Thursday, November 14, 2019

Greens and Produce

Produce of the earth sold at prices affordable to its simple folks

Greens nourished well by an abundant water and the bright sun

At the southern back end of an island now made accessible by concrete highways on both the east and west sides, 5 hours via Calapan or 4 hours from Abra de Ilog


San Jose in Occidental Mindoro is slowly moving up from a 1st class municipality to cityhood

Hopefully it still remains as it is for a longer time; quaint, slow-paced, laid-back

Where the indigenous minorities are free to roam around the forest and the mountains

And the farmers still have the productive rice farmlands to till not yet converted to commercial lots and subdivisions

For now










Monday, November 04, 2019

Cellist and Trumpheter

Cinema Paradiso is one of my favourite films. It is a growing up story of an Italian in Sicily who recalls his love for film, friendship and lost love as a boy scored with a melodic music.


Cellist Yo-yo Ma and trumpheter Chris Botti collaborated in  interpretating the moving piece. The live version of the two artists hits you down to the core if you quietly listen.

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When we allowed the child in us to prevail in our younger days, we certainly would have had a lot  of unique Cinema Paradiso moments.

Saturday, November 02, 2019

YouTube Musical Marathon Viewing

YouTube Marathon viewing seen in High Definition

Is saying “sorry” truly difficult to say? Anyone can say it but expressing it with sincerity is hard.

Which version of “Sorry seems the hardest word” was interpreted with sincerity dramatizing the pain of rejection?
It's sad, so sad
It's a sad, sad situation
And it's getting more and more absurd
It's sad, so sad
Why can't we talk it over
Oh it seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word

The original by Elton John https://youtu.be/c3nScN89Klo
Diana Kralls’ https://youtu.be/_hSn4-F4zjE
Group “Blue” with Elton John https://youtu.be/JCuYcCH3Yos
Clay Aiken https://youtu.be/3_hyY0CDD74
Joe Cocker https://youtu.be/axcXYkiO82Q
Joe McElderry https://youtu.be/j93WvstotJ4

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 Simple straight forward messages in a song interpreted by Joe McElderry, 2009 winner of Britain's X Factor.
I felt the sadness hearing him interpret the songs sorry seems to be the hardest word and she's out of my life.
I felt how it was when you reached your peak, you'd wish that you don't let the sun go down on me.
Joe McElderry then age18 caught the imagination of the English viewers. He matured, evolved as a singer and as an artist.

But I wished Joe did not age and remained angelic and pure.
Watch his performances.
https://youtu.be/SI-i_1FtebQ
https://youtu.be/4FpqdqyyNsw
https://youtu.be/WKozpAeHu9w

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Which cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" relays the message of  "sana tayo na pero may pagninilo (pagtataksil) ka!"?
We almost had it all! but . . .

https://youtu.be/3k5acPIi0f8 Aretha Franklin
https://youtu.be/5NH6aM9YaGI Chinese Opera version
https://youtu.be/wIJC5N4MEZk KZ Tandingan
https://youtu.be/x2Oh7STrSIk Leo Moracchioli (metal cover)
https://youtu.be/_sXrTpOVnak Linkin Park
https://youtu.be/WZ7xADesLNg Vance Joy (acoustic)
https://youtu.be/tt2NIDtp-Ls Simply Three (cello/violin/bass)
https://youtu.be/LvebwuW8xHI Jack Vidgen
https://youtu.be/6R6iqO63ntM
https://youtu.be/nYqbOW4ka8k Han Bryul (K Pop Australian)

And the original live from Adele
https://youtu.be/Mi2cURoOAYY at the Royal Albert Hall
Enjoy

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Poetry in Lyrics. Melody in Tunes. Expression in Interpretation. Reinterpreted in a Cover Song

I am awed by the vocal range, control, versatility, phrasing, interpretation and choice of songs with memorable musicality and well written and crafted poetry of a young Australian-Korean (ex-KPop) singer Jang Han-Byul.

I discovered him on YouTube. From the over 50 videos, I am sharing 5 of my choices demonstrating his versatility and faithfulness to the theme.

Through voice and projection, he dramatizes the pain of separation in covering Adele's "Someone like you" sometimes it lasts in love and sometimes it hurts instead. For me it's not over . . . " https://youtu.be/dr8iyogSxYY

Pain of rejection in Bruno Mar's "Grenade" where "I would die for you but you wouldn't do the same."  https://youtu.be/jIeaneOc-jQ

A gloomy "Story of my life"  by One Direction. "My heart is unbroken but still untamed."  https://youtu.be/CdknvJM-Z6c

Struggling with "Demons" inside interpreting Imagine Dragons "When you feel the heat, just look into my eyes. It's where the demons hide. Don't get too close, it's dark inside" https://youtu.be/PgA136Vu-YI

And the hopeful and my favorite "Counting Stars" of One Republic where he shows singing prowess interpreting the melody of these lines "Old but not that old, young but not that bold," "I feel something so right by doing the wrong things, I feel something so wrong by doing the right things." "Everything that kills me makes me feel alive." Hope comes in the line "no more counting dollars; we'll be counting stars." https://youtu.be/-o5x0SiyegQ

Jan Han-Byul is a talented young artist who conveys his music through his voice though covers but expressed well, very well. He sings in English, French, Korean, Japanese. Currently, he is wowing audiences in Malaysia and India.

Listen to his interpretation to my initial selection of familiar songs. (Studio recordings best appreciated on Smart TV with a sound bar)

To complete my playlist:
Treasure by Bruno Mars https://youtu.be/zmsKikzG2Ns
Just the way you are by Bruno Mars https://youtu.be/3-HR2cLVFjc
Versace on the wall by Bruno Mars https://youtu.be/n-v9H-Tr-DE
When I was your man by Bruno Mars https://youtu.be/qQx7rAeh20E
Blurred lines by Robin Thicke https://youtu.be/On25b7MoyLg
Roar by Katy Perry https://youtu.be/ly9c-rLqMsQ
Royals by Lorde https://youtu.be/zX1r3HUp0D0
Angels brought me here by Guy Sebastian https://youtu.be/Qv1XJt1u84g

The struggle of an aspiring KPop artist. Parents' view and the pressure on Jang Han-Byul to succeed big time https://youtu.be/qgVCdBYd0bk

Undoubtedly talented, intelligent and creative, there is so much pressure for Jang Han-Byul to succeed for his parents and associates. His parents sacrificed their own lives to support their only son's passion for singing. Jang Han-Byul from his videos has been doing everything to decode the formula for stardom. Only destiny will determine if he gets the big break.

For now, I may have deconstructed the motivation for the intensity of his interpretation of struggle songs particularly "Story of My Life."

"Written on these walls are the colors that I can't change
Leave my heart open but it stays right here in its cage

I know that in the morning now
I'll see us in the light upon a hill
Although I am broken, my heart is untamed"

Good luck Han-Byul. Keep track on your professional growth.