Makadawa to redefine local musicmaking

Critical analysis of political and social issues behind a system of control, employed by those in power to exploit individuals and groups, opened up both an internal and external motivation to push for change. This call is evident in Makadawa's composition "Gasolina," which unfortunately failed to gain equal space-for a cause on social reformation-over the airwaves reportedly for its so-called militant content.

"Kapila nisaka presyo sa gasolina, karong tuiga...harianong katilingban unsa inyong nadunggan? Hello Garci, hello? Bagulbol, reklamo sa mga mamumuo; kulang ang sweldo, duna pay tigpatanto/apektuhan negosyo, mokita ra'g sinsilyo...hugaw nga pamulitika..."

Davis "C.Vad" Abella (vocals), Jay Abasanta (guitars), Mark Dominic "Domzday" Laburada (bass), James "Jimvoy" Dionson (keyboard) and Leonardo "Jun Hapon" Abasanta, Jr. (drums) formed the Makadawa in the hope of offering a lineup of songs in the Bisrock genre that would go beyond the desire to sing or take a community by storm.

It is the goal of Makadawa to create songs that, amid a face of "flimflam-iness" on the surface, would go farther in reach, deeper in range, and would leave a lasting impact on listeners as these themes don the spirit of pro-activism and progressive values as in the league of Pinoy music pillars/icons "Yano" and "Asin."

Makadawa may seem to be the onomatopoeic playup of the sound in the vocalist's head. With influences enriched by the musical experimentation undertaken by Pearl Jam, Creed and Beatles, C.Vad shared that Makadawa is etymologically derived from the rollicking beat of "rakamakadawa" that just popped up in his brain while filling out rhyming, lilting verses.

He said that rakamakadawa could very well mean "rockista/rakista/rocker" (raka), "to make" (maka), and "we can't do without" (dawa). Stringed all together, it means, "this is the music we can't do without." Trimmed to Makadawa which means "this is the music that we do," the group set out to work on the incorporation of Bisdak lyrics into the foreign sounds they had laboriously collaborated on in what C.Vad would label as an uprising expressed in audio form against songs that lack social significance and thread of continuity in storylines.

"Making music is part of us, an outlet of determining whether we are in tune with our surroundings and with what we are doing. A language wherein we can all relate-whoever, whenever, whatever the condition is and how it is expressed. Makadawa is setting such state. We aim of taking everyone on a musical journey the Makadawanian way," this was the collective stand of the group.

Their brainchild which speaks of the combined artistry of various creative influences-with illustration and drumplay provided by Jun Hapon, words by "Oi" variety show director C.Vad, riffs by Jay and Domzday, and keynotes by music instructor Jimvoy-contains seven songs, and three more to go to complete this album dubbed "Make Music."

Despite raw recordings of the first seven, Makadawa has already had ears tuned in to "Duwa-an" played over 93.1 Smash FM with requests played over "YourVoice, YourChoice Tingog Kabataan." Though written using terms with double meanings, Duwa-an actually deals on the incontrovertible use of mobile phone nowadays.

"Duwa-an lain-lain ang hitsura, kolor og porma/masulod sa bulsa/kung kini mogana/pwerting nindota/makasinggit ka ug Allelluyah...kini rang duwa-an nga dad-on sa kama/nga maoy hinungdan masakpan/kasab-an sa ginikanan.../tan-aw sa padulngan kay basin maligsan."

Meanwhile "Mangga," which is another hot item over the airwaves goes a little something like, "manggang hilaw...sa dalan dunay daghan/Baratohon ana-a sa Colon/Ang tigbaligya taxi sundon," is a look at two types of mangoes sold at the downtown area. The first one, the fruit top-produced by the province of Cebu, and the other refers to commercial workers in the flesh trade, their fly-by-night operations, including their collaboration with cabbies that herd in the prospective customers.

Other tracks of "Make Music" that Bisrockers would be able to stream are available at www.myspace.com/themakadawa site which would already serve as a sampler to the Makadawanian frame of mind.

Makadawa will be one of the guests for the A. Salonga School of Music "Kids Band Exposure" this Sunday, June 11 at 4pm at the SM City Cebu Atrium. This Saturday, July 10, the boys will front act for Mantequilla, which will be having a launching of its Mantequilla album at Handuraw Events Café, at around 9pm. And on June 17, they will be at the rooftop of Halo-Halo in Tabunok, Talisay at 4pm for another gig.

This afternoon, catch Makadawa in a live interview over 909 dyLA 3pm-4pm via the showbiz program "OkRyan." For more information, email [email protected]. Add and check [email protected]