By Eric S. Caruncho
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Prophets of doom notwithstanding, these are boom times for music.

The compact disc might be dead, and the music business as we know it dying, but make no mistake, there’s more music being made — and listened to — than ever before.

It’s just that the local industry hasn’t figured out yet how to make money off file sharing, the dominant form of music distribution. While Apple quickly cornered the market with iTunes, cutting heavily into the CD retailing business, no comparable local model has yet emerged.

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By Pocholo Concepcion
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Four hundred budding musicians turned up at the activity center of Trinoma Mall in Quezon City recently to audition for “Musikhero” (“music hero”), a three-day workshop which starts on Monday in Baguio City.

Some of the country’s top guitarists, bassists and drummers are serving as mentors at the music camp. They include former band mates Jun Lopito and Chickoy Pura of the Jerks; The Dawn’s Francis Reyes, Buddy Zabala and JB Leonor; Rivermaya’s Mike Elgar, Japs Sergio and Mark Escueta; Bamboo’s Ira Cruz and Vic Mercado; Freestyle’s Rommel de la Cruz; Razorback’s Louie Talan; and Side A’s Ernie Severino.

Only 75 of those who auditioned will be picked. By the end of the workshop, the most promising four will comprise a group to represent the Philippines at the London International Music Festival in April 2008. They also become official endorsers of instrument brands carried by JB Music, which organized “Musikhero.”

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By Rito Asilo
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—With finger-snapping beats and a sassy vocal arrangement, Bituin Escalante opens her latest CD, “Ur Luv Thang,” with the groovesome track, “Let Go.” The lush music reverberates with a sexy and unconventional tempo that reminds listeners that Bituin’s latest album is not one of your run-of-the-mill, commercial releases. Ironically, this OPM compilation doesn’t sound Pinoy at all!

In a season of slim pickings from the local music industry, Bituin’s independently-produced album, “Ur Luv Thang,” is nothing short of a treat: The 12-song compilation is coated with a musically succulent hybrid of blues and jazzy tunes, all written by Dan Gil — it’s no wonder why some cuts follow through with similar groove patterns and vocal requirements. Even more pleasantly surprising, there are no revivals here, as is customary with most local releases.

Musical ennui

In her previous offering, the singer-stage actress dished out a memorably frolicsome song, “The Only Two People in the World.” Her independently-produced collection boasts of even more lusciously delivered numbers — an aural respite from the local recording industry’s current musical ennui.

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By Niña Catherine Calleja
Inquirer

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna–Four college students and a high school teacher have a different take on rock music.

They formed the Ephrot Act, jumbled from “Torpe ka (You are timid)” and they have been composing rock songs with nationalist content, calling them “nationalist rock.”

“What we have is an old-fashioned goal in a modern approach,” Adrian Luneta, the lead vocalist, said in Filipino in a group interview in Los Baños, Laguna.

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By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

A GROUP of sound artists, collectively known as New Media Arts Manila (NMAM), is set to stage a gig featuring sound art made with electronic, audiovisual, and information technology.

“It includes sound art, video art, interactive electronics, algorithmic art, computer music, and whatever art forms new technologies may yet spawn,” the group said in an e-mail announcement.

Calling their music “New Media Art,” NMAM was formed to curate, stage, and promote their art.

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