MUSIC

Dance in Sweet Embrace
an unsolicited review of Joey Ayala's “Basta May Saging” music album
By Geejay Arriola / April 8, 2006

I would have titled Joey Ayala's music album collection of past works, “LamiGinaw,” because while it is merely one cut in the album “Basta May Saging,” most of the music are enveloped in cool, fresh, sweet embrace.

“LamiGinaw,” the 7 th track in this collection of Joey A.'s mostly unpopular, unfamiliar classics, is my all-time favorite. As the music fills the air, my stressed shoulders collapse in deep rest, my tired mind visualizes nothing, and my heart slowly beats in meditative journey. I wouldn't play that track while in front of my computer working. I'd be totally spaced out.

“Basta May Saging,” is the only regular pop/rock cut in the album, and has considerable commercial appeal. The bass lines define much of its upbeat wonder and the lyrics are fun and joyful to hear: “ Basta may saging loving…Kainin nang deretso / O ihalo sa pochero…Sa bulsa ay magaan / Mabigat naman sa tiyan / May busog, may lusog / Sarap ng baon ko. ”

God knows how many times I have listened to the music “Kadayawan” year after year in August in hometown Davao , that I'd practically trade my soul just to hear something different. But for some unknown reason—perhaps the pull of “Basta May Saging”—I was led straight into the Kadayawan track without my noticing it. And listen I did. Its saving grace, to me, is the lively, melodic instrumental portion—the interplay of what sounded like a kulitong , a luntang , agong , and drums, and the subsequent hegalong aria. Sadly, this is the portion often left out by local television or radio spots during the Kadayawan festival.

“Sayaw ng Reyna” is a magical weave of the melodic luntang , cymbals, and was that an agong ? The music seems to me a cross between Chinese, Indonesian, and Thai traditional music—extremely pleasant to the ears. The awesome melody forces my head up and my body to move and pose ukir -like—a graceful tableaux—as an Asian queen would.

“Tubig” is short and sweet, a blissful tribute to this wonderful nature element: Ang tubig ay buhay…/ Mahilig maglaro / Hindi mapalagay / Maririnig ang tawa / Sa ilog at balon…Hamog sa umaga / Umaakyat sa langit / At nagiging ulan… / Hulog ng langit / Kilig ng palayan / Yakap ng mundo / Yapos ng kalikasan. Aahhhh, what beautiful words set to a catchy music befitting one of the greatest wonders of the universe.

What a surprise “Little Girl” is! I am transported instantly to my early childhood days when listening to the instrumental and orchestra version of “Bless the Beasts and the Children” was daily fare.

Tender, sweet, and sad, the moonlit melody of “Three Sisters” may indeed give credence to Noel Vera's critique below of Celso Ad Castillo's film “Virgin People,” which was about the only good thing he said about the film:

“There are moments when he achieves a combination of music and imagery that's almost Biblical in intensity…. Castillo…is given enormous help by Joey Ayala's lovely, lovely music…”

On sad, beautiful, poetic nights, “Three Sisters” will draw tears of sweet pain. Yet on sunny days, the music evokes the loveliness of morning dew and yellow butterflies. Oh yes!

Another Celso Ad Castillo commissioned work, “Isla,” is another splendor of sadness: Katahimikan sa kailalimlaliman ay sisisirin / Kaunting kapayapaan / At kaligayahan ang hananapin / Ibang aplaya, ibang pasigan / Ang nais marating ni Isla, Isla. The music and the words reveal the irony of a woman's (named Isla , I presume) dream for peace amid a seemingly placid existence in an island ( isla ) of sheer beauty. Ah, in our country that is beginning to lose poetry in music, perhaps only a Joey Ayala composition can bring one to the heights of loveliness and the depths of sadness at the same time.

I am trying to imagine what “Sayaw ng Mag-asawa” would be like choreographed. The music has a funny lilt to it. So I refuse to visualize a courtship dance. Instead, I am led to a dance of gentle struggle between husband and wife on who's going to do the dishes, and who's going to cook breakfast. The music is a refreshing short break to the heavy musical arrangement that characterizes Joey's repertoire in this album.

Ok, the guitar effects in “Sayaw ng Praning” is enough to make me paranoid. I get the message. Thank heavens for the regular percussive beats in the background—they provide enough relief and routine to bring me back to precious lucidity.

It's so great to be listening once again to “Tungo sa Liwanag.” I love the guitar lead—quiet, ticklish, delightfully Asian with a quirky Jazz drift.

I hope by this time you are already tempted beyond redemption to buy Joey's “Basta May Saging.” It sells for P250.00 at Conspiracy Bar along Visayas Ave. , Quezon City . Joey also plays there Friday nights—when he's not out on bigger gigs. Otherwise, visit his website www.joeyayala.com . and contact him from there.

For my personal “review” of Joey's 16lovesongs, go to 16love.shtml or come visit http://geejay.mindanaoculture.com/write/16love.htm .

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Dance in Sweet Embrace: an unsolicited review of Joey Ayala's "Basta May Saging" music album by Geejay Arriola

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