Photos by Hydee Ursolino
On June 14, Apl.de.ap shared the podium with Becca Godinez, Gelo Francisco of Philippine Chamber Singers, and Joel Jacinto of Kayamanan ng Lahi to announce their upcoming July 8 concert, “Apl.de.ap Takes You to the Philippines: A Celebration of Global Filipino Music” at the Hollywood Bowl.
As a historic first, July 8 will be devoted to Original Philippine Music, the haranas also known as love serenades, and Philippine dances.
In collaboration with KCRW’s World Festival, Apl.de.ap will take Los Angeles to the Philippines, celebrating its global Filipino music.
Arvind Manocha, Chief Operating Officer, described the Hollywood Bowl as a place where music and art converge in Los Angeles. Since the 1920s, as a cultural diversity pioneer, Latin and mainstream artists have been part of its 9-decade history.
“To me, it means another dream of mine will come true. I grew up listening to Original Philippine Music and [song and dance] have never been done before, where the Filipino music’s timeline from the 1960s to now [at the Hollywood Bowl],” Apl.de.ap said.
With Apl.de.Ap are: will. i.am & Taboo, Nicole Scherzinger, Martin Nievera, Sandwich, Ogie Alcasid, Culture Shock, Bucky Jonson, Dessa, DJ E-Man, DJ Poet, The Harana Kings with Florante Aguilar, Legaci, Jeremy Passion, Tateng Katindig and friends and Rondalla Club of Los Angeles. These performers are powerhouses in different musical genres, ranging from R&B, soul, pop, and jazz. Legaci is the backing vocal group behind Justin Bieber’s touring concerts. The concert’s hosts are Vanessa Hudgens, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Jo Koy.
What artists will bring to Hollywood Bowl
“Apl.de.ap Takes You to the Philippines: A Celebration of Global Filipino Music” brings Kayamanan ng Lahi (KNL) and Rondalla Club of Los Angeles, who will stage their innovative “Jota Paragua,” an evolution of tinikling (traditional bamboo dance) into a hip hop and modern dance, accompanied by the rondalla, showcasing the Spanish influences of the late 19th century. This dance troupe will set the tone for the evening’s concert with its pageantry as well as fusing its modern techniques with the traditional bamboo steps.
Sharing the stage with KNL will be Philippine Chamber Singers, headed by Gelo Francisco. He was originally challenged by Ted Benito (impresario and cultural consultant to Hollywood Bowl) to gather 50 male singers to bring a new twist to the haranas. The Philippine Chamber Singers will perform after the Philippine-based Harana Kings, who will be performing for the first time in the US.
Becca Godinez will be performing “Anak,” the lyrics of which she wrote for Freddie Aguilar.
Sandwich, a popular rock band, will do a medley with renowned jazz pianist Tateng Katindig, backing Martin Nievera, Ogie Alcasid, Becca Godinez, and Dessa.
Apl.de.Ap, a four-time Grammy awardee and drummer, and songwriter of one of the most influential bands in hip-hop [Black-eyed Peas], will be singing all his Tagalog songs, including the popular music video called “We Can Be Anything.”
The video says that anyone can be a hero, we need not be a zero in our lives. This video has earned Php 4 million, and all proceeds have been donated to the building of classrooms. Groundbreaking has already started for the two-storey classroom building of the children survivors of Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro, according to Ruben Tangco, Managing Director of Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation.
This foundation has formed a partnership with Apl.de.Ap’s foundation to increase the literacy and educational attainment of children and high school students in the Philippines.
Apl.de.ap’s vision
An incubating dream for ten years, Ted Benito had this to say: “If Angie Grey can be the first Miss America who happens to be Filipino-American, if Pia Clemente can be the first documentarian to be nominated for an Oscar, if Lea Salonga can be the first Filipina to get a Tony if Pauline Wilson can be the first Filipina to win a Grammy, why can’t Apl.de.Ap be the first Filipino to host a concert at the Hollywood Bowl? This concert can lead to more high-profile experiences for our artists, for our talents, for our community, and remember everyone is a viable participant in the future of our community and we have to look at this concert as part of a continuum of escalating the profile of our culture and our artists in all facets of society. I see this as a pivotal convergence of Filipino meets Filipino-American, young meets old, traditional music meets contemporary hip hop, and this has never been done before.”
The proceeds for this concert are earmarked for music education for the students in Los Angeles. This concert will achieve first philanthropy at both sides of the globe, here in LA and in the Philippines—a win-win for the children living in those areas.
Arvind Manocha concluded the press conference, thanking Apl.de.Ap for his visio+n, sincerity, and curatorial skill in this unprecedented line-up of artists. As with any production where Ted Benito is part of, expect synergy, synchrony, and significant renditions of artistic talents. It will be a night when the stars of Hollywood will converge with the stars from Manila, Philippines.
Published on Inquirer.net