Jeffrey back in the recording scene

It would have surprised no one if Jeffrey Hidalgo had never gone back to his singing career. While it is true that he started out as a kid singing with Smokey Mountain, that stint now seems so long ago. In fact, the group is no more and all of the members have been on their own for some years now.

They all tried their hands as solo artists after Smokey Mountain went kaput. However, among the originals of which Jeffrey was one, we only hear often from Geneva Cruz, who seems to have remained most active as a singer. I do not know though what has happened to Tony Lambino or to James Coronel. As for the third boy, Jeffrey, it seemed as though he has passed on the reigns of the singing career to his sister Arnee in order to concentrate on being an actor.

Aside from occasional stints with comediennes like Giselle Sanchez or Tuesday Vargas, the news we had been getting about Jeffrey centered on his role as co-star to Ara Mina or Aubrey Miles in Singles or opposite Judy Ann Santos in Sabel. When not doing love scenes on screen, he is cavorting on stage in a sexy revue with bold actors Christian Vasquez and Carlo Maceda. On TV he is a regular of Team Explorer. Take note that all of these assignments, whether in the movies or TV, give him ample opportunity to display his grown-up and buffed physical attributes. Given these, it made no sense to believe that Jeffrey still sees himself as a singer.

Well, he does. It recently turned out that while busy working as an actor and TV host these past three years, Jeffrey was working on his fifth solo album Jeffrey .05 which has now been released. Why did it take him so long to finish the album? He is now not only the singer, he is also the producer and composer of most of the songs. Friends like Gino Torres, Cholo Escano, Jay Marquez, Brian Cua, Jay Durias, Arnie Mendaros, Girl Valencia and Noel Mendez helped out but the concept and the contents of the whole package are Jeffrey’s.

Although the line-up is made up of ballads, there is nothing in the album that recalls Can This Be Love, his big seller with Smokey Mountain. Jeffrey instead experiments with bits and pieces of rock or R&B. There are two carrier singles, Kung Alam Ko Lang, a remake of a hit originally popularized by Richard Reynoso and I Gave You Everything, Jeffrey’s collaboration with Cholo, which was produced by Jay Durias. Videos for both songs were shot by Jeffrey’s friends at Team Explorer.

The other songs included are Someone Out There, One Night Stand, Mamahaling Muli, Waiting, Dito and Kung Ako ay Iwan Mo. For those who like to sing, Jeffrey has thoughtfully included the music minus ones of Kung Alam Ko Lang, which has already invaded the videoke joints and I Gave You Everything.

Top Of The Week

From MYX comes the original Pilipino music countdown of the top videos for the week March 14 to 20: KLSP by Sponge Cola; Love Moves in Mysterious Ways by Nina; Too Crazy by South Border; Each Day with You by Nyoy Volante & Mannos; Bulong by Kitchie Nadal; Hello by Ogie Alcasid; Someone to Love by Kyla; You’ll be Safe Here by Rivermaya; Kung Akin ang Mundo by Erik Santos; and Lumingon Ka Lang by Sarah Geronimo.

On radio the airplay topnotchers by Filipino artists are You’ll be Safe Here by Rivermaya; Let the Love Begin by Jerome John Hughes and Kyla; Wag Na Wag Mong Sasabihin by Kitchie Nadal; Hari ng Sablay by Sugarfree; Love Moves in Mysterious Ways by Nina; Now That You’re Gone by Ella May Saison; Pag-ibig Ko’y Pansinin by Faith Cuneta; If the Feeling is Gone by Kyla; How Could You Say You Love Me by Sarah Geronimo; Shine by Regine Velasquez; and Suntok Sa Buwan by Session Road.

Here is a good piece of news for the barely surviving record industry. Take note that while Pinoys still keep abreast with music trends from abroad, local products have been dominating radio and television airplay these past few months. Let us hope this trend continues.