Rock 'N' Roll with The Bloom Brothers

CEBU, Philippines - Oldies and youngsters alike were transported to the good old days of the 60’s in a nostalgic musical show in celebration of last Sunday’s Grandparents Day at the SM City Cebu Northwing Atrium.

The five-man electric band called The Bloom Brothers played Beatles and Beach Boys classics as well as other well-loved tunes of the Woodstock and flower power era, to the delight of mall-goers, some of whom couldn’t help but get up and dance along to the soundtrack of their youth.

Even those who weren’t around yet during the Beatles heyday were fascinated by the group’s music because as the band’s leader and spokesperson Jayjay Lozano rightly said, “Anyone who appreciates good music can appreciate us.”

If their band name rings familiar, that’s because Jayjay and his elder brother Pepe are actually ex-members of a retro band called The Bloomfields. Jayjay was responsible for forming the said band and became its creative force, writing and arranging original tunes to complement cover songs for their live gigs. They even went on to release two albums under EMI Philippines (now PolyEast Records) and were behind the radio hits “Ale” and “Wala Nang Iba.”

December of last year, Jayjay and Pepe tendered their resignation from the band after seven years of playing together. “Creative differences,” Jayjay admitted over dinner at Gerry’s Grill at the Northwing after their show, when asked what caused the decision to split from the band he himself founded.

“Ang gusto ko talagang direction was for us to sing songs that would feature our vocal harmonies and blending,” he shared. He wanted to cover songs from older eras as he’s really passionate with standards from the 40’s and 50’s.

But his bandmates had a different thing in mind, preferring their normal repertoire, with occasional rock n’ roll tunes. The rest of the The Bloomfields wanted to sing more fast songs, which didn’t jibe with Jayjay’s original vision of showcasing their vocal harmony.

To help him fulfill his musical and creative vision, he and Pepe (both guitars) recruited their younger brother JC (the keyboardist and appointed heartthrob of the quintet) and two of their friends Enrico Parulan (bass) and Sandy Baliong (drums) to form a new group. They called themselves The Bloom Brothers.

“When I was young, I was already listening to the Beach Boys. Eventually, my passion for that kind of music became more serious. It also helps that our parents support us,” said the 25-year-old Jayjay, who aside from his band duties is also busy completing a Mass Media degree.

Apart from the Beatles and the Beach Boys, the band considers the Happenings, Spanky and Our Gang, the Four Freshmen, and Steely Dan among their influences.

“How does our band differ from the previous band I was in? I could say we are able to sing more complicated arrangements,” Jayjay said confidently. The five of them take turns with vocals.

Although they were officially formed just January of this year and are still shopping for a record label, The Bloom Brothers are already very much active in the live circuit such as in the recent Beatlefest concert and the upcoming Oktoberfest in Manila. They would be happy to perform again in Cebu, noting how appreciative the audience was that Sunday night.  (THE FREEMAN)