Life despite bossa nova

Is there still room for M.Y.M.P.’s tender musings now that Pinoy music buyers have shifted their interest to the Latin rhythm of the bossa nova? This question cropped up when M.Y.M.P. or Make Your Momma Proud released a new album last December. Composed of Juris Fernandez and Chin Alcantara, M.Y.M.P. propelled itself to stardom on the strength of acoustic pop recordings. Thanks to the sweet voice of Juris and Chin’s guitar, every single they released these past few years became a hit. But times have changed and there is new music in the air lanes.

Bossa nova sounds are now the rage and nearly all bossa nova albums in stores — both the good and the bad — are selling very well. So what will happen now to M.Y.M.P.? We got the answer recently. Thank heavens, it looks like there is still life for Juris and Chin in the midst of this unforeseen Latin phenomenon. This is because M.Y.M.P.’s latest album, New Horizon, has reached gold record status and continues to sell.

If I remember right, this is M.Y.M.P.’s first studio album in almost three years. Before this, there was the seven times platinum-selling Versions & Beyond. The last M.Y.M.P. album released though was M.Y.M.P. Juris & Chin Live Especially for You at the Music Museum. This was a two-disc video and audio package with live recorded tracks from the group’s successful first solo concert. There were early hits like Talaga Naman and Especially for You and newer materials like I’ll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me and Juris’ show-stopping rendition of Nakapagtataka. Good work.

After listening to New Horizon, I am happy to note that in spite comprising one of the most popular duos in the history of local pop music, Juris and Chin are not sitting on their laurels. New Horizon pretty much sticks to the group’s tested formula of light pop acoustic music with a few new original compositions and lots of covers. But they have also introduced interesting developments, which I believe assures them of staying on top in spite of the bossa nova or other music trends.

New Horizon offers more than Juris’ sweet vocals and Chin’s guitar-playing. It presents Juris the songwriter armed with four of her works. These are the first single release With You, Sa ‘Yo Lamang, So Perfect and Forever and a Day. The latter has music by Chin, who does more vocals in this album than before. He solos in the Police’s Every Breath You Take and duets with Juris in Starship’s Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.

This is also the first time M.Y.M.P. recorded with a band. Chin remains the arranger but there is now a band made up of John Angeles on drums and percussion; Oja Ramirez on keyboards and Emil Rivas on bass. The use of a band is probably an indication that M.Y.M.P. is gearing for heavier sounds or at the very least something somewhat different. Maybe the lively Forever and a Day, which reminds me of ‘70s muzak is probably a step into whatever new directions M.Y.M.P. may decide to take someday.

Come to think of it, M.Y.M.P. music has a lot of similarity with the local version of the bossa. Just perk up the percussion and they will be almost the same. So I will not be surprised if I hear Juris singing A Certain Sadness one of these days. And she will sound better than other girl bossa singers we have these days.

Other cuts in New Horizon are more Filipino compositions like Love Stood Still, Ang Pag-ibig Mo and Back Home plus covers of Only Reminds Me of You, You Got It All, Crazy for You and the best of the lot, Mariah Carey’s Last Chance.

Nonoy Tan’s mom passes away

Sad note: My condolence to songwriter and FILSCAP chairman Nonoy Tan on the passing of his mother Adela "Nene" Lee Tan last Saturday, March 4, after a long illness. Wake is at the Venice Chapel of the Davao Cosmo Funeral Homes in Davao. Interment will be on March 9 at the San Pedro Memorial Park.