February 2016 Activity

The Salgado's are back in Manila for their yearly jaunt there. February also happens to be the birthday month of Nore, Didi, Milu and Alex. Such an opportunity to celebrate was not to be missed by the Manila CAFAs. 

Pearl was an initiator of the event and thus was tasked to prepare and provide the menu. The party was held in Oni and Bili's residence in Greenmeadows, QC. The CAFA merrymakers were: Tong & Rita, Dinky and Milu, Pearl & Vic, Nore & Didi, Oni & Bili, Emi and Alex. Special guests were Ating Salgado and Francis Raquel Santos. 

The Filipino food fare was great. The age of the CAFAs showed when they couldn't finish all the food much less the Johnny Walker bottle. But before you think about wasted fare, the party culminated with many bringing home extra servings of their fancy. 

To top it off, Emi said she had a giant, raw pink Tilapia fish in her car. It was gift from a friend. She said she couldn't eat it all and so she offered most of it to the group. Indeed it was a giant fish, and really deliciously pink! Everyone took home a piece of it as well. I got one fish head which we ultimately made into delicious fish soup. 

Topics of conversation involved Nore's forthcoming art show, the similarity between Trump and Duterte, Philippine elections, etc. Surprisingly, there was not much chismis about the absentees in the party. The group is thus either slowing down (not combative anymore) or have matured into great philosophers.

Ciao for now.
Onimayo


See slide show for more photos.

CAFAs and the Play Mansyon

Last Tuesday evening, Oni and Bili hosted a bienvenida dinner of sorts at their house. The guest of honor were Nore and Didi who are helping their daughter resettle her family in Hongkong. The CAFAs who came on short notice to see the two were Alice (Jose), Emi and Alex. 

There were other guests however. To make the event more interesting (as well as to avail of a captured audience, heh heh), Oni simultaneously staged a reading of the script for his stage play project - a drama called "Mansyon". The idea was to elicit comments from the guests. Aside from the CAFAs the other guests were theater enthusiasts friends of Oni, sisters of Bili, young musicians (tasked to finalize the music score of the play) and young people who participated in the reading exercise. 

Emi with her theater background is of course the main influence in the implementation of the reading. She knew the English first version of the script and is now ready to critic this latest version.  This time the play dialogue is in Tagalog and more songs were added. While the reading was in raw form (done by amateurs using badly xeroxed material), the participants and the audience seemed to get 'into' the activity anyway.

After the show, constructive comments if not polite (?) comments from the guests were a-plenty. Alex for one was saying he would like to know the musical overture since this would set the mood for the play. I didn't think of that. Emy, Alex and Didi indicated which among the songs is their favorite. Alex advised Oni that the plays best number should be identified and promoted to create awareness for the show. (There are 13 songs in the play). 

The next step is to finalize the music score and the demo vocals for submission to prospective producers. Being an amateur playwright and composer, the whole venture is a learning process for me. Its still a long way to go and where I'm aware that this project may even fail to get produced (no matter what I do).   Be that as it may, I'm experiencing that - for this venture - the joy for me is really in the journey and which is fine with me if that's all it's gonna be. 

Onimayo

It is interesting to observe the success of "Heneral Luna" - an unexpected hit movie in Manila today. This was written 17 years ago but developed for the cinema only now.  Hope I do not have to wait that long for my play to see the light of day.  Heh heh. 

See slide show for more photos.

Saturday Night Fever!

Firstly, thank you to Bobby and Fe Bareiro for the passes to their SNF show. Emi, Cecille, Bernard, Alice, Didi, Francis, Alex, Bili and Oni watched the show at Solaire Theater last Saturday. With the timeless Bee Gees music, the professional acting and singing of the American main stars (from Broadway) and the 70s macho dancing by the troupe (joined by a local cast), the show did not disappoint. And yes Nore, one of the final songs was your favorite (How Deep is Your Love) which the hero and the heroine sang in sentimental duet. 

Right after the show, the energy was carried on by the CAFAs in the lush Solaire lobby. There the group had a heyday taking photo ops with the ad props and celebrities around. Bobby and Fe introduced the celebrities in the crowd to the CAFAs. These included the Director, the stage performers, media and notable show biz people who watched the show such as Aiza Sequerra, Nyoy Volante, Cris Villonco and others. 

The Philippines is the first venue for the show. The SNF show is actually a production of Bobby and Fe that is going to do a round of the Asia Pacific region for several more months I heard. This is the reason that the stage set was ordered from abroad. In order to do the other countries, the sets have to be in dismantable (prefab) form for shipping out. 

The matinee show ended at around 4:30PM. But that was not the end of the day for the CAFAs who still assembled at the food court for coffee and sweets. There they recalled details of the entertaining show and badgered Fe with unsolicited tips on how to improve the show further. The final show in the Philippines for SNF is the next day, Sunday, where Dero, Pearl and other CAFAs are expected to go to the matinee show. 

Til the next production.

See slide show for more photos.

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER!

Bobby and Fe Bareiro have a new production at the theatre in Solaire. It's "Saturday Night Fever" and the CAFAs are all invited. Complimentary (free) tickets are available for those who will signify that they are going, but Fe will need to know soon. 

Fe recommends that we go as a group so that she can get us the best seats and para masaya! The playdates are July 24, 25 and 26 but the 3PM Matinee show on July 25 Saturday is suggested. 

Emy is OK. Oni and Bili are OK. Please advise me or Fe directly if you can make it (middle of this week at the latest). Oni's number: 09178910722. Fe's number: 09479946678. 

Nore and Rody, are you in town? 

Onimayo

CAFASinger's Non-Concert 2016

Hello Guys, 

Not without a tinge of disappointment, I would like to inform you that we have shelved our idea for a CAFASinger concert in 2016. The production details in the plan were not coming together as expected and time for the preparation is going fast.  As the organization of the show was being initiated by the proponents, just too many uncertainties arose in the requirement for the musical component of the show.  

The major proponents of the project are CAFA Fine Arts alumni who had faith in the ability and market draw still of the CAFASingers.  In behalf of the CAFASingers, I would like to thank Pearl, Fe and the Fine Arts organization for their their bold vision and zeal in initiating the project. Likewise kudos to all other CAFAs (we know them) who particularly helped nurture and promote the idea of a concert project. This includes overseas CAFAs Alice, Bess, Nore and Eileen who inspired by expressing their early commitment and support. 

In the end, the main issue was technical.  For the concert to be memorable and worthy, the unique CAFASinger sound was perceived as crucial to provide. Dero, Dinky and Oni worked to look into options and solutions on how to bring this about at this time but in the end it was deemed better to forego.  In writing this report, I was coming out of a resigned state that  I had thought of captioning this Blog “the day the music died”. But I changed my outlook after Alice wrote to me, “music brought the CAFAs together, and thus CAFA future reunions will never have want for music”. 

She's right.  We will make music together again somehow.  Adieu for now and always keep singing even if it’s only karaoke time with family or even alone in the bath!  Mabuhay!

Onimayo

Bobby & Babee 30 years!

On May 3, Sunday, Babee & Bobby Bareiro renewed their nuptial vows at scenic Fernwood Gardens in Quezon City.  The event celebrated their 30^th year of marriage. Their relatives, friends and business associates participated in the lavish affair.

It was a night of joy and music.  Bea and Kitkat, Babee’s two articulate daughters, showcased an emotionally moving video where they expressed their love for their parents.  Ate Nieva from CAFA days (Babee's sister, remember?) remains her exuberant self and who touched based with the CAFAsingers who once practiced their singing in her home in QC when the group was starting out.  The other guests included high profile show biz celebrities and professional talents who were ever involved with Babee and Bobby’s promotional projects through the years.

In her speech on stage, Babee confessed that for some reason, the CAFAs were not present in her original wedding some 30 years ago and that she is happy they came this time.  The CAFAs let her know that they remembered this ‘afront’ and they made her feel it with their “It’s about time” mock poise.  The CAFAs were: Cynthia, Emi, Dero, Dinky, Alex, Cecille, Pearl and Vic, Eddie and Alice and Oni and Bili.

The venue was fabulous.  The bridal gown was fastidious.  The food was delicious.  The entertainment was stupendous.  The CAFAs had a memorable night and is grateful to Babee for yet another opportunity to get together. Topping the exhilirating experience for the CAFAs is witnessing the love that Babee and Bobby visibly displayed for each other as a family unit and specifically seeing Babee so happy.

A salute from the CAFAs:  To Bobby and Babee, may you have many more joyful and happy years to come.  Cheers!   

See slide show for more photos.

CAFASinger Concert 2016

Bulletin 1

Hi CAFAs!  It’s me again and here’s the latest re our concert project!

I’d like to advise you that the project core group has been working on firming up the preconditions for officially launching the CAFA’s concert project. Since the initial meeting last March between Menchu Pascual of the FA Board and the CAFA core group, the next steps for furthering the show project are currently in the works.

Dinky composed the letter notice for delivery to concerned UP institutions (who will be involved in the project). Pearl is conducting liason activities with the officials of these institutions and working with Fe on sponsorship prospects. Oni and Dero are concentrating on assembling the appropriate music for the show.

Last Monday, Dero, Dinky and Oni met to specifically discuss the production requirement of the show itself. As of today, the CAFASingers who have definitely expressed their participation on Feb 2016 in the concert are: Alice, Bess, Dero, Dinky, Alex, and Oni.  Rody at one time has expressed that he is okay with the project (For some reason, he has been incommunicado recently. Rody, are you still in Phl?) We are waiting to hear positively from Tong, Romy, Ely, Sarah, Rudy, Hector and Sammy.

The reasons why our full group is ideal to have in the show are:
 1) Per Dero, the image of the CAFASingers is that it is a large group. (It is more a choir than a quintet or a large band);
2) the precision pop harmonics resulting from many voices (the altos, the tenors and especially the basses) produce that depth of sound and melodiosity unique to CAFASingers; and
3) the CAFASingers is a brotherhood of old souls whose members are most strong, confident and happy when complete and performing together.

For this concert, it is understood that rehearsals for our old songs will be necessary. Time is passing and it is now only ten months to February. We in the core group are confident that the musical digital distance-learning kit to be prepared for the singers will be effective. Dero will be working with the musical arranger in keeping the voices as close to the original as possible. Have faith!

Before closing this Bulletin, we would like to thank Eileen,Nore, Emy and Bili for announcing their support to the concert early on. Guys, we'd also like to hear from our Email group (Lina, Ben, Mina, Dina, Gail, Alma, Cecille, etc).  Save the date in February 2016! In the next Bulletin I hope to advise everyone on the rationale of the project for the proponents, the sponsors, the market and mostly the CAFAs.

By the way, do send in your suggestions on the 60s songs we should be taking on for the show.   In addition to our full song standards, we are thinking of a medley for a Bosa set, a folk set and a pop set.

Til next time.

Onimayo