Janno does Sinatra, Presley

No doubt that Janno Gibbs is one of the best singers of this generation. And he also happens to be the most underrated.

Janno’s musical range is consistently resonant, his voice almost vehemently valuable. But why is his star less radiant than those of his colleagues? The answer to this question has remained vague for a long time now.

So-called showbiz experts have noted that Janno’s charm can be selective and his musicality a little too high for the common man to discern. Others say that he is more an artist than a performer so he shouldn’t be really bothered with levels and titles and box office drawing capabilities.

In a recent talk, Janno said his art is his passion, and he feels good that he can direct his own course to search for happiness and fulfillment.

"Being a celebrity is a job. Being a singer is an outlet for my personal artistry. Maybe that’s why I am very particular about the songs which I sing in front of my audience because these always reflect, in a way, a part of who I really am," he said. In the same manner that we do not like people putting up a front, Janno also feels strongly about being "artistically sincere."

Contrary to what many people think, Janno is not the ultra-serious type of a man. There’s something uniquely beguiling about him, though not everyone notices. If you are a very keen observer, or if you get that rare privilege to spend a lot of time with Janno, you will see this in his manners, hear it in his voice, sense it when you scan his not-for-public-consumption-photographs, and feel it when you watch him up close. It’s an invigorating tranquillity that can be truly affecting.

He’s not only musically talented and an eloquent funny man (just check out how he cracks everyone up in Eat, Bulaga!, Nuts Entertainment and SOP) but he can also be deep, which is a good place to draw all those emotions needed for a good performance on the concert stage. He’s also sure of what he wants and what he cannot have and be, meaning he knows when to explore, when to give in and when not to compromise and crossover to mediocrity.

"Usually, I don't say yes to a project if I am not convinced that I can do it," he admits, showing a lot of graceful courage in that statement. This is the reason why I think Janno is secure about himself, and confident about what he can and cannot offer to the entertainment industry, which is, for me, rare in this business, where most people will do anything either for art’s sake or for the money.

Janno admits, though, that there are times when he can be volatile, and occasionally, very vulnerable, especially when he is caught in between his responsibilities as a family man and his showbiz chores, like that infamous "incident" not too long ago in his Sunday noontime variety show involving his wife and his co-hosts. But the visceral singer-actor-comedian has, through the years, learned to look at love, career and life from a much wider perspective.

These lessons will be put to good use come Valentine’s Day when Janno Gibbs slugs it out with the rest of the country’s singing stars for a share of the usually generous Valentine audience. He stars in a special solo-dinner-show at the Manila Hotel billed as All the Way tomorrow night, Feb. 14, produced by former actress Daisy Romualdez, with Jaya, Kyla, Radha, Dale Adriatico and the inimitable Elizabeth Ramsey as Janno’s guests.

"I’m really excited for this one," says a much-relaxed Janno "now that preparations for a grand concept-driven show are laid down and polished. I’ll be doing my favorite standards and medleys of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley timeless songs. Not to mention the wonderful production numbers I have with my special guests."

Janno Gibbs doesn’t mind being tagged "underrated" nor does he care if he’s the underdog amongst the many singers who have shows to do on "love week", because he’s sure that more than knowing that his crowd will leave Manila Hotel satisfied, he will go home truly happy and fulfilled as a musical artist.