Like any other band who went on to have successful careers, the trio of Ferry Baltazar, Jeff Bauin and Mark Estrella who make up Roots of Nature, started as a regular group that aspired to make it in the major music league and get recognized.
Six years ago, after that fateful maiden gig in a remote event in Bulacan, the trio made its mark to the public. Then only a college band, the group made known its powerful and unique acoustic sound, upstaging more established, electronically plugged counterparts. The members introduced what was to be known as “roots” raw rock.
It was Ferry, the band’s lead guitarist and vocals, who gave the label to his group’s kind of music, based on the percussive guitar playing style he adopted. “The approach is the darkness between helplessly detuned ethnic rifts, (George) Harrison’s mystic arpeggios and haunting new metal power bass lines of Guster, Days of the New and Sepultura,” Ferry explains.
The said gig in Bulacan was followed by more performances, this time in watering holes frequented by music buffs and rock fanatics. With its edgy music, the trio became a familiar fixture in Manila’s top entertainment venues.
Going against the mushy trend of pop cover acts, Ferry, Jeff and Mark subsequently brandished their unique group with the name Roots of Nature — “a fitting name for the ethereal dark mix of nature’s fearsome elements, wind, fire and earth, personified by our music,” Ferry maintains.
In no time, Roots of Nature has drawn a loyal following to its regular gigs. What used to be a mere buzz around the music industry turned out to be a promising act that can draw attention and attract a good crowd. In one performance at Club Dredd, the mecca of Pinoy rock, Roots of Nature met head-on with Robert Javier of The Youth. That apparently sealed the future in the local music scene for Roots of Nature.
It has taken Roots of Nature six years to clinch an album deal. Yet, when the recording break came and it signed up with SonyBMG Music, the trio cannot be thankful enough. This month, Roots of Nature’s self-titled album will be available in record stores nationwide. The CD contains 15 tracks, majority of which are written by the members of the band. The songs are described as “raw, intuitive, acoustic, yet hard, edgy and unforgiving.”
The trio also recorded a music video for the single, Lipad, culled from the album. This early, Lipad is being touted to become a most requested tune because of its catchy and positive lyrics. The music video is expected to be a much sought-after fare in music channels.
SonyBMG Music executive Mario Joson is proud to welcome Roots of Nature to the recording label’s stable of artists. “We are pleased to be part of this group’s debut album” Mario says. “It’s always an honor for us to give the much-needed break to promising artists like Roots of Nature. We believe in the group’s music and we know they deserve its own album.”
Roots of Nature will be seen in a series of mall tours with Itchyworms as the latter also promotes its new album. Schedule of performance dates are on Oct. 11 at SM Dasmariñas; Oct. 12, SM Pampanga; and Oct. 19, SM Lipa. All shows start at 4 p.m.