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Topic: Steel Guitar in the Phillipines? |
Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2005 6:20 pm |
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A co-worker of mine who is filipino was telling me some great spots to vacation in the Phillipines. The USD is strong, so the main expense is getting there.
Does anyone know if there are any steel guitar players and music in the Phillipines? |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 24 Oct 2005 6:45 pm
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In my experience, current American popular music, especially dance music, is where it's at. Society and ballroom dancing styles, such as Cha Cha, Tango, Swing, etc. are very big with the older crowd. Never heard or saw any steel guitar or Hawaiian or C&W there, although Karaoke Elvis is still a big favorite. 
Of course, they have their own pop stars, but like I said, the music has a big American influence. Haven't been there in a while, though.[This message was edited by Mike Neer on 24 October 2005 at 08:01 PM.] |
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Craig Prior
From:
National City, California, USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2005 8:26 pm
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A popular vacation spot is Boracay, a real tropical paradise. But it's pretty much for the tourists.
I've been through much of the PI (my wife is from there) and I never saw a steel guitar played, or buskers on street corners, or any of the type of ambiance that make American and European cities so worthwhile to visit.
But nothing's to say you couldn't give it a try.
Craig.
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 24 Oct 2005 8:48 pm
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| A lot of very young, attractive wives come from there. Are you interested? High maintenance tho'.......... |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 24 Oct 2005 10:23 pm
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I believe that the popular music of China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and, yes, why not the Philippines, have a lot of scope for steel guitar as they are very melodic and the voice plays a big part in expressing a song. But....nary a steel guitar to be heard...no steel guitarists hanging from the palm trees....
What can be done to introduce steel guitar to these cultures? I think it is an opportunity similar to that in the early 1900s when Hawaiian steel guitar was picked up by the mainland.
I spoke to Lorene Ruymar when I was in Joliet on this topic and she has asked me to put some thoughts down in an e-mail which I have not yet done. What are your thoughts?
By the way, I heard that the ex-President of China plays Hawaiian steel guitar.
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kay |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 24 Oct 2005 10:41 pm
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Kay,
Are you talking about the Mainland Chinese ex-president? Don't the communist Chinese consider Hawaiian music and thus steel guitar bourgeois? Or is that an outdated concept?
There are no Filipinos even in Hawaii that I have heard of playing steel guitar.
Ukuleles? Yes
Steel Guitar? No
[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 24 October 2005 at 11:42 PM.] |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 12:13 am
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| There are no Filipinos even in Hawaii that I have heard of playing steel guitar. |
Bobby Ingano is pure blooded Tamashiro?
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 4:05 am
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Don,
China is changing a lot. You can get copy strats and telecasters, saxophones, cellos, grand pianos.... in the dusty backstreet alleys in Beijing at throwaway prices, reasonably good quality. It is becoming like Japan, they are able to absorb new cultures...and there is a tremendous rate of progress and consumerism....yes, it is Jiang Zemin who reportedly plays Hawaiian steel guitar, though I do not know what tunes he plays.
Bobby Ingano is originally from the Philippines...there are a lot of musically-oriented people there...and many of the musicians playing gigs in Singapore are from there. The trouble is that give them three tunes and they're into Besame Mucho.... No steelers.
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kay |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 5:17 am
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| Actually, Bobby is originally from Lana'i, Hawai'i. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 5:31 am
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| Quote: |
| I heard that the ex-President of China plays Hawaiian steel guitar. |
Yes he does......IN PRISON!
If you want young people to become interested in steel guitar, you've got to play their music on it. No, you've got to get one of them to play their music on it. Then, they will eventually discover the roots of the steel and the real music.
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Chris Brooks
From:
Providence, Rhode Island
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 5:54 am
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Yes, I know one player there--he may be the only one!
Cris Bordon plays at Midnite Rodeo in Angeles City, with a group called "Alabam' Cats". This is an anagram of Mabalacat, the province(?) where Angeles is located.
It's a couple of hours fom Manila.
The group consists of some of Cris's family members. They play variety, including lots of country. Our young man plays a red Williams and is the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. He would be excited to meet other steel players, so I encourage you to pay him a visit.
I met him around '87 when our CW group played the (ex-)base there.
BTW, he asked me a while ago to send him a volume pot for his scratchy pedal . . . I have procrastinated wildly . . . so if you plan on seeing him--and can do it--a pot would be a great gift from our Forum to this "voice crying [picking?] in the wilderness."
Chris
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Carter SD-12 Extended E-9 with 5 & 6; Peavey N 112; Small Stone, Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere. |
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Joseph Rush Wills
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 10:42 am
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| Steel Guitar/CW in the Phillipines? A close Fillipina friend of mine told me her father had a stack of American Country music on 78 rpm records. One of his favorites was Bill Monroe's BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY. This was back in the early 1950's. You never know... |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 11:00 pm
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Jeff,
Mahalo for the correction.
I HAD ONE BIG SENIOR MOMENT THERE!!! I had my mind stuck in gear on Waipahu.
I know Bobby and realize Ingano is a Fillipino name, now that you bring it to my attention.
Aloha,
Don |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 25 Oct 2005 11:14 pm
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There are a few good Philipino bands coming through here for extended gigs. Solid workman like shows.
But none country that I know of.
I guess the sum total of players down these parts is,
Kay, Cris Bordon and myself.
And maybe Steve Tackas in Bejing counts too.
I am hoping to meet up with Kay in a few weeks when I do a visa run.
Looks like I will eventually do another visa run to the Philipines too..
why not, ain't been there yet. |
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