Sweet vindication for The Company

It took The CompanY, the Philippine’s premiere vocal group, 17 years to mount their first big venue solo concert. It was worth the long wait for this sextet who always seemed to be underrated and under appreciated by many.

The CompanY at the CCP held last June 25 was the ultimate affirmation and vindication for these versatile singers. When your audience takes the effort to dress up, buy a ticket, brave the traffic and travel all the way to the Cultural Center, fill up the main theater from the orchestra seats to the seats of Balcony 2, then bestows on you a jubilant and decisive standing ovation and finally asks for two encores – what kind of an affirmation could a concert artist still ask for?

The CompanY at the CCP was a concert in two acts. Act 1 was called entitled Back to Roots a combination of classical, jazz and the hits.

The trademark H.R. Ocampo red curtain went up to expose an elegant stage with a jazz trio led by musical director, Beth Martin. The CompanY made their entrance dressed to the nines. For the girls, it was an elegant haute couture from Mix Boutique. For the boys, black and white tuxedoes with tails. The CompanY started with J.S. Bach’s Fugue in C Minor but done ala vocal jazz scats with a jazz swing beat. Then they segued to Bach’s Fugue in G Minor performed in vaudevillian style complete with plastic bayongs filled with numerous props.

After that gimmicky production number, it was back to the very fast Fugue in D Major, again by J.S. Bach. The CompanY performed the number with accuracy despite the fact that the number is technically difficult to sing and hard to memorize.

A solo by soprano Sweet Plantado followed. Sweet performed the Laughing Song, an excerpt from the Johann Strauss opera Die Fledermaus (The Bat). Andre Castillo, the group’s tenor, together with alto Cecile Bautista, joined Beth Martin in a piano trio. Andre dedicated the jazzy instrumental number entitled Flat Baroque to those "creepy and freeky little elves that would loiter the pages of Aaron Thompson’s Book 1 for beginners. Flat Baroque was originally performed and written by Richard Carpenter of the brother-sister tandem The Carpenters.

Tie A Yellow Ribbon Operetta written by Ryan Cayabyab and Tats Rejante-Manahan performed with de rigeur accoutrements was definitely one of the highlights of the evening. After all the gimmickry, The CompanY sang medleys of their original hits. Their first medley consisted of songs taken from their latest album, Storybook which they followed with a medley of their past hit songs which included Pakisabi na Lang, Sana Ikaw na Nga, Now That I Have You, Muntik na Kitang Minahal and Everlasting Love.

The CompanY also performed a medley of APO songs done in mainstream jazz style.

For Act 2, the stage was transformed into an international airport transit lounge complete with moving conveyor belt, crates, hard sheel steam tanks numerous pieces of luggage, contemporary Scandinavian furniture courtesy of Bo concept, and a faux liquid Crystal Display showing the schedule of flights.

Act 2 was titled A Cappella Transit Lounge. Members of The CompanY reappeared onstage playing specific characters. It looked like a scene from those Agatha Christie mystery novels. Annie Quintos played a nun with repressed disco diva aspirations. Andre Castillo played a corporate executive, Sweet Plantado played a backpacker who loves anything Latin. Cecile Bautista played a grand dame contessa with a proclivity for earrings that look like chandeliers. Reuben Laurente played the inimitable Pinoy OCW with gold necklaces from Saudi and Moy Ortiz played a punk rocker from Romblon.

Songs from Act 2 included Rhythm of Life from the musical Sweet Charity, Gusto Ko Ng A Cappella from their new album Storybook, Dancing Queen, Da Coconut Nut, Yoyoy Villame medley, La Vida Loca, Tsismis, Rock Lobster, Worst That Could Happen, Sweet Dreams, Mission Impossible Theme and We’ll Meet Again.

The CompanY got a standing ovation with the entire main Theater of the CCP rising up in approval.

For their encore, the singers African belted the song, Jambalaya. Their second encore was the interactive/sing along number Can’t Get You Out of My Head, Kylie Minogue’s global dance hit.

To the CompanY, BRAVO!