sidran; Roger Treece and Lauren Kinhan’s samba-tinged “Like Night & Day”; Siegel, Kinhan and Laurel Masse’s “So I’ll Go,” and the sumptuous “Easier Said Than Done,” by Kellylee Evans, who sounds like Oleta Adams.
Siegel and Masse are also featured in the dreamy a cappella intro to Theo Bleckmann’s “Walking in the Moonlight,” while Lisa Fischer channels Patti Austin in the moody cut, “Love Lost.”
Martin Nievera also sings covers in his latest album, the 13-song “Himig ng Damdamin,” which reworks OPM gems popularized by some of the country’s top songstresses: Regine Velasquez’s “Babalikang Muli,” Lani Misalucha’s “Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin,” Kuh Ledesma’s “One More Try,” Joey Albert’s “Iisa Pa Lamang,” Leah Navarro’s “Kailangan Kita,” Bituin Escalante’s “Kung Ako Na Lang Sana,” and Sharon Cuneta’s memorable composition, “Now That You’re Gone.” Another treat: “Beautiful Morning,” the English adaptation of Ray-an Fuentes and Tillie Moreno’s feel-good duet, “Umagang Kay Ganda.”
NIEVERA. Reworks songs popularized by some of the country’s top songstresses.
Instant recall
Singing revivals is tricky: Because of instant recall, it’s easy to get music buffs to sit up and listen to a popular tune’s new version – but, it’s just as easy for a singer to fall flat on his face if he delivers an inferior version.
Moreover, singers have to be strong, confident and creative enough to reimagine a well-loved ditty, especially if they choose to veer away from music buffs’ preconceived notions about how a song should be sung. But, Martin Nievera is no Concert King for nothing: The topnotch balladeer knows how to get to the heart of any song he sings – and make it his own.