Monday, August 2, 2010

Music for my soul

The conditions were again too difficult for my little camera, but I'm posting this photo anyway because I want you all to meet one of my favorite local bands: Kalayo. The genre that their music falls under is World Music but before the term was coined, I'd known it as Neo-Ethnic: Filipino tribal melodies, primal beats, strong percussion and chanting, using both traditional and modern instruments or even, like the djembe, instruments from other cultures. Kalayo is Sammy Asuncion (guitar), Kenway Barcelona (bass, who alternates for Louie Talan), Reli de Vera (drum set), DJ Rodriguez (snare, djembe), Budeths Casinto (djembe, shakers and other percussion instruments) and Boy Garovillo (djembe, kubing or jaw harp, shaker).

Kalayo band performing at 70s Bistro


Until late 2008, when the membership went through a major change, the band was known as Pinikpikan and the song below (no video except a still image of the CD cover) is the title song from their Kaamulan album.