On Friendship & Free Gigs

ONE stress-free day in 1972 (I was sweet 16 years old), having just completed editorial work for a whole JINGLE Music Magazine issue, and everyone is heading for home...from out of the blue...I asked Kuya Gilbert if UP is offering a music course. His face lit up and said, "Tamang-tama yan para sa business natin -- music-related din."

Together with my other brother Raul -- the three of us inquired (agad-agad) at the College of Music one fine day. And right then and there, voice professor and National Artist Aurelio Estanislao (nagkalat lang naman ang mga National Artist sa UP) led me to a room with a piano (not with a view) and asked me to sing solfeggio for my audition. No written test was required. Unlike today, students go through the rigors of hurdling entrance exams.

Fast forward. Our batch in the College of Music was the biggest among all batches (I'm clueless about the succeeding ones) that we had to hold our choral classes at the Abelardo Hall. The whole orchestra section is almost full to the rafters with us freshies.

With the help of graduating students and assistant professors...one by one, they made us sing solfeggio (again) to determine which section we belonged.

The seating arrangement: yung soprano (mga girls, op kors), sama-sama sa left side, sa harap ng stage mismo; sa right side yung alto (girls uli); yung tenor (mga boys), sa likod ng alto; at yung bass/baritone (boys syempre), sa likod ng soprano nakaupo. Hindi lang yon... merong soprano 1 up to soprano 2 (pag malawak ang vocal range ng student), and so on. Me, I belonged to tenor 1 and 2.

I will never forget forming lingering first impressions of the tall and lanky Jun Latonio during our first chorus class meeting in Abelardo as he raised his hand to answer the prof's question: Can you describe the G chord in one word? His answer was emphatic and definite: "Majestic." Another word that comes to mind is "powerful" -- as opposed to the D chord that sounds "soft" and "feminine." "Delicate" is another one.

We naturally gravitated towards each other, that's why Jun and I became instant buddies. Everytime we had a break, he would offer me a Philip Morris stick. Yosi muna kami. I was too shy (charot) to decline his offer. I didn't smoke then, you see.

To make the long story short, the daily smoking within breaks gradually got me hooked on nicotine that I began to buy my own (Marlboro na, yung maiksi) cigarettes eventually. Bad influence si Jun...hehe.

I will never forget the many free gigs we did in the ‘70s. In déjà vu, I still have vivid flashbacks montaged just like a music video loop (in my head) of Jun and I -- with him playing his Japan-made (from Nagoya) Yairi acoustic guitar (which was a gift from his mother) and me singing lead vocals while he did the harmonies. 

We jammed in-between the sets of that night's "pwesto" solo act in Butterfly...a free-spirit folk house in the ‘70s that helped deserving local talents. Butterfly’s equivalent is Club Dredd. It was situated just across the main UP entrance in Commonwealth Ave. where TechnoHub is currently located. The songs we played there escaped my forgetful mind though. Tsk tsk...

The dimly-lit and cramped stage became the playground for budding solo acts playing guitar in those post-Vietnam (although it is listed that it ended in 1975) years. Remember Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Simon & Garfunkel were the early folk heroes back then. Although papasikat na sina James Taylor, CSNY, Cat Stevens at Joni Mitchell nuon. Tinutugtog na nga namin ni Jun yung "You Can Close Your Eyes" at "Blossom" ni JT, at ng Jingle Clan folk rock group yung "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" ng CSNY, "Father and Son" ni Cat Stevens at "Old Man" ni Neil Young.

The two of us also gigged pro bono in Spindle in Banawe where we once sang a song by Batdorf & Rodney called "Poor Man's Dream" which was then regularly played in DZRJ. Kuya catched us live there and even advised me to also play the guitar. Two guitars daw dapat.

We also did a "one-time-only" (di na kasi naulit) campus tour in UP Diliman. JINGLE musical director and chords guru Hexel Hernando invited us to sing before an all-female Home Economics class prior to his spiritual talk before them. We were naturally floored and ecstatic. Another DZRJ staple hit, "I'll Be Leaving Soon" by Mark-Almond, was our tour de force for that gig. I even bade the class "goodbye" after Jun strummed the last chord. We both had wide grins while exiting the room...a sign that deep within us we slayed it.

Another unforgettable gig was Sapot, directed by UP College of Mass Communication professor Maryo J. delos Reyes(+) held in St. Joseph College's auditorium -- a concert featuring some folk singers (Prof. Lester Demetillo played there, too) from UP, and headlined by the Apo Hiking Society. Jun sang Elton John's "Texan Love Song." I did "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan with Jun doing back-up vocals. For our finale, I sang the Beatles' "Blackbird" with Jun doing the complex plucking lines. It felt good because we know we got everything right. Walang sabit ang bawat kalabit ng gitara at sambit ng mga titik (buhat-bangko)...

I used to sing Elton John songs with him tinkering the Steinway grand piano in Abelardo Hall. Wala lang...kami-kami lang. He also regularly played "Bridge Over Troubled Water" there. You see, Jun and I had a lot of indelible moments during our college years. Pareho kasi kami ng musical preferences...

Inevitably, we went our separate ways raising our own disparate families...We polarized, became two worlds apart, losing contact with one another.

Jun carved a name for himself while pursuing his passion for music, and went on to become a well-known pianist, arranger, film scorer, conductor, composer...Nagtuluy-tuloy siya. Tinutukso ko nga siyang "Ryan Cayabyab, Jr." noon.

Me, I continued my career in music publication...our family sphere. Ito ngang JINGLE. And who would have thought that one day, Jun and I would meet again (and have a need for more than reminiscin') (love song yun ah) full circle and amalgamate (whoa!) via a long delayed project of mine.

Guillermo and Latonio

Fast forward once again. We recently got reconnected through FB 46 long years (more or less) after -- even though he stood as my wedding best man, and together we did the musical scoring for a Regal comedy flick directed by Joey Javier Reyes some time in the early '90s. I then asked him if he could help me arrange and record my self-penned song. E-mail made everything easy for us... 

While in the studio catching up with each other, Jun played me his instrumental new age/jazz compositions (I never heard anything like that) that are "ready whenever someone asks for a material from me." Parang ready-made suits for sale. And like a flashing bulb in my head...I immediately envisage a Jun Latonio solo album featuring what I just heard a la chill OPM jazz tunes from YouTube. Am I hard-selling?

And so…without much ado (and hubbub) --no drumrolls please! -- I humbly give you my own "Mahal Kita." Hay naku, nailabas din sa baul sa wakas! Thank you, Lord!

 

Destination: USA

California Dreamin'

YEARS passed and our next stop was in California to visit my brother-in-law and his family in 2006. We are so fortunate to have been granted visas on the first try at the US Embassy (maybe because of our Hong Kong sojourn as a family or my wife Neri’s repeated trips to the US with her ten-year multiple entry visa, or maybe because it was really just meant to be). Just think of how many try so hard to set foot into US territory -- both through legitimate process or illegal means (para sa mga desperado). God must be in His best mood that day we went in to apply for a family visa. 

As we were scheduled for a morning interview slot, we were at the embassy gates a couple of hours way before our time (eager beavers avoiding traffic and dealing with an active adrenalin pump). It was only the three of us who went in -- Paolo, Jaila and I. Neri just waited for us outside (doing her share as a prayer warrior). Days before, she had been briefing us on what possible questions may be asked by the consul and how it would be best to answer them to increase our chances of approval.  If asked as to the purpose of trip/visit, we agreed to say that we are going to visit and spend the Christmas holidays with her brother Mark before his next tour-of-duty to be assigned by the US government. He is a medic with the US Navy. And my, how the US love its soldiers with all its heart and soul!

We really didn’t go through the much-anticipated “grilling”.  All three of us were approved by the Caucasian lady consul-on-deck admonishing Paolo and Jaila to follow the legit process should they want to work in the US someday after finishing school (as they were both students then). Meantime, she said, they’ll be allowed to visit for pleasure (and were given a one-year multiple entry visa). I was allowed five years multiple entry. These days, both Pao and Jai are doing well in their respective careers here in our country. Both have travelled to different countries all these years but are not settled yet with the idea of working abroad or staying there for keeps. Homing pigeons.

Back to the embassy. Before we went out, we hatched a plan that we would all look dejected when we meet up with my wife who we’re sure was very agitated waiting...hoping for the best, but actually expecting the worst. 

“Denied” kuno ang peg naming tatlo. When she saw us with our bowed heads and sad faces, she broke down and cried (buying into our “mini-drama”). But we waived our little yellow papers (courier service receipts) and yelled "Surprise!" That's when we all hugged each other laughing our hearts out.

Fast forward. The prep prior to the trip was a blur I could barely remember the details since it was December and our family was also caught up in school and work before the holiday break. I remember though that we had worked out bringing a requested (big) San Fernando parol as pasalubong from the Philippines aside from the usual Kowloon siopao, Cow Label dried beef, kiamoy, (instant) sabaw ng sinigang, Knorr cubes (all flavors), Ilocos chichacorn, Reno liver spread, dried squid, danggit and tuyo, vermicelli noodles (sotanghon) and pancit canton, calamansi juice (freshly-pressed and bottled as you couldn’t bring agricultural products including fresh fruits with seeds into US territory), and Barrio Fiesta bagoong (spicy and sweet), among others. It felt as if we were going to open a Pinoy neighborhood sari-sari store in California. While Filipino stores are a-plenty there, iba pa rin kasi yung pasalubong from home na family ang nagdadala. Besides, these goods (so commonplace and cheap here) are exhorbitantly priced in Filipino stores in the US.

It was our family’s first long-haul trip outside the country so we expected to encounter the unexpected every step of the way. It was a 14-hour non-stop flight to LAX that we actually had to figure out every conceivable sitting position that will be comfortable enough as we had to contort our legs and arms to adapt into a tight space and ease out cramps while trying to get some sleep with our seat belts fastened for safety. 

Nakakangawit. Lucky enough for us there were no wit-shaking turbulences over the Pacific Ocean and Philippine Airlines served good in-flight holiday meals even for the economy class. The best part, of course, was travelling together as a family (despite the inconveniences and minor hassles along the way).

ARRIVAL. First impression (I had then hoped will not last): Luma at sugatan na ang LA airport. Kailangan na nito ng major makeover. Ewan ko lang these days kung ginawa na ito...

The immigration lines were long. Sabay-sabay dumating yung airlines from different parts of the world. Nakakatuwa yung eksena. Parang United Nations -- multi-race; multi-language. We lined-up and were interviewed by a US airport official regarding the purpose of our visit, length of our stay at kung anu-ano pang SOP questions na madali namang sagutin kung totoo ang sinasabi mo. (Note: After the 9/11 bombing incident, the Americans tightened their airport security measures including immigration procedures.) 

The moment we stepped out of the airport terminal building, nabigla kami sa lamig ng hangin. Napakasarap. So fresh. Amoy stateside! (First timer, eh!)

We had dinner at Denny’s (wala pa sa Pinas then). Everything was BIG sa kamalayan namin. A thick slab of US steak kaagad ang welcome meal ko -- all to myself, as requested ke bayaw. Masarap lang palang isiping kainin pero (sa totoo) mahirap ubusin. Hehe...

STAY. "California is a desert," Mark, my brother-in-law, told us. It was a 3-hour drive from his house in San Jose, California to LA to fetch us. As he was a US Navy corpsman, he has travelled to different parts of the world depending on his tour-of-duty -- Germany, Afghanistan, Somalia, Japan, Korea...remember they have naval bases in the last two. Yung garage ng bahay niya eh puno ng mga epektos na ginamit sa maraming giyera –- mula Operation Desert Storm to the later ones (tri-color fatigues; ALICE backpacks; Gortex jackets; Kevlar bulletproof helmets; fragmentation grenade vests; full-body gear for nuclear/biological/chemical warfare; Mark IV gas masks, dehydrated Meals-Ready-to-Eat/MREs; medic and survival equipment, etc.) kaya dun pa lang, marami nang kuwentong sinamahan ng imported beer (to my delight). Kaso mas feel ni bayaw (at ng maraming Kanong Navy) ang San Mig Pale Pilsen (yung nakabote) na ginto ang presyo sa US. 

The day after we arrived, Mark brought and toured us around the US Marines Corps Base Camp Pendleton (in San Diego County) where his assigned command was with the 1st Medical Battalion, First Service Support Group.

Balik-disyerto ang kuwento. Mark was right for there are no trees in the mountains and valleys of California. Away from the hustle and bustle and mala-EDSA na trapik, Los Angeles is actually a barren land. Kalbo (like me) ang mga bundok nila. Kulay brown ang paligid, meaning walang masyadong green grass na tumutubo. Tumbleweeds marami. Dust devils palagi. Dry winter kasi. Siyempre lagas ang leaves ng trees. Walang yelo pero may frost line. Ang sarap. Hayahay kami...It was our first winter.

It’s different with orange trees though, kaya nga one of the best ang California oranges. They love the sun and they’re okay with the dry heat...not to mention the sandy soil. Nakakatuwa makita yung rows and rows of orange trees. You can even grow them in your own backyard. We saw a couple of orange trees with fruits sa bahay ng family friend (and godmother of my son) in LA. Mababa lang yung puno kaya madali pitasin yung fruits.

Ang dami naming first time experiences. Gasoline stations na kanya-kanya ang pagkarga ng gas. Self-service. Nakakapanibago yung walang gas station attendants na sumasalubong sa kotse mo. Sariling kayod. Hindi rin mausok yung diesel cars nila. Sa labas ng LA, very minimal to almost none ang transpo carbon pollution sa highway (hindi tulad dito sa Pinas -- kahit saan ka pumunta, polluted kasi luma na ang mga sasakyan).

Sobra din kaming natuwa nang habang nakasakay kami sa SUV ni bayaw eh ipinasok niya ito sa car wash at nang lumabas kami eh tuyo na ito. Whoa! Sensya na sa kainosentehan. Hehe...

Wala pang S&R and Landers sa Pilipinas that time kaya naaliw pa kami mag-grocery sa Walmart and Costco where you buy big -- by the dozens or in packs. We did Lowe's, too. Ang laki ng lahat -- store spaces, pizza, burgers, fries, soda, carts, and even shoppers! Nakakalula! First time rin naming nakita ang mga puti sa sarili nilang bansa. Medyo weird ang feeling...

It was a reconnection and short reunion for our family so sinigurado naming makapagsimba (sa Our Lady of the Valley in Hemet, CA) ng Christmas and New Year’s Eve together, more than anything else. Yung church choirmaster eh parang si Kenny Rogers. Yung pari, ka-boses ni Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones) in Lion King. Siyempre pa, home-cooked ang special Noche Buena at Media Noche na tradisyong Pinoy. Sinulit namin sa kuwentuhan and short but memorable pasyals yung US trip kasi back-to-work and school na naman pagbalik. Mark, his wife Raquel, and kids Marvin and Matthew (who was a baby then with a medical condition kaya may oxygen support) and Mommy, plus the four of us, filled up the house for the holidays. Of course, Papa and Nene (Mark and Raquel’s unborn baby girl), now in heaven, were especially remembered in this family celebration.

Mark bought and put up a real pine Christmas tree kaya sobrang bango ng house. Kinabit namin yung parol (which we had converted from 220v to 110v). His was the only house with a San Fernando parol kaya kakaiba. Para mixed tradition, may inflatable giant snowman din sa lawn which the kids enjoyed. We also helped pack-up toys for the toy-giving project of Marvin’s school. 

Next stop: Big Bear Mountain. It was so beautiful kahit pa-zigzag at nakakalula rin paakyat doon. Remember that Manny Pacquiao trains there for the altitude of a place is important in building an athlete's lung power. Pampalakas ng resistensya. Di ba palagi rin siya sa Baguio (locally) for his training? The cold weather is so conducive for stamina-building.

We rented a two-storey log house complete with a fireplace. We already bought the things we needed at Stater Bros (foodstuff, essentials and firewood) before we hit home so as to maximize our time. Nagkabit din si bayaw ng tire chains (na first time ko rin na-encounter) to prevent the tires from skidding due to the slippery snow. We ate at KFC. Walang rice! They served biscuits instead. Dalawa lang ang crew. Yung cook at cashier na food server din. CLAYGO is practiced in the US: Clean As You Go. Mahal kasi ang labor.

First time kaming nakakita ng snow. Lumuwa ang mga mata namin sabay pictorial syempre. Nagpagulung-gulong pa nga ako na parang bata. Snow is not all white as we Pinoys have imagined growing up in a hot and humid country. "Black dirt" ang tawag nila sa me halong lupa at maduming snow, sabi ni bayaw.

I am an animal-lover that's why we took pictures of the mallards with neon-like, shiny green necks swimming in the lake. I was also thrilled watching the cute little squirrels go up and down the pine trees and the roofs of the nearby cabins. Sinisilip ko sila. Akala ko eh malalaki...smaller pala sa pusa at parang street rats ang laki. Maliksi silang kumilos. Very light and nimble. May kakaibang flock of birds din. First time din naming makakita ng licensed service (or assistance/guide) dogs who are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Sa Pinas kasi, karamihan sniffers sa malls, airports, hotels, etc. ang sevice dogs na nakikita natin.

The log house was situated on a hilly part kaya we had a good view of the snow-capped mountains and the lake. Paolo and Jaila and our nephew Marvin enjoyed sledding down the hill at the back of the house. Ang nakakapagod eh yung pag-akyat na hila-hila mo yung sled to slide down again. Nakakaubos ng oxygen sa katawan. Parang sasabog lungs ko. Ang sakit sa ulo! High altitude, remember? For the love of the kids…

They later on in the evening built a snowman in front of the house. Ang hirap pala kasi even with gloves on, you can feel the biting cold sa fingers mo. Sobrang effort! After an adobo dinner, we huddled and Scrabbled the night away in front of the fireplace burning real firewood. Ang sarap matulog tucked in bed with the heater on instead of aircon. Kakaibang experience. Mas kakaiba na nagising ka next morning and saw some young ladies frolicking in the snow wearing nothing but teeny-weeny bikinis. Ganito pala mag-sunbathing sa snow…

Isa pang ikinagulat ko eh ang pag-ihip ng hangin dun...malakas kumpara sa atin. Nakakita nga kami ng tumaob na kotse sa highway bago kami umakyat sa bundok. Wala pang bagyo ah.

I was wide-eyed in awe at the taller and wider (in circumference) pine trees there compared to what I have always seen in Baguio. Ang lalaki nga ng pine cones dun -- parang Taiwan pineapples grown in Tagaytay. 

We had the chance to drive over to San Diego, CA as well. We visited Raquel's mom and stayed over night at their home care facility. Konti na lang, pwede na sanang tumawid sa Tijuana, Mexico but we were pressed for time and didn't make enough preparations for that. Maybe next time...para may babalikan. Abot-tanaw lang kasi ang Mexico valley from the hills of San Diego.

 

PRE-DEPARTURE STOPOVER: A family friend’s house very near LAX. This was a very short visit as we didn’t have the glory of time. Dumaan lang para bumati at magpaalam. BFFs Ester (Manuel), Paolo’s ninang, and Carmen (Garzon) are long-time family friends who have remained very kind, warm and accommodating all these years. Masarap na merienda at masayang kuwentuhan na sana ay may panahon pang habaan. Their house is usually a “transit home” of my wife Neri in all of her US trips. They’re very fortunate to have acquired that house because property in LA is so preposterously expensive (before the US inflation ito)! Pang-mucho dinero!

DEPARTURE: Sabi nga nila, beginnings are hard but goodbyes are even harder. When it was time to say goodbye to our hosts, Mark and his family -- as if on cue -- tears began to fall freely. Sabay kaming napaiyak ni Neri. Mahirap ipaliwanag. Ganun siguro talaga ang paalamanan pag ang pamilya ay marami at mahaba ang pinagdaanan. Liku-liko, baku-bako o paikut-ikot man, dun din naman uuwi yun…sa masayang pagkikita. Kaya nga may memories na binabalikan. My family had a swell time. But it was time to go home and look forward to the next destination. All goodbyes are new beginnings.

 “Take nothing but photographs

Leave nothing but footprints

Collect nothing but memories."