Christian goes to the movies

Films do not come in reels encased in tin cans anymore. They have gone digital and can be beamed from anywhere to a monitor. Singing champion Christian Bautista though, chose to evoke the old time era in his latest album Soundtrack. The album is made up of memorable movie themes from the past and the disc comes in a small replica of the reel can. Cute, sweet, old-fashioned, just the mood Christian has chosen to go for in the album.

Soundtrack is Christian’s first album release in two years. His last was First Class, which blended his early original hits with new materials. It was also his first time to experiment with dance, a bit of hip-hop and other pop rhythms. There is not much experimenting in Soundtrack where Christian returned to his balladeer mode. But the movie collection is also a milestone as the first album he co-produced. Sharing the credit is veteran producer and ex-Neocolors Ito Rapadas. 

The production chore is the latest addition to Christian’s multi-faceted career and a sign that he is taking a more direct hand in his future endeavors. The past 12 years have seen his rise as a recording star, concert artist, television, motion pictures and theater actor. He has acquired a sizable fan following hereabouts and in other Asian countries. It is now the right time for him to exercise control over his music as producer. It would be interesting to find out how he wields this new power with original materials and arrangements. That will come in the future. For now, we can enjoy his Soundtrack.

Christian’s new matured image and romantic soul is at the forefront of Soundtrack. Not only are the songs he chose popular, these also came from some of the most romantic box-office hits of all time. Like the most obvious choice, The Way We Were. The Marvin Hamlish composition was recorded by Barbra Streisand for the unforgettable movie of the same title that she starred in with Robert Redford back in the ’70s. For his version, Christian chose to make it a duet. And the obvious romantic choice as a singing partner is no other but his ex-girlfriend, who is now making waves in Miss Saigon in London, Rachelle Ann Go. The result is certainly the most heartbreaking cut in the album.

The track I like the most though and which I think best suits Christian is the promise of undying love that is A Thousand Years. It is a light pop tune but with an air of mystery and is just right for his soft tenor. The song was used in The Twilight Saga movie, Breaking Dawn Part 1. Those Twilight flicks made great use of music and had superb soundtracks and A Thousand Years was one of the best songs. It was originally recorded by Christina Perri and is not only a big hit. It has also become a huge favorite at weddings.

Take a look at what else is included in the album: Come What May, performed by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor from the soundtrack of Moulin Rouge, a duet with Nikki Gil; How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees from Saturday Night Fever; When You Say Nothing At All from Notting Hill; After All from Chances Are, a duet with Karylle; Cruisin’ originally by Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow for the movie Duets, also a duet with Julie Anne San Jose.

Way Back Into Love from Music and Lyrics; Love Is All Around Us by Wet Wet Wet from Four Weddings And A Funeral; Kiss From A Rose by Seal from Batman Forever and Unchained Melody from Ghost which Christian also performed in the local staging of the musical version of the movie. Seasons of Love, the theme from the series of the same title is included as a bonus track.

Said to be Christian’s favorite because of its positive message and now the album’s first single release is Up Where We Belong, the Academy Award-winning theme from An Officer And A Gentleman. Christian’s version is now the theme song of the Korean soap series on GMA 7’s Empress Ki.

Basil continues mall tour

After successful appearances at Abreeza in Davao and at the Ayala Fairview Terraces in Quezon City, singing icon Basil Valdez has confirmed more dates for his mall tour to promote his latest album, First Christmas, his very first Christmas album after nearly 40 years in the music business.

Fans can catch Basil perform songs from the album with the Ateneo Chamber Singers at Harbor Point, Subic, Dec. 6; the Ayala Center in Cebu, Dec. 12; the Ayala Centrio in Cagayan de Oro, Dec. 14; and at the Marquee Mall in Pampanga, Dec. 27.

First Christmas is made up of traditional Christmas songs the world has come to love these past many years like O Holy Night, Silent Night, What Child Is This?, O Come All Ye Faithful, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and others.