Free Download: SinSSS (2011 compilation)

DIY recording has come a long way. Endless debates have sprung, and the pros and the cons all hold legit points. 

Yet, in the spirit of maverick creativity, SSS has gathered enough steam to roll along the second compilation of Negrense - rooted artists and leaves behind the board room discussions to the academe and the music reps. 

Here are some of the sweetest works from Sugar Island's crop of glucose and sucrose, blended into a concoction by SSS head honcho Bong Tan (of FS&C) that's sure to shoot up your sugar levels. Punk, metal, rock, electronica, industrial, reggae, ska, jazz, hardcore, etc. all flattened into one digital piaya - is an outing that definitely blows away the GNP, the demographics, the productivity index, and yes -  the endless reenactments of mass revolutions all over.


A full length review is also coming up, and those who have a thing for reading may wait for a while. 


For a detailed list of artists and other releases from SSS, click here. 

To download for FREE, click here

Cheers!



 

Blogger's note: Two of my tracks (my solo works outside the Nancy Brew) are included in the compilation. One Alien's Sojourn, a smooth jazz track is taken from the album INNER CATHEDRALS by Tiano, soon to be released under SSS. The Deadworks is a bonus track released by THE MINISTRY OF TRUTH from the album Wiretapped, my electronica/ambient project.

Its not everyday, folks!

Photo courtesy of Jojo Montinola

Its not everyday that you get to play with a senyor. 

I've played with church mates,  bandmates, backing tracks, friends, enemies, with my mom -  I even play with my dogs and my toys.

But a senyor? Not everyday, man. 

And - beat this - a very warm, friendly, talking and perfectly unpretentious senyor?  That is absolutely priceless. The amazing Tots Tolentino on tenor saxophone, 2011 'International' Bacolod Jazzfestival, February 19, 2011.

More Ukaying-dat-Baul Month

Commissioner Cesar D. Buenaflor of the Civil Service Commission has retired from active public service this February, 2011. As a part of the CSCRO 6 family, where he served as Director IV for a time, a tribute was held and I was commissioned by the commission to draw a caricature for the commissioner. That makes this commission of the commissioner...never mind.

Anyhew, its watercolor on paper - a way of saying thanks to this lawyer of fatherly character who greatly inspires and influences in principle and thought.

Go Ahead, Indulge 2: Edgar Winter's Frankenstein, 1973

1973.

There was no autotune. No MIDI. No Whammy Pedals. No MTV. No talent searches.

There was music. 

Before this is dismissed as an excessive, self gratifying, sick act, I'd say - try to learn the ARP, the alto, percussion, and other instruments excellently. Then write and arrange a song that would  highlight your playing in 9 minutes or so. Be a child prodigy. Come up with more than 20 albums.

Only a few are enclosed in this elusive circle - Prince, Paul MCartney, Stevie Wonder, Arturo Sandoval - to name some.  

For all things Edgar:
http://www.edgarwinter.com/bio.php

Earth Cries, Heaven Smiles

Well, well-barely a week to go and still preparing for the evening that is, the 2nd Bacolod Jazz Festival at the L'Fisher Chalet, Roofdeck. It seems so fast - we played the first event a year ago, and here comes the second one.  It is such an honor to be included in the bill, and I still have to convince myself at times that the very guys I raise my props to will be sharing the same stage : Boy Katindig, Tots Tolentino, among others, were staples in my old cassettes (TDK C90s, Sonys, anybody?) captured from now defunct stations Magic 103 (Rocky G., the late Henry Villalva, etc.), RJ 99.9, KY 99 - providing soundtracks to my imaginary landscapes when I was growing up. Seemingly, its one part nostalgia, one part passion. It is always a joy to share and communicate the gift of music, yet a part of me secretly rejoices in a Bacolod city past, when I listened and simply wondered what a fuzztone was, who were Juan de la Cruz, and what was it that drew me to the cool intro to a wordless song on radio (which turned out to be Sun Goddess, actually). I would ask my late father on titles and whatnot, and he would just dismiss my annoyance.

Now - I'll be playing with the legit guys. I wish, in the flesh, my dad was still here to see it.  In spirit, in his guitar, I know he'll be watching. Surely, from where he is now, the music's much better, purer, more powerful.  But then - he only had one son. He'll be smiling.

Go Ahead, Indulge!

 

For the next trick, I'll swallow the pick (Photo courtesy of Nhel)

Though a bit of a beast to tame, after some tweaks, the Roland Juno-G was a user friendly box after all . The Rhodes and warm pad patches were great and thick, and that trusty Korg Trinity really kicks for live and on the fly applications - B3s, orchestra, bells, vibes.

Blogs sure takes some of the guilt off self indulgence. Ha!

That Blow

Actual size of this work is really small, about 5" x 8" in size from a scrap of paper.  I was doing a portrait on pastel and simultaneously, playing around that little scrap tacked on the wall.


I ended up finishing two works. Not bad.


Another one tucked in my digi-baul for a while.

Hukay-Dat-Baul-Month

I never thought that one day, a 'baul' would be synonymous with the word 'hard drive'. 

February seemed a beautiful month to check out hard drives and old files, and here's what I found:

A treasure I have always loved, its a pencil sketch i did in '97 (?) during my advertising days at Tronco Advertising. 

Everybody talks about attaining balance, but it seems the subject truly lives that perspective, eh?

More hukay later.
 

That 100% Pure Negrense Blend

 

 Care for a cup?

Butch Inson (bass), Bito Tiano (sax, guitars), Jico Monte (keyboards), Ronald Amoroso (drums)