Saturday, February 23, 2008

Coffee Jamming

It's our 2nd day in Bohol, and we finally got to jam with our fave band, Brownbuds.

Taught them Coffee Jam and man, I love how it turned out. Click below to hear it.



These guys are great! Very talented.

I hope you like it.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Dread-Locked

What is this I’m feeling
Am I sick or something
Why do I keep staring
At nothing

Why are we up talking
‘Til 3 in the morning
I put the phone down smiling
Is it right what I’m thinking

How do you know (I don’t know)
Can somebody show me (should I care)
I wanna be sure (I don’t think so)
if this is really... let’s not call it...
Love

I think I better go now
But really I’m not sure how
I really wanna stay here
But it’s not clear

I really don’t mind talking
Every minute I’m loving
I’m here and I’m listening
To every word you’re saying

How do you know (I don’t know)
Can somebody show me (should I care)
I wanna be sure (I don’t think so)
if this is really... let’s not call it...
Love

What’s that you said (what’s that again)
Never mind... no really...
It’s nothing
Can we just take it slow (I really don’t know)
let’s not try to give it... what it is I’m...
Meaning

Why are you scared (I don’t know)
What are you afraid of (but does it matter)
But really it’s fine (whatever this is)
As long as we’re... let’s find out...
Together

(ad lib)

- a duet freshly written February 20th by Kokum, fonts in white are sung by the male voice, yellow by the female voice and brown by both

- o -

In addition to learning percussions, I have also gone back to playing keyboards. Not that I was ever good at it. I am able to play some music and can do some work with chords but that's pretty much it. The keyboard now helps me translate the music I hear in my head into actual songs that can be played by other musicians.

But the learning never stops for me, so now I take on the guitar as a next endeavor. It's really not as hard as I've always thought. I have short and stubby fingers and so I used to not hit the right chords all the time. But nothing beats practice - it still makes perfect (or permanent).

The song above was written during downtime of our work last night. I was out on the stairway playing with some new chords I've learned and Eve comes and joins me and starts humming melodies to it. The words soon followed and by 6am, we had a song quite unlike any we've written.

As for recording the songs in the studio, schedules changed as our producer, Kent, had to do some business out of town. We will begin recording after our Bohol trip this weekend.

In the meantime, we've started putting pictures/videos to the first 2 songs that we recorded at the office. I posted this one on YouTube. The other one we are still working on.


Written with sand on my feet and sand on my guitar… right after he left… What could have happened if I said yes to his vanilla latte? -- Evie

Sunday, February 17, 2008

You Make Me Want To

This is officially my 100th post. Wooooohoooooo!

To celebrate it, I am posting a brand new song - fresh from the oven, the drawing boards, or wherever it is that music comes from!

I reworked an old poem previously posted on my poetry blog and put music to it. (Thanks to my sister who helped me work on the arrangement.) You will gather that despite what recently happened, I am still a sucker for love.

Eve, we have work to do! Hahaha!

YOU MAKE ME WANT TO

It's good to hear from you
Good of you to call
Been wanting bad to hear your voice
I miss that most of all

I don't wanna hang up
For I'll die if I do
You're so much a part of me
I'm nothing without you

Every time you call
I feel, I feel it all
What is it you do
That makes me want to want you
What is this I feel
With your voice in my ear
What is it in you
That makes me want to want
Only you

We while the hours talking
Of all things big or trivial
I think that this has turned into
Something that's so special

What is it I feel?
I don't understand no more
Don't know what I'm going through
Never felt like this before

Every time you call
I feel, I feel it all
What is it you do
That makes me want to want you?
What is this I feel
With your voice in my ear
What is it in you
That makes me want to want
Only you?

With all the confusion going on
Don't know if I can still play along
But I say bring it on
Stay with you forever on the phone

Every time you call
I feel, I feel it all
What is it you do
That makes me want to want you?
What is this I feel
With your voice in my ear
What is it in you
That makes me want to want
Only you?

- completed February 17th, words and music by Kokum

(Photo above taken New Year's Eve from the new house in Bulacan)

Almost Perfect

He was almost perfect.

But then he failed to mention one tiny detail: he was currently involved. The guy had a girlfriend.

The old me would have just shoved that detail into the nooks and crannies of my immaculately dirty mind, but that was then. Now, those things are part and parcel of any serious decision making that I do on matters of love.

Plus there's the matter of honesty. It wasn't as if we were both hiding our interest in each other. The conversation was heading toward exploring something together. Yet he did not think to mention he was involved until Piper/Eve (who so lovingly volunteered to drive me to Batangas to meet the guy - love you!) and I were all set to go.

Besides, I'm tired of introducing, baptizing, or welcoming "converts" into gaydom. Done with that.

I am so done with Valentines. It's one big joke.

(I hope this doesn't predispose me against mechado. Maybe one day I will write a song about this. Hmmm... mechado, the song. Has a nice ring to it.)

Well, enough said. I will leave you with something Piper/Eve said after hearing about this:

Bring out the drum and lyre band and let's shoot them all down!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Mechado (Updated with a Postscript)

When one is inspired, one learns a lot of new things. Here is something I lifted from Wikipedia on the Filipino dish called mechado:

Mechado is a stew served as a viand in the Philippines. Traditionally, it is cooked with beef briskets, potatoes, pimiento (red bell peppers), and tomatoes. It is similar to a beef stew, with elements of Filipino ingredients such as patis.

Origin and preparation. The dish originated from a Spanish recipe whose name originally referred to the strips of pork back-fat that are threaded (mecha - wick) through thick pieces of cheaper lean beef to render them more tender and less dry. The larded pieces of beef are then marinated in vinegar, soya sauce, calamansi juice, crushed garlic, black pepper and bay leaf, browned quickly on all sides in hot oil or lard and then slowly braised in its marinade with the addition of soup stock, onion slices and tomatoes until tender and the liquid is reduced to a thick flavorful gravy.

The use of thinner slices or even bony cuts of beef such as short ribs by budget-conscious cooks makes the larding that gave the dish its name unnecessary. The next step that has fallen by the wayside but which is crucial to success (because it takes away so much from the taste and appearance of the classic dish when skipped) is the quick browning of the beef before actual braising. This step not only seals the pieces of meat so that it retains much of its flavor and juice but also helps produce the dark brown color and rich beefy taste of the gravy. The long, slow braising tenderizes the meat and liquifies the slices of onions and tomatoes to blend with and thicken the sauce. The addition of soya-sauce and calamansi juice to the marinating liquid, of course, gives this recipe its distinct Filipino touch and character.

Beef tongue can be similarly treated with little or no variation to produce another dish called Lengua Mechada.

If goat meat is used, it is known as kaldereta.

Postscript: As of press time, the catch to all this has been revealed. More of that in another entry. Men... tsk tsk tsk!

I'm Not Getting My Hopes Up...

...but I met someone very interesting last night.

Accomplished yet expanding his horizons still. A lover of knowledge and learning. (He has 2 bachelors, an MBA, and wants to enroll in culinary school next.)

He is at home in the kitchen and claims to whip up the meanest mechado in the world. (Promised to cook for me one of these days.)

A singer (baritone who has toured Europe and parts of Asia). A sports buff. (Recently injured himself playing volleyball.) Absolutely loves traveling and the outdoors.

Has the most engaging accent (which reminds me so much of family, we have almost the same roots - Bisaya and Southern Tagalog.) Very funny. He is into charity work, too!

And fantastically, but more importantly, I believe he is taken with me.

It all just sounds too good to be true. Is it too bad to hope?

(I could almost hear Piper thinking to herself, What's the catch?)

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Coffee Jam



Tirik ang araw
Pero malamig ang hangin
Samahan mo 'ko
Tara nang mag-jamming

Titimplahan ng masayang awitin
Kasabay ng kapeng pagsasaluhan natin

Sa tuwing magkakasama
Ganito kami kasaya (ganito kasaya)
Ganito kami mag-bonding
Ice cold coffee (ice cold coffee) jamming

Oooh aaah
Oooh yeah
Oooh aaah
Coffee jamming (coffee jamming) na!

Ihanda na ang lyrics
Lagyan ng matamis na music
Add an ooh and an aah
Ready na ang kanta

Langhapin ang aroma ng samahang masaya
Lasapin ang sarap ng pagsasamang tapat

Sa tuwing magkakasama
Ganito kami kasaya (ganito kasaya)
Ganito kami mag-bonding
Ice cold coffee (ice cold coffee) jamming

Oooh aaah
Oooh yeah
Oooh aaah
Coffee jamming (coffee jamming) na!

- written January 30th, words and music by Kokum

(Photo taken by Paige and stolen from Piper's photobucket.)

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Ready for Action

Look out, Bohol, here we come!

Bringing my brand new volleyball to Bohol for some hard-pumping beach volleyball action on the white sand beaches of Panglao this month. Wooohooo!

Plus, we're bringing the Kokum family (at least Kiko, Kokoy, Kyle Jr, and the twin eggs) for some ass-kicking jamming and songwriting with Brownbuds and Milan.

We're coming prepared, and we're packing all our equipment to do some serious business in Bohol - the ground-breaking of the bridge for The Happy Sun charity, and production of a mini-documentary. Wahooo!

We're packing so many activities into several days. Will we have time? Of course we will! We will make time.

Wireless Landline: Stupid? Well, I Got One Anyways

It was just too tempting. I just had to get me one.

Anyways, now you may call me at my "wireless landline" number (02) 497-2715.

Charms and Crystals

I got a very interesting and very personal gift from Single Fish recently.

It's a crystal that she got from her adviser specifically for me, who was born on the Year of the Tiger. She says it can be very powerful in my hands. I actually felt a warm sort of energy when I held it for the first time.

Single Fish says it's a blue crystal, but sometimes it can appear as pink or violet depending on the environment. She goes on to say that her adviser says the next couple of years will be very productive and very lucky for those born in the Year of the Tiger. But this doesn't go without a warning. Her adviser says these years are also strongly karmic years, hence we should be very careful about the way we treat people and things.

In any case, I am deeply grateful to Single Fish for wishing me well and for always looking after my welfare. This is a wonderful gift. I will remember to heed all your instructions.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Maroe Michiko Bandalan Coloma

She is my dearest, most beloved, and only sister - the bunso in the family. And she celebrated her 16th birthday last week. This is my tribute to my one and only sister, Mikee.

She was the cutest little kid. Here she is at 3 years old when I took her with me to a class outing in Laguna. Summer of '95.


Yup, that wiry, goofy guy beside her - that's me. Wahahaha!

Fun, fun, fun!

I hope this doesn't embarass her. Hehe. That's not me, of course. One of my classmates playing daddy to Mikee. Hahaha!

At her graduation from grade school.

Now, she's all grown up and has turned into a feisty,

saucy,

intelligent,

and sensitive young woman.

But she will always be Kuya's Little Bunso. Hehe.

Here's the video from last year's celebration.



From last week's dinner and after dinner gimmick.

With Ate Elai. Go girls!

With Kuya Ian and Ate Elai.

With Ate Jay at Bar Uno.

With the hosts of Bar Uno, Twinkle, Vanessa Kirei and Hershey.

Hope you had a grand time. Happy birthday, bunso! I love you!

Balitang K: The Reunion Part 2

It was to be a bigger reunion, but at the last minute, the BK oldies suddenly could not make it so it was Millette, Eve, and myself together again at the blessing of Eve's Kybie Commercial Complex. Good thing Ruthie was there to add color to the "reunion."

Eve, Ruthie, Jeng, Ate Milette, and Lola Ems.

Had kaldereta, barbecue, an assortment of grilled fish, and noodles (from Orchids Motel) at the newly-opened Egay's Grill next door - owned by Egay, the brother of Eve.

We were tripping on food the whole day - we had chicharon, tikoy, overflowing coffee, quail eggs, nuts, and many more!

We tripped on ourselves, too! Hahaha! Hello, Kokum?

(All pictures diligently grabbed/stolen from Eve's blog.)

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Got Song, Will Run

This is it. I am declaring it. We are joining the race - the biggest race on Asian television.

Got song, will run.

Go Kokum!

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Balitang K: The Reunion Part 1

Guess who's in town?

None other than our good friend and former colleague at then the nation's #1 news magazine show, Balitang K - the ever bubbly, Millette Burgos, also known as Kutilpa of the The Missing Link and MB's House of Blues blogspots, who arrived from Singapore on Wednesday.

Had coffee with her at Megamall before I brought her to Kokum's house of song (the Stickdreams office). Here she is posing with Eve.

And with me, of course.

We had dinner after at Capisce! in Metrowalk, since we thought we all wanted some peace and quiet. But then, a group of not-so-young musicians came on stage and ruined it all. So much for peace and quiet!

Capped the night with coffee at Starbucks. Too bad I had to leave early since it was my sister's birthday. (Will post pictures of the birthday celebration soon as my sister-in-law sends them.)

Needless to say, we had fun talking and keeping abreast of each others' lives. We will see each other again today, Saturday, at the blessing of Eve's commercial complex. Then later, we're heading out to meet some of our other former colleagues in Balitang K.

To Tiya Millette, it was great to see you again. Hope you had fun with us, and of course, with your dear old Popoy, hubby, Raymond. Hehe.

See you in Singapore in March!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Over the Rainbow

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true

Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?

Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Kokum Samplers

Okay, don't panic. This isn't it yet. I was sort of acquainting myself with the new Adobe Photoshop CS3 when I was struck with inspiration to design Kokum's album cover.

For those who are simply aching to hear samples of the music we've been doing, these are for you. These are super rough cuts - i.e. recorded very crudely.

Please don't mind the not-so-good-but-not-so-terrible-either playing and singing. Cool?



Peter and the Children of Kokum

When I was a kid, my grandmother brought home a chicken for me to take care of. I named him Peter, and I fed him and gave him water everyday.

When Peter got a little bigger, my grandmother had him cooked for dinner.

It broke my heart, of course. But I learned soon after not to get too attached to poultry and other livestock, much less name them.

But when Eve started calling her guitar, Kiko, I thought, "Hey, what the heck. They won't grow up so we could serve them as entrees later anyways." So we started giving names to all our babies.

First, there was Deej, the digital drums and the eldest among the children. Eve acquired him from Yamaha (not a friend as I previously published) a few months back and he has hung around the office since.

Then came Kiko Takamine, Eve's guitar and now her constant companion.

Then came Kyle Jr., the djembe I got as a gift from Eve. Kyle Jr. is my first ever percussion instrument and I will forever hold him close to my heart.

Then I remembered I had a keyboard hidden somewhere in the house, and so Keboy was born. Keboy is now my most favorite collaborator in music writing, next to Eve, of course.

And my most recent acquisition, Kokoy, the k-hon which I acquired with the help of my friend, Richard, who owns a music store in Manila.

Oh, and let me show you my eggs. They're round and shiny and they make tiny, raspy, shaker sounds.

I get to bring home Little Kumpradia and Eve gets Little Konrad.

Aren't they lovely? Thank God none of them are for cooking. They just inspire and encourage us to keep making good music, and for that alone, we love them. Big kiss to each one of them.

(And big kiss to you, Peter, wherever you are.)

Oh, and while I was at the shop, I took the opportunity to buy my sister, Mikee, a new guitar. Here she is playing her current favorite, Bubbly by Colbie Caillat.

Resurrection

After weeks of separation, my laptop and I are now happily reunited. It crashed around December so I sent it to e-Base (which has the nicest and most technically adept staff) and they replaced the damaged 120gb hard drive with a more spacious 160gb disk.

Also added 1gHz of RAM, so my formerly Jurassic laptop now runs much faster.

I lost many files - around 50gb worth, mostly movies downloaded from Limewire and converted from DVDs - but that's easily remedied. What's more important is that it's now back in action and I can go back to my normal life.

Maybe I will even get to post the long overdue pictures of Singapore and the two Bohol trips from last year, plus Christmas and New Year and our new house in Bulacan.

Ugh! Finally.
Related Posts with Thumbnails

The Chronicler's Creed

Where there's water and sun, where there are friends to see or new people to meet, where there's something new to learn, experience, or do, where there's life, there I will be.

LA POESÍA

Y fue a esa edad... Llegó la poesía
a buscarme. No sé, no sé de dónde
salió, de invierno o río.
No sé cómo ni cuándo,
no, no eran voces, no eran
palabras, ni silencio,
pero desde una calle me llamaba,
desde las ramas de la noche,
de pronto entre los otros,
entre fuegos violentos
o regresando solo,
allí estaba sin rostro
y me tocaba.

And it was at that age... Poetry arrived
in search of me. I do not know, I do not know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I do not know how or when,
no, they were not voices, they were not
words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

- An excerpt from LA POESÍA (Poetry) by Pablo Neruda