Our recording industry is really a sad story to tell. Imagine, record producers are left without a choice but make recording artists out of television stars, majority of whom can’t even sustain high notes, or worse can’t carry a tune. Thanks to a technology called “autotune” that easily
corrects vocal tracks off key, eh voila! Your desintonado singer is now on key. A miracle of science, really, and the recorded music consumers are unaware that they are idolizing someone whose singing is a creation of technology.
Pity the singers who work their voices to perfection but can’t even get an offer to a recording.
Tria Bascon has been singing all her life. From Cebu where she used to work as a bartender and discovered by the bar owner when she was rehearsing for a school program to Manila’s music circuit and later in posh clubs overseas, she carried the torch for Filipino performers
In Hong Kong, she sang for the moneyed patrons of Derby Bar at The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the couples of life and leisure of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, multinational clients of Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, J.W. Marriot in Seoul, South Korea, and many more around Asia and the Philippines.
Now, she’s come home and with the help of Moy Ortiz (of the singing group The CompanY) came up with a programme for a CD that she now calls Wanderlust.
We met Tria at The Summer Palace at Shangri-La Edsa before Christmas. In a very casual cotton blouse and jeans, she told us the story of her journey as a singer from Cebu till the recording of her first CD.
“Moy is a friend and we discussed the possibility of me recording songs and eventually marketing it,” she said. “He is the producer of the CD.”
“Actually, Tria is the executive producer,” Moy said. “We decided to choose songs that best describe her as a singer, that is why we call it Wanderlust.”
Also, Tria commissioned her longtime pianist Moreno Donadel, an Italian, to be part of the album in some tracks, like “I’m Old Fashioned,” “The Party’s Over,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “La Belle Vie,” among others.
“I’ve performed with him many times over, both as a pianist and musical director,” Tria said, “and when I thought of this CD I had none other in mind to be part of the music than Moreno.”
Although Tria is a single parent, there is no more than music that binds her to Moreno, whom she said, “is a very professional man.”
The opening track “With A Little Help From My Friends” is a swing number inventively arranged for Tria’s soprano with The CompanY providing a rich vocal backup to the McCartney-Lennon classic. Moreno’s piano is also a standout in the rhythm section.
I am a Henry Mancini fan so I am glad that Tria sings one of my favorites—“Two for the Road.” Oh, Mel Villena’s playing on the harmonica gives the song a little pastoral touch and puts me in a mood for nostalgia.
Moy Ortiz wrote a song titled “Magkikita Pa Rin Naman Tayo,” which is the only radio-friendly tune (in local standards) and which has no elaborate swing arrangement. She dedicates the song to her parents and daughter.
Tria tries Brazilian jazz with “Anos Dourados” allowing her to feature the Brazilian jazz group Aquarella in this Tom Jobim and Chico Buarque number. Although Tria’s rendition more than gives it justice, the track is good counterpoint to the mushy Tagalog number that precedes it.
Jazzing up a John Williams and Paul Williams’ number from the film Cinderella Liberty nearly had my eyebrows raising, but Tria passed the challenge. Thanks to the clever arrangement that featured Mel Villena on harmonica, Moreno on the piano (his track was recorded in Beijing) and Colby de la Calzado on the upright acoustic bass. Tria was naturally the star of the track, and yes, the rendition was near perfect.
The album has 10 tracks, all perfect for playing dinner time. or when you’re driving on a busy avenue amid heavy traffic as Tria’s soothing voice will relax you and keep your blood pressure checked.
Now, where is Wanderlust available? Moy says he and Tria are talking to some distributors and hopes the CD should be in store after New Year. In the meantime, you can send Tria a message via her Facebook account (Tria Bascon) and Twitter account (Triabascon) or email: triabascon@yahoo.com.
Those who are asking if she’s related to Joem Bascon, actor on ABS-CBN, she said “no relation, near or distant.”
Missing Mission Impossible
The Christmas rush is through, but I still can’t watch The Ghost Protocol, the new installment in the Mission Impossible franchise. The movie has earned praises from a lot of people who had seen it before the Tagalog film festival wiped out Hollywood from the filmscape temporarily.
Is it showing at Imax theaters? If it is, then thank goodness for this super extra large screen format that hasn’t been discovered by local movie producers, Tom Cruise is by far the only American actor that is able to join the festival, unless Francis Tolentino orders the Imax theaters to show anyone of the seven Tagalog movies. I wonder if they are projectable.
But someone who works for Solar Films told me that the Hollywood blockbuster would be back as soon as the Tagalog movie fest ends on Jan. 8. By that time, I suppose traffic wouldn’t be as bad, and the box offices less crowded.
Star Movies bids bye bye
For us who watch a lot of movies on television the change in name of Star Movies is a good move. Starting Jan. 1 it will be known as Fox Movies Premium. I am not sure if the change is just to distinguish Star Movies’ broadcast in HD. Will the non-HD subscriber still get Star Movies?
To mark the end of Star Movies, it will show the original Tron and to mark the beginning of the new movie channel, the remake will be shown as well.
I am looking forward to a better programming on this movie channel as it should live up to its new name appended with the word “premium.”
Comments
Post a Comment