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The Boys Rock in Jasmine Trias Concert! Aside from the Jasmania fever that is recently hitting Manila as well as Los Angeles folks wildly, there are three more reasons why the "Jasmine Trias…Live in LA" concert is a sure winner. It also features three of the hottest singing male idols in the circuit today. They are acoustic stars, Nyoy Volante and Paolo Santos and of course, the Prince of R&B, Jay-R. Together with Jasmine, they will perform on Nov. 20, Saturday at the Grand Olympic Auditorium. The concert is produced by Gerry Katigbak & Jackie Regala of KATZ Entertainment and Ivee & Sharon Fresnoza of Media3Five6. It is also presented by SMART Philippines, Toyota of West Covina, Law Offices of Roman P. Mosqueda, Kalesa Grill and Seafood City Supermarket. Also brought to you by Premier Healthcare Solutions. Let's start with acoustic superstar, Nyoy Volante. Not only is he "crush-ng-bayan," he is also a mega seller in terms of hit records. Nyoy's musical influences include Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Ogie Alcasid, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Will Smith, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Before he hit it big as an acoustic artist, Nyoy started by performing in school programs at the Malate Catholic School, where he took his elementary studies, and at the Immaculate Heart of Mary School, where he attended high school.
In college at De La Salle University's College
of Saint Benilde (CSB) where
he After graduating, Nyoy resumed his career in 2000 when he released his first album. It was also during that time he expanded his talents in theater such as "Dreamgirls" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Today, Nyoy has become one of the top acoustic artists in the Philippines. He won the Best Male Performer in Hotels, Music Lounges & Bars during the 17th Annual Aliw Awards where he bested Jimmy Bondoc and Jed Maddela for the honor. He also won other awards such as Top Entertainer awardee in the 20th Annual Year Ender Excellence Awards; Best Acoustic Balladeer of the Year 2003; and B est. Acoustic Artist in the 11th Annual Asia Pacific Awards in 2004. His second album with the Mannos received a Platinum Record Award which includes his own composition "Tanggap Ko." Of course, another acoustic star in Jasmine's concert is Paolo Santos. Paolo is arguably the best thing that ever happened to Manila's bar scene. While everyone was trying to put together an alternative band or some electronically abused musical group, Paolo was, is, and has always been an acoustic performer. He made it on his own through sheer determination and lots of God-given talent. Playing almost nightly in bars extending from Alabang to Makati to Ortigas and to the tip of Quezon City, it was always been an acoustic act and a tough one, at that, to follow.
After graduating from College, Paolo was offered a fellowship in international relations in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1997, after his Geneva stint, he immediately was signed up by the corporate world. Paolo immersed himself in his work and glimpsed his future in the corporate world. This translated into landing a strategic position in a major multinational financial institution. However, his latent musical self would soon re-surface. Through constant prodding from his friends, he picked up his guitar and auditioned for a spot in Art Ave, a bar restaurant in Ortigas Center. True enough, his musical talent would produce for him a regular weeknight performance in Art Ave. As fate would have it, Paolo soon developed a regular crowd aching to see this acoustic upstart. Other bars started to engage his services through a combination of various network of friends and word of mouth advertising. Over at Friends at the Square in St. Francis Square, he met a friend who would put his professional musical career in order. Paolo is now managed by Acoustic Gold Productions headed by Mr. Lou Pacia. A single of his original song, "Play With Me" has since been released and the resulting album to follow suit. The album reflects his past and present musical influences; namely James Taylor, Michael Tomlinson, Kenny Loggins, Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz and John Mayer. And lastly, Jasmine is also thrilled in having fellow Bench model, Jay-R as one of her stellar guests. Jay-R, a Filipino-American who is now hitting it big in Manila is happy to be in Jasmine's show. He has easily earned the moniker, "Prince of R & B." There's something in the way he moves that instantly betrays his knack for rhythm.
Jay-R doesn't just walk. He saunters, struts
and swaggers with an almost
But growing up, Jay-R tuned in to the music of Brian McKnight, Stevie Wonder, Barry White, Al Green and Usher. At age 13, he was already a member of a band. His first mentor was his uncle, Bobby Sillona - the manager of LA group, The Howlers. Jay-R did back-up chores for leading artists such as Stevie Singer (Donna Cruz, Vanna Vanna, Jason Everly), Gary Brown (Gladys Knight, Kenny Ladmore, Nsync), Triangle Productions (Lenny Kravitz), Dutch Cousin (702, Dru Hill) and Chuck Cymone (All4One, Troop). Currently, Jay-R has a best-selling album. Titled "Gameface" it consists of songs composed for him by American artists, Ian Boxhill, Bryson Evans among others. There are also two Tagalog cuts, "Kaibigan" by Troy Johnson and C. Sillona and "Bakit Pa Ba" by Vehnee Saturno. Barely a year after his much-awaited return to Manila, Jay-R wasted no time in looking for the right avenues to jumpstart his career further. * * * Jasmine Trias: Frequently Asked Questions
Jasmine Trias...Live, in Los
Angeles! For info you may call KATZ Entertainment at (562) 529-8680 (Ed’s note: Jackie Regala-Katigbak has been writing and doing promotions in the entertainment business since the 1980s. The past two decades saw her columns and articles published in the Philippines via the Manila Bulletin, Panorama, Manila Standard and Philippine Times Journal. Currently her articles are published by www.CarouselPinoy.com, the Asian Journal publications and in various newspapers in Southern California. For correspondence, you may send her an email at JackieRegala@verizon.net. Thank you.)
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took AB Technical Theater, Nyoy began performing
with bands like Twist of Fate, Sundae Traffic & White Colony.
During his early
years, Paolo's interest in music was but an engaging hobby. His parents thought
of it as an outlet to break the monotony of scholastic activities. In his
High School years Paolo joined a band of other musical hobbyists doing covers
of popular foreign and local artists during that time. This marked his earliest
attempts at musical exposure. Upon graduating from High School, he would
have wanted to go to the Music Conservatory but instead was prevailed upon
to take up a more career-oriented course. Therefore, Paolo enrolled in the
De La Salle University as a B.S. Economics student. This would not stop him,
however, from further incursions into the world of music. In fact, it was
during his college years that he nurtured and developed his musical skills.
Paolo would start learning to play the guitar, the piano, the bass and drums,
all by his lonesome. Paolo never took any single formal musical lessons.
imperceptible cadence that makes you swear he's
moving in sync with a silent pulse. The LA-born and bred jock grew up right
smack in the cradle of the bustling R & B scene in the US during the
early 90s. Born to a tight-knit family with very strong musical roots, Jay-R
couldn't help but soak up the various influences coming from all directions.
"My dad plays the classical piano," he says, "my mom and two sisters are
singers, my uncles are guitarists, singers and pianists."