Janno’s Viva concert now on CDs

The November date of Janno Gibbs’ concert at the Araneta Coliseum last year coincided with the 20th anniversary of the founding of Viva Films. As a result, Janno’s show also became a Viva celebration. Titled Viva’s & I, it brought Janno together with other Viva artists as guest performers and gave him the chance to perform the best of Viva music from the past two decades.

Janno, who spent a good part of the past 20 years with Viva as a star of films (Pedro Penduko, Mandurugas), television (Ober da Bakod) and records, was more than up to the additional demand.

The live recording of the concert from Viva Records is now available in music shops and if you get yourself a copy, you will surely notice that one of the best numbers is Janno’s moving medley of famous themes from Viva movies.

The songs are not typically Janno’s. They are more associated with Sharon Cuneta, Basil Valdez and Rey Valera. But the medley gave Janno a chance to show off his expressive vocals with these beautiful Tagalog classics. We have to admit that although this is something he does not get to do often, he did it very well in the concert. The medley includes Sana’y Wala ng Wakas, Maging Sino Ka Man, Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan, Sinasamba Kita, Kahit Konting Pagtingin and Bituing Walang Ningning.

As for the rest of the concert, the album ably captures the raw energy that Janno and his guests showed off at the Big Dome last year. Elevation, POP and Smooth Criminal set the pace. These are followed by All or Nothing, Love of My Life, Gone and Superman with Ogie Alcasid, I Say a Little Prayer with Pops Fernandez, Angel and It Wasn’t Me with Blakdyak, Kung Kailangan Mo Ako with Jaya, Rock Baby Rock with Andrew E., Through the Fire with Lani Misalucha, Kapantay ay Langit with Pilita Corrales and the eye-popping rendition of Lady Marmalade by Janno’s female guests Bing Loyzaga, Lani, Jaya and Pilita.

Interspersed with these showstoppers are some sentimental moments where Janno performs slow ballads like She, which he dedicated to the beautiful women of Viva and his medley of Send in the Clowns and Gone Too Soon which was in memory of departed comedians. Although he started out as a singer, Janno is better known as a comedian and he has a lot of idols among those stars.

Several portions of Viva’s & I showcased Janno’s comic talent, particularly a most hilarious one where he mimics other popular singers. These unfortunately are not in the live album. Hopefully, it made it to the VCD version. But funny or not, Janno is one of the best singers we have around. Truth to tell, I sometimes feel bad that the comedian in him takes center stage more often than the singer.

Viva’s & I is all about Janno, the singer and it is most interesting to find him so versatile doing rap, hip hop, movie theme songs and other stuff in one great show.

Acoustic Diva

Divas go acoustic in new album Music buyers have lately been showing a preference for recordings with pared-down acoustic arrangements instead of songs accompanied by loud bands, sweeping orchestras or electronic instruments. Take note of how the "quiet" songs of newcomers Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton are outselling Britney, Christina and others of the same sort. As far as local releases are concerned, the main answer to that demand from the public is Acoustic Diva, a truly enjoyable album that features old favorites performed by some of today’s biggest female singers with new entirely acoustic arrangements.

Stress – free is a description no one will be likely to use when these "divas" are working together but that is what this is. It is really calculated to put the listener in a stress-free mood. Cuts included in Acoustic Divas are Pangako by Regine Velasquez, Honesty by Jaya; Sa Kanya by Zsa Zsa Padilla; So Slow by Jinky Vidal of Freestyle; Everlasting Love by Donna Cruz; Somebody by Rachel Alejandro; The Promise by Sharon Cuneta; Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang by Pops Fernandez; Miles Away by Kuh Ledesma; Someone’s Always Saying Goodbye by Allona; Even If by Vina Morales; and Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin by Lani Misalucha.