• Dabawenyos make waves in RP music industry

  Filed under dchs88
  Dec 13

  WHAT does Jay Durias and his fellow South Border instrumentalists, Jinky Vidal and Carlo Tapia of Freestyle, Juris Fernandez of MYMP, Champ Lui-Po of Hale and the reggae band Brownman Revival all have in common?

  Aside from hit recording artists of songs that have captured a huge chunk of the nation’s airwaves and bringing in big bucks for their respective recording companies with their hot-selling albums, they are all first and foremost proudly Dabawenyos.

  The city famous for its Durian fruit, orchid blooms, Monkey-eating eagle and for being the largest City in the world is also the place known for having produced a number of gifted musicians like Joey Ayala, Cynthia Alexander, and Popong Landero. And is currently recognized for producing artists that are currently conquering the whole country known for its overwhelming love for music.

  And yet the list does not end with the present crop. Waiting in the wings are promising musical artists like the all-girls band Back by Midnight, former Ateneo High top band The Lizard Chips, potential alternative hit band G- Strings and other musicians and bands ready to take on the music scene with their soon to be released albums.

  Yet the wealth of musical heritage in this southern metropolis has not bottomed out. Still according to some, the current class of top rate musical artists is still the tip of the iceberg.

  As a venue of developing the still unexplored frontiers of musical potential in Davao, the Songwriters Organization Network Group or Song was organized, and last December 2 this group of homegrown songwriters all over Davao held its first induction of members and officers in an effort to institutionalize the group.

  Envisioned to unite musical artists not just in Davao but also in Mindanao it hopes to be a creative convergence of various songwriters and musicians aimed at developing the Island’s music scene.

  According to Jacob Chua, Song president, the organization is a unique institution that promotes unity and bridges differences through music.

  Owing to the fact that music, an art of harmony, is part of a rich cultural tapestry belonging to a land known for the complexity of its conflicts.

  Song aims to support and develop and unite Mindanao’s budding musical artists from the songs, music, artists, and their instruments.

  Chua emphasized that Song is not a body that would impose creative conformity over its members.

  “No person in Song has a monopoly in creativity, it is an open organization where ideas flow freely,” said Chua.

  According to Amado So, Song chair, the organization was a result of a flaming desire in creating a body of musical songwriters in the City. Whose relevance aptly timed with many homegrown talents making it big in the mainstream music scene.

  Among its noble objectives is to push radio stations in playing Davao music, promoting local music through the country’s backdoor utilizing the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) network.

  Aside from its objective to develop indigenous musical instruments, the group also aims to support and assist the family of an overseas musician, establish livelihood support for very promising musicians before they hit it big in the recording scene, and encourage parents to support their children’s inclination to arts.

  With the formation of Song, various musicians regardless of genres and instruments will have a venue for convergence.

  Sunstar Davao
  (December 10, 2005 issue)

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