BONG PEÑERA with PAT CASTILLO: LOVE NOTES From Live telecast of Two For the Road

As in the past Bong Peñera has always had "non-samba" songs from his albums of all-original compositions. In the maiden, "A Samba Song" two standout: the poetic "Afraid to be Known" and "Rosita Maria", both lyrical ballads that cut through the smoke. The rest of the tracks were these beautiful Jobim-like tunes, so beautiful that a Brazilian diplomat he met through another friend, Maria Dulce Soares da Silva ("Dudu" to friends) offered to translate the title song to Brazilian Portuguese. But Dudu, like most Brazilian women, loved to sing and sang quite well. Bong heard her singing the song in Portuguese and decided to include her track in the maiden album.

In the second, "Batucada Sa Calesa" there's the "Lullaby", the "Valse Nova" (composed for his father), and "Imee" which he dedicated to his friend Imee Marcos.

And in the 3rd, recorded in 1980, there is the now famous "Love Notes", a swing work featuring the commendable singing of Pat Castillo, for whom he wrote this song. Though there are many other things that made this album quite apart from the earlier two, like the stellar personnel (consider the phenomenal contributions of tenor saxophonist Rudy Sucgang, the blowing geniuses Fred and Omeng Conception, bassists Paul Candelaria and Sonny Tolentino, guitarist Edgar Avenir, percussion support from Nick and DingDong Boogie), and the inclusion of a lttle girl's vocals (Patrice Elaine Balquiedra) on the reprise of Sa Dako Paroon, easily, the highlight indeed was "Love Notes". And it was something Bong wholeheartedly welcomed and injected as he was writing a song for a new friend and singer in his band, none other than the beauteous Pat Castillo. Love Notes is not like many of Bong's works. It is swing but very melodic, not a fast double time swing or the Charlie Parker type, but a soft and easy and cool one. In the vinyl recording this song has a faster tempo, further punctuated by solos from bassist Sonny Tolentino and drummer Edmond Fortuno. But in this track we present, it is just Bong with Pat and Paul and Edgar and Al, all taking it nice and easy. Again this is from the "Two For the Road" telecast hosted by Nestor Torre and Elvira Manahan, conducting the memorable musical reunion for Bong and his friends. This is a very, very rare clip -- and again, pardon the video flaws. But the beauty of the song itself, and the magic of Pat's singing, and Bong's piano and supporting vocals, and the complimenting inputs from Paul, Edgar and Al, easily overcome or erase these flaws.

So here's to love that will never go out of style, Bong Peñera fashion and Pat Castillo version.

SambaJazzHunter

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bong Peñera
• Jose Penera
• Pat Castillo
• Love Notes
• Two for the Road
• Nestor Torre
• Elvira Manahan
• Paul Candelaria
• Edgar Avenir
• Al Iglesias