"I’m just so glad to be back," she exclaims, while we feast on pancit malabon and tokwa’t-baboy, courtesy of our dear common friend Bobing Garcia who offered her home as the venue for this interview.
It has been more than four years since Jo decided to try it out on the other side of the globe, where hard work is almost always synonymous with prosperity and determination almost always leads to a comfortable existence.
"I guess everything happens for a reason," she intones, adding, "the timing, the opportunities back then in the West Coast, and the demand for more Filipino artists to entertain the growing number of Filipino migrants and communities were among the main reasons why I decided to find my little corner in the States."
Jo, with stand-up comics cum singers Bernardo Bernardo and Leonard Obal, were supposed to just perform for a series of shows at the then newly-inaugurated California branch of Andrew de Real’s The Library but fate would have it that more would pour in and Jo’s decision to stay longer was sealed.
But unlike many other sob stories we often hear from those who tried their luck in totally new surroundings, Jo’s journey was relatively smooth-sailing. "There was a lot of support from total strangers who wanted to help, not only because they enjoyed my performance but because they were sincere in helping me find more work and making my stay comfortable, happy and legal," she explains.
Take for example Ric Lamela, a Cebuano like Jo, who opened his home in Vallejo so she and her long-time companion cum business partner Lailani Navarro could stay and pursue their American dream together. Others who considered Jo like family are Zeny Lagrizola, Andy and Thea Sacdalan and Rose de Leon. Even the Planning Commissioner of Northern California Ray Satorre became a friend and made sure Jo’s stay was lovely and legal.
Jo and Lailani then connected with Filipino artists like Miriam Pantig, Lerma de la Cruz who are all based in California and started producing shows targeting Filipino communities. "We do everything, designing posters and fliers, marketing, production work, and on the big night, perform and sing on stage," she shares.
During a trip to San Francisco two years ago, I even saw a photo of Jo wearing a gown featured in a Filipino newspaper. I have to admit it shocked me for a few seconds, so this was the best opportunity to ask how were they able to convince her to wear a gown.
Trying to control her laughter, Jo tells me it was part of a cabaret act, so she had no choice. "Trabaho lang, walang personalan!," she exclaims. Which brings to mind one of her last unforgettable acts before she flew to San Francisco in 2002. Jo had a riotous duet with Nora Aunor in a show which had both of them garbed in extremely-butch leather outfits while dashing out – hold your breath – a Hagibis medley!
It’s been a long but wonderful journey for Jo, starting from her humble beginnings in Mambaling, Cebu where her mom first saw her promise as a gifted vocal artist and performer. "I like the singing part and the prizes I’d take home in the hundreds of amateur singing contests she’d make me join, but I have to admit that I cringed everytime nanay would put on my make-up," she shares.
Last July 15 at the Funnside Bar in Timog, Lovely Rivero kept a promise she made to Jo that she would produce Jo’s first concert as balikbayan. Billed Get here... I’m Back, the show was very personal and Jo sang all her favorite songs including some numbers she resurrected from her 1992 CD, Songs I Love to Sing.
Jo’s intimate homecoming show will have a repeat at the Mugen Bar in Metrowalk tomorrow, July 29.