by BABY A. GIL (for Sounds Familiar)

The Philippine Star

December 27, 2006

A time for peace and quiet is what we all wish for during that holiday lull after Christmas Day and before New Year’s Eve. Of course, the right sort of music helps set the atmosphere and I am happy to say that two interesting CDs from Candid Records were what did the trick for me this year.

One is I Made It Through the Rain by Enrique Marcos. I am sure that like me, there were some listeners who wondered who was the singer with the jazzed up remake of I Made It Through the Rain they had been hearing on the radio. Well done, it swings a lot more than the Barry Manilow original and shows admirable efforts from the singer and the producer to infuse their own ideas on the recording but without being disrespectful of the original. Quite nice. But who is he? Then I saw this new CD release and there it was, I Made It Through the Rain by Enrique Marcos.

Now it is not unusual for young talents to sing old songs like Marcos does in his latest album but his choice of I Made It Through the Rain is particularly audacious. Manilow is not a great singer but he knows how to please his listeners and I have yet to hear of another singer singing his songs and selling more than Barry did. I do not know if Marcos will score big with his album but I do admire the guy for daring to do Manilow and even Marc Anthony in his album of oldies and Filipino originals.

Unlike Manilow, Marc Anthony is an exceptionally expressive vocalist. Listening to him is like getting a look at his love battered insides. Marcos takes on his My Baby You and given his style, which is bluesy with bits of pop and jazz, tones down the angst. Is that good or bad? Not good knowing what Marc Anthony is capable of but very, very good for the relaxing post Christmas listening. Marcos fares much, much better with I Made It Through the Rain and the new compositions included in his album.

The contents of Marcos’ album is pretty much like his singing. Some Las Vegas swing with Around the World and Matt Monroe’s You’ve Got Possibilities and then some pop with Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the Bee Gees’ First of May and Stevie Wonder’s Lately. Good work but it is with the originals that he turns in his best work. Maybe it is because these songs come with no ghosts of Manilow or Anthony and Marcos allows himself to really fly.

He swaggers with poise and confidence through Dance with Me and Twilight of Love by Sammy Asuncion and Yanna Acosta; Where Love Has Gone by Vehnee Saturno and I’m Your Friend by Fredric Herrera. These songs are so good I honestly thought there was no need for Marcos to do the oldies route. But then you know how the market is these days. Buyers want to know what they are getting and having easily recognizable titles on the cover helps sales a lot.

Manila Times

December 22, 2006

Enrique’s second album, ‘I Made It Thorugh The Rain’, features a collection of ballads that make good use of his velvety singing voice.  His voice sounds romantic and is reminiscent of Marco Sison or Mon David.  The latter happens to be one of his mentors.  Mon and Enrique are contract artists of Candid Records Philippines.  Aside from the title track, Enrique does covers of Elton John’s ‘ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ and Stevie Wonders  show-stopping ‘Lately’.

The original songs are also catchy.  There’s Sammy Asuncion’s ‘Dance With Me’, a jazzy number that could feel at home at any bar in New Orleans.  In fact, when Enrique sang the song at his album launch at The Podium, he was backed up by a group of shapely Rockettes-style dancers.  Rest assured, no other mall in Metro Manila has seen such a glorious sight or heard such a glorious voice rendering the bouncy number.

Another track is Vehnee Saturno’s “Where Love Has Gone”.  This is not to be confused with the bittersweet love theme from the 1964 movie drama popularized by Jack Jones.  The Saturno track is in fact more upbeat than the Jack Jones ballad and Enrique says he feels so proud that the revered composer wrote a song especially for him.

In an interview with E&S, the soft-spoken Enrique said that as a child growing up in Bukidnon, he would listen to the records of his father and grandfather.

“They were avid fans of Sinatra, Matt Monroe and Engelbert.  Iwas singing their songs at the age of seven,” he recalled.  “I was never familiar with the contemporary hits, like rap or hiphop.  If you live in a province like Bukidnon, you dot get to hear much of the new hits.”

Enrique inherited his musical talent from his late father, who never worked as a professional singer.  The younger Marcos, however was always on demand at weddings and other family events at a very young age.  “I was a boy soprano, so I sang all the songs written for female singers.  But I also like the songs  of Martin Nieverra and Gary Valenciano.  They’re two of my favorites,” he said.

His voice inevitably broke when he turned 14.  He thought he would never sing again but when he joined a school choir, he received professional training and managed to develop a pleasant baritone voice.  After college, he moved to Manila to find any kind of work he could get his hands on.

“I didn’t really set out to have a singing career in Manila.  That wasn’t my plan at all.  I just wanted any kind of job, I was’nt choosy,” he said.

He found work at a factory that makes carton boxes. It was an unlikely place to open any doors to a singing career but it was the factory that served a major stepping stone.

As it happened, a co-worker of Enrique was getting married and he was asked to sing at the wedding.  Among the guests at the reception was his former manager.  Needless to say, she was bowled over by Enrique’s performance and she became his manager on the spot.

A demo tape were recorded which was shipped to London where the labels top honchos were based. In no time at all, Enrique was signed on and he became Candid’s first male recording artist from Asia.  His first album was released in 2004 (A Collection of Classic Love Songs – CAN-KC-008).

Everything should have come up roses for Enrique but the singer suffered a series of setbacks that puts his promising career on hold.  His manager had a falling out with Candid and his father died after a long bout with his Alzheimer’s Disease.  Enrique had to come home to Bukidnon.

But he has a new manager now (Sherilyn Pascua of Music Brdige and Media Trends) and he’s back with Candid.  Said label is considered to be an independent label.  But Enrique said he doesn’t feel like he’s missing out on what a mainstream label could offer him.

He explained Candid is always looking for singers who can offer something different.  “They also give me an artistic freedom.  They make a list of new songs I would be recording  but they also allow me to choose Barry Manilow’s ‘I Made It Through The Rain’, because I relate to the lyrics.  I grew up in a small town and im here now in Manila.  My career was put on hold, my father passed away but that all behind now,” he said.

Enrique busies himself by promoting his album in various parts of the country.  He’s also very visible in German Moreno’s “Walang Tulugan” variety show on TV.  He’s also brought in his mother to live with him in Manila.

He said he doesn’t live on the fast lane as he still manages to live a quiet private life.  He bought his mother a house I  Las Pinas and opened a new business for her to run, a coffee shop.  “On my free nights, you can catch me there singing, siyempre!” he laughs.

Twenty something singer Enrique Marcos, however, offers no apologies for his choice of music.  Enrique sings love songs spiked with jazz or swing, just the way Sinatra and Nat King Cole did during their time.

At the album launch of his second album at The Podium last Sunday (November 26), Enrique said he sings the standards to attract young people to this most wonderful sound.  He said its amazing how a number of young people today go for this type of sound.

Enrique’s second album, ‘I Made It Through The Rain’, is a fusion of jazz standards, classic and contemporary pop.  Songs like the title cut, originally by Barry Manilow, the Matt Monro Classic ‘You’ve Got Possibilities’, Sinatra’s ‘Around the World’ or Barry Gibb’s ‘First of May’ are rendered a new life by full, round voice of Enrique.

Enrique first came into view in 2004 with the launch of his singing career on wings of a debut album, A Collection of Classic Love Songs.  With this album, he became the first Filipino artist to be signed by Candid Records, which had just set up a Philippine office.

Enrique was a small town boy from Malaybalay Bukidnon before moving to Manila as a wedding singer.  His rich, full voice impressed Candid executives, who had even planned a London release of his album.

The singer said a few things jeopardized his career, and personal life, last year.  He lost his original manager (now managed by Sherilyn Pascua of Music Bridge 09157719879), then also lost his father.

For a while, he said he thought his career was in limbo.  He also got sidetracked  by the sudden death of his father.  Enrique says he remains unfazed by the instant popularity of other male singers who have emerged from TV talent searches.  Confident of his talent, the young man believes the world can be a better place to live in if more and more people make beautiful music.

** Nestor Cuartero

    Moviegoer -columnist

    Tempo

    November 29, 2006

A joint project of Candid Records Philippines, Crossover 105.1 and The Podium with Remy Martin and Cointreau Liquor and Astroplus, this will highlight album launches of two of the most powerful voices in the local music scene.  It is a display of masterpieces of vocal male prowess.

Candid Records is a jazz label based in the United Kingdom that includes Stacey Kent, Kyle Eastwood, Jim Tomlinson, Jamie  Cullum and British Filipina Mishka Adams among its artists.

At 3PM, the new voice of romance Enrique Marcos will release his second studio album under Candid Philippines “I Made It Through The Rain”.  A former wedding singer from Bukidnon, Enrique honed his vocal chops with his grandfather playing the piano.

The album, produced by Sammy Asuncion of Spy/Pinkpikan, is a mix of standard and contemporary tracks from top Philippine songwriters including Vehnee Saturno.  His album is a fusion of jazz, standards, blues and pop rearranged to suit Enriques soothing voice.  The highly enjoyable album is backed up by top musicians Koko Bermejo, Koyang Avenir, Louie Talan and Mike Guevara.

At 4PM, jazz legend Mon David will release his new album “My One And Only Love”.  This new Candid Records release ranges various genres and inspirational music. The 12-track CD is an anthology of Mon’s musical compositions and new deeply loved jazz classics.

Recognized as one of the country’s  top singers, Mon David is backed up by a powerhouse quartet of top musicians: Koko Bermejo, Colby Dela Calzada, Mark Lopez and Mike Guevara.

** Philippine Daily Inquirer

    November 24, 2006

CANDID MUSIC FESTIVAL

Mall of Asia – North Wing

With loads of other artists including                  

Red Letter Day

Sushi Box

Tam De Castro

All shows starts at 6PM

THE LIBRARY (malate)

12 midnight

guest appearance

December 17  
PMPC Christmas Party

The album is a fusion of jazz standards, classical and contemporary pop produced by the highly respected songwriter and musician Sammy Asuncion.  Backed up by some of the finest musicians in the country today including Michael Guevarra and Ronald Tomas on saxophone, Koko Bermejo on drums & keyboards, Edgar Avenir on guitar and Loui Talan on bass. 

The album boast of both originals and covers that encapsulates Enrique Marcos ‘rounded and rich voice’ – smooth, suave and romantic.  The album includes the title track ‘I Made it through the rain’ originally sung by Barry Manilow but rearranged with a big band vibe, Matt Monroe’s classic ‘You’ve Got Possibilities’, ole blue eyes Sinatra Classic groovy version ‘Around the World’ and Barry Gibbs ‘First of May’.  Fresh jazzy arrangements were also applied to Elton John’s ‘Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road’  and to Vehnee Saturnos ‘Where Love Has Gone’ which was originally sung by no less than Ysay Alvarez.  London based Filipino songwriter Fredric Herrera’s original ‘Sometime, somewhere’ and ‘Im Your Friend’ are also included in the album.  Hearts will melt with his own rendition of Marc Anthony’s ‘My Baby You’ stripped to guitars and harmonics to Stevie Wonder blockbuster hit ‘Lately’ were given an acid jazz touch.

Two originals were written by Sammy Asuncion and Yanna Acosta aptly entitled ‘Twilight of love’ and ‘Dance with me’.  Both originals were written specifically for Enrique to fit his swooning vocals.

Listeners will surely enjoy Enrique Marcos ‘I made it through the rain’ and he will put you under his love spell.  Now available only on compact disc distributed in the Philippines by Ivory Music & Video Inc.

‘Dreams are meant to be.  Finally, this is the moment… the songs I could call my own,’ Enrique proudly enthuses.   The album signifies the rebirth of a new sound and the new voice of romance - Enrique Marcos.  For more information about Enrique Marcos, log on www.enriquemarcos.i.ph or www.candidrecords.com/ph or contact Music Bridge and Media Trends at 7060698.

** Peoples Journal

    November 29, 2006

recently, i have supported a group of kids named MAHARLIKA SINGING AMBASSADORS.  the 9 'angels' ensemble came from London and they have visited the Philippines for a 2 week promotional tour for their debut album 'What A Wonderful World'.

the album includes 16 inspirational tracks set to inspire everyone to help and love one another.  its a great project indeed as proceeds from the CD sales will be given to Asilo De San Vicente De Paul.

Asilo De San Vicente De Paul is an orphange in UN avenue who needs our attention and our financial help to build a better future for the kids under their care.

im so happy that in my own little way, i could help out children who are less privileged than me.  i hope that this project would help touch lives and the hearts of others to reach out.

please buy MAHARLIKA's debut album 'What A Wonderful World'.  You could buy the said CD on selected SM record bars.

God bless us all and to Maharlika...more power!

I am now busy preparing for my second studio album.  Its been awhile since i last launched my debut album under Candid Records.

A level higher in terms of musicianship - a far more fresh and richer sound.  Backed-up by some of the seasoned musicians in the local industry, this new album boast of some of the most romantic songs ever written and orginals which will surely sweep you off your feet.

The repertoire also includes a song from highly respected and legendary songwriter Vehnee Saturno and Sammy Asuncion.

For more inquiries and ticket reservations, please call FILMWORKERS MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE at 4130682.

As I serenade the country’s most beautiful women - the winners of Binibining Pilipinas and ‘Walang Tulugan’s’ finest teen stars.