When my brother Mon and I were rehearsing our songs, he arrived and said hello. Little did I know that I had already performed with him and the rest of his That’s Entertainment groupmates. I was still in GMA Supershow then, and each of us was assigned to perform with a group from the show.
Jon said, "I performed with you at Araneta Coliseum. We did Tropical Heatwave, I even carried you in that number." Oh my, now I remembered. I was a la Marilyn Monroe. He added, "You also got a mole." We both started laughing. After rehearsing, I had to go and so I didn’t hear Jon rehearse.
That night when I finally did, I was so impressed. He sings well. What an awesome voice. Jon is slim, 5’10" tall. I couldn’t imagine such a powerful voice coming from that slim frame. He was of international caliber. He made me proud to be a Filipino.
Last June 30, I had the privilege to hear more of him. Kuya Germs produced another show at Club Mwah, A Night to Remember. I did not get to sing with him because my number was with my mom, but I got the chance to hear him do more than eight songs. Wow! I was in awe! What an enchanting voice! He sang some Josh Groban songs and paid tribute to Mario Lanza. Perfect 10!
And I was glad that finally, after performing in the United States and Germany, Jon was finally home, this time, to give his kababayans the pleasure of listening to his voice. I then decided I wanted to interview him and he agreed.
Jon graduated high school at San Sebastian College in 1986. He was a music scholar graduate at the Wichita State University, Kansas from 1986-1990. In 1990, he took up Intensive English at the same university. In 1999, he took up Safety Professional Training Course (aviation) United Airlines, First Aid Certified and in 2001, finished a Sales and Business Management Training Course (American Family Insurance).
That’s not all, at 19, he won first place at the All- State Music Competition. He was the representative of Wichita, Kansas. He also became a chef at the Mandarin Restaurant in Kansas. Oh yes! Aside from singing, cooking is another passion of his.
Here is how the rest of the interview went:
Jacquilou Blanco-Davao: At what age did you know you wanted to sing and that you wanted to make a career out of it?
Jon Joven: I started to sing when I was five. I knew I wanted a career out of it after winning the competitions in the US when I was 18 years old.
JBD: Did you always want to be a singer or did you have any other ambitions as a child?
JJ: I wanted to become a doctor.
JBD: You said you would vocalize submerged in water. What good does that do to your voice?
JJ: It’s more on the underwater exercises. It prolongs and exercises my breathing technique.
JBD: At what age did you start training formally?
JJ: Nineteen years old, when I was a scholar at the Wichita State University.
JBD: You sang professionally at 12. Where was this?
JJ: At Good Morning Showbiz. The morning show of Kuya Germs then.
JBD: How did you become a scholar at the Wichita State University?
JJ: After winning the All-State Competition, one of the judges happened to have a big say in who qualified for music scholarships in Kansas.
JBD: Who inspired you most there? Someone who made a difference?
JJ: My parents and getting noticed by girls!
JBD: How do you keep your voice in top shape? Do you vocalize everyday? If so, how long?
JJ: Fifteen to 20 minutes a day. Sometimes longer. It depends.
JBD: Are you strict with how many hours of sleep you should get before a performance?
JJ: Ten hours of at least sleeping or just resting my voice.
JBD: Is there anything you avoid doing or must do before a performance?
JJ: I avoid sweets, fatty food, chalky food, milk, soda, spicy food, shouting, heavy workout, etc.
JBD: You said you did jobs on the side, you helped the handicapped. How was that experience for you?
JJ: Hard, but fulfilling.
JBD: You said you got your passion for cooking from watching your Mom. Is there a favorite dish you like cooking? Is there a dish your family or friends request that you cook?
JJ: Hmmm. Most of the time, they ask me to cook anything. My old friends always request my chicken wing specialty and barbecue.
JBD: You became a chef in Kansas. You said you trained in three months. What was the name of the chef and the restaurant when you were chef already?
JJ: Mark Sun was the name of the owner and chef that trained me. Mandarin Restaurant was the name of the place.
JBD: What kind of dishes did you serve?
JJ: Mainly Chinese, some Italian, Japanese and Korean dishes.
JBD: Do you play music when you cook? If yes, what kind? Do you sing when you cook?
JJ: Brazilian music, yes, I usually sing or hum.
JBD: You had a restaurant here in Manila. What was it and what did you serve?
JJ: Louis, in Kamias, I served dishes that I originally created for Filipino taste.
JBD: Any plans of putting up another one? If so, what cuisine will you serve?
JJ: Secret, although it will be something for everyone.
JBD: You get fulfillment from singing because that’s your passion, what fulfillment do you get from cooking?
JJ: It makes me happy that I could create something that people enjoy. I like hearing, "This is so good!!!" from people who have great taste – and some are chefs, too.
JBD: How long were you in That’s Entertainment and how was the experience? How did it help you as a performer?
JJ: Two years, it was one of my most unforgettable moments, with our weekly productions dancing-singing-acting. It’s all in there!
JBD: You performed the role of Thuy for Miss Saigon in Germany. How tough was the audition and did the experience enrich you? Did it open doors for you in Germany?
JJ: Auditions are always tough. It took many practices, years to get me to that role – 1990 and 1991, 1992 New York and 1994, when I got the part. Yes it opened doors for me in Germany, but because of the US residency, it limited my ability to explore.
JBD: Is there a similarity between Thuy’s character and yours? What did you like about his character?
JJ: A very powerful character, determined to do whatever it takes in what he believes in and what should be. Especially to impress his lost love Kim.
JBD: How many Filipinos were there in the cast?
JJ: About 23 or more.
JBD: You were also the lead vocalist for Pose Band. How many were you? What kinds of songs did you sing?
JJ: Top 40, this was in Manila. We performed in Fashion Café and ZU.
JBD: After your stint at Miss Saigon, what made you decide to fly for United Airlines?
JJ: The benefits of flying and traveling all over the world was a great idea at the time, I was hired to be an international flight attendant because of my language skills. I’ve been to almost everywhere.
JBD: What made you come back here?
JJ: I want to entertain our countrymen and show what I have learned outside the Philippines.
JBD: Who were your singing idols before? Who was the one you always listened to? Now, who are your favorites?
JJ: Before, Basil Valdez then Gary V, Martin Nievera. Then Anthony Warlow (a Broadway singer), Russel Watson, Josh Groban.
JBD: You sing a lot of Josh Groban. What is it you like about his singing style?
JJ: It’s like what my listeners always say when they hear me sing. Heavenly! It’s like your singing in heaven, although I’ve never been there, but hope to be someday.
JBD: Describe your singing style.
JJ: Heart, full of it. And I hope my listeners would feel it, too.
JBD: What qualities made you succeed as a singer and performer?
JJ: I take my audience with me. When I sing, I will take you to that place wherever that maybe, even for three minutes. I will take you away from all your worries. I will try, at least.
JBD: How would you like to be remembered as far as your singing is concerned?
JJ: I want to be a theme song of someone’s life.
JBD: Was "Himala" the first musical you did when you got here a year ago? Who did the music? Who directed it? Who were your co-stars? What was the character of "Orly" like?
JJ: Yes, my first musical by Ricky Lee and Vince de Jesus, directed by Soxie Topacio. My co-stars are May Bayot, Isay Alvarez, Cynthia Guico, Miliza Reyes, Bong Embile, Nazer, Ruben Rubio. Orly was the filmmaker, an atheist, searching for that perfect story to make him popular. In the end, he had found more than what he searched for.
Recently, the Department of Tourism led by Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano brought our local entertainers to Aichi in Japan to mark Philippine National Day. Jon, along with 160 performers impressed the Japanese audience at the huge Expo Dome with song and dance numbers.
Produced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the show featured the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Tanghalang Pilipino, Ballet Philippines, Sining Kumintang ng Batangas, Yag-Yag Festival Dancers of Oriental Negros, soprano Rachel Gerodias, Streetboys and of course, tenor Jon Joven.
Jon said that while he and Rachelle were singing, the Expo Dome’s sound system conked out, but they did not allow the absence of working microphones to get in the way of their singing. They continued like real troupers.
When the sound system came back minutes before the grand finale, the audience cheered loudly.
Jon feels lucky and blessed to have been part of this event. He will also be doing Noli Me Tangere, the musicale by Ryan Cayabyab, where he will play the role of Ibarra. This will be at the Little Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines from the whole month of November to first week of December, Fridays to Sundays.
Audiences in Germany and the United States and recently Japan, have been a witness to Jon’s awesome talent. Now, his kababayans will get that chance.
Welcome back Jon! This time, sing for us. You make us proud to be Filipino!
(You may contact Jon Joven at jjoven7@yahoo.com)