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This issue features: CORD Top 10 Disco Songs; Constellation Band; KIS; OBG!

DISCO FOR A GOOD CAUSE The Katilingbang Bisaya sa New Zealand (KBNZ) raised $1,050.00 for its TABANG para sa Typhoon Sendong Victims through donations from members and friends who believe that in times of crisis, people ought to extend help if they are able. The organisation decided to give the entire amount to Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City based on accounts that the school has actively pursued relief and rehabilitation operations in affected areas. The KBNZ Board of Trustees, knowing that it can still do more to help in the more crucial times when media no longer gives coverage, as those affected continue to struggle to return to normalcy, decided to set aside part of the net income of DISCO DISKORAL for the victims of typhoon Sendong. Purchase a $20 admission ticket and bring hope to the typhoon victims. You may deposit your $20 to KBNZ Account No. 03 0155068461125 WESTPAC and claim your ticket at the venue. The “Biggest Pinoy Dance Party in Auckland” is headlined by the CONSTELLATION BAND, the most in-demand band in Auckland with New Zealand’s Powerpop girls – KIS, and OBG!,

a mixed bag of talented gentlemen with diverse musical influences, bound by a common love for music. DISCO DISKORAL will happen on January 28 in AMI Netball Centre, 44 Northcote Road, Auckland. Gates open at 6pm and the dancing begins at 7:30pm until the 12 midnight. Score you tickets now. Email: rrmenchavez@yahoo.com. DISCO DISKORAL is sponsored by REX YAP/NEW ZEALAND HOME LOANS; WESTERN UNION; PLANET EARTH TRAVEL; Dr Tony & Cora Noblejas; Tita Claudia’s Lechon and Tindahang Pinoy. CORD International Music Magazine is the official media partner.

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CORD TOP TEN DISCO SONGS There are countless songs that bring us to the dance floor, but then are those that have become anthems without them any dance party would be incomplete. CORD International Music Magazine, the official media partner of DISCO DISKORAL 2012, releases its Top Ten Disco Songs of All Time. 1. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor 2. Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees 3. YMCA – Village People 4. McArthur’s Park – Donna Summer 5. Funky Town – Lipps Inc 6. Le Freak – Chic 7. September – Earth Wind and Fire 8. I Love the Night Life – Alicia Bridges 9. Billie Jean – Michael Jackson 10. The Hustle – Van McCoy Gloria Gaynor, hands down, takes the top of list with “I Will Survive” (No 1), a tune with infectious beat and a ‘never say die’ message that every woman (and man) of every generation can connect with. Another Gaynor song that could compliment this is “Never Can Say Goodbye”. The Bee Gees was behind the biggest disco album of all time, “Saturday Night Fever” that can be played non-stop and keep people on the dance floor. The flag song, of course, was “Stayin’ Alive” (No. 2) that reminds us of John Travolta, long before he played the role of the dancing mother in “Hairspray”.

What’s the best action disco song? It should be “YMCA” (No 3) with the Village People raising the roof and burning

the floor. If you play “YMCA”, don’t forget to include in the playlist “Macho Man” and “In the Navy”. There is no denying that Donna Summer is the Queen of Disco and her version of “MacArthur’s Park” (No 4) turned the ballad classic into a dance music masterpiece. Lipps Inc’s “Funky Town” (No 5) and Chic’s “Le Freak” (No 6) both depended totally on memorable licks and hooks with minimal lyrics. One of the most successful bands during the 80s was Earth Wind and Fire that

produced a distinct amalgamation of soul, funk, jazz and world music with such hits as “September” (No 7), “Serpentine Fire” and “Fantasy”. Only a few know the name Alicia Bridges, but mention the disco tune, “I Love the Night Life”, then that would spark interest and often bring couples to dance the “Swing”. Though underrated as a disco anthem, this smooth number has been featured in several movies, including Love at First Bite, The Last Days of Disco and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. When disco was at its height, Michael Jackson fronted the

Jackson 5 which didn’t enjoy as much success as Tavares, Kool & the Gang and the Commodores. But as a solo artist and collaborating with Quincy Jones, Jackson singlehandedly brought disco music to the fore with “Billie Jean” (No 9) when others had declared the genre dead. With the accompanying “moon walk”, Jackson became as big as Elvis Presley. While recognizable producers/arrangers like Barry White (Love Unlimited Orchestra’s “Love’s Theme”), Isaac Hayes (“Theme from Shaft”), Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (MFSB’s “TSOP”) slug it out to make the top 10, it is Van McCoy who rounds up the list, having made

produced “The Hustle” (No 10) that created a line dance that became an international dance craze in 1975. (CORD)

MAIN ATTRACTION:

THE CONSTELLATION BAND

Should a documentary ever be made to chronicle the lives of Filipino musicians who dedicate their lives to entertaining people, the story of The Constellation Band is the perfect subject. Couple Rudy (band leader/bass/vocals) and Dolly (keyboard/vocals) have been the shining

stars that guided the band from its formation in Olongapo City where it played inside the Subic Naval Base until today. The original members were remnants of different groups that toured South Vietnam before the fall of Saigon. With the popularity of such bands as Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power, the original Constellation Band had a brass section added to the guitars, keyboards and drums. Spotted by entertainment booking agent, the band soon followed the dream of many Filipino entertainers of non-stop “living-out-of-suitcase’ stint touring Australia and New Zealand. With a number of its members settling down, the 2nd wave Constellation Band toured added Japan to their ‘go round’. The 3rd incarnation had three female members out of the five, with New Zealand as its base country. Rudy and Dolly became residents of New Zealand, and focused their performances in New Zealand, and for a time, morphed into a duo until a group of stranded Filipino musicians joined them to form the 4th episode of Constellation Band that concentrated in RSA and other clubs around Auckland where they established a loyal following. The “Now” Constellation Band is composed of Rudy and Dolly joined by Ezra (drums/vocals), Jamie (lead guitar/vocals), Renan (lead singer/percussionist/bass) and Jerry (second lead guitar/vocals). The current line-up has been playing beautiful music for the past 6 years, while doing full time day jobs, they play on Saturday nights. Says Dolly, “Our experience enables us to 'read' our audience and alter our repertoire drawing on numbers from the 50's to the latest on the Top 40, allowing us to cater to able to the young crowd as well as the young at heart.” And when Dolly mentions ‘young at heart’, she speaks the truth for she and Rudy have never grown tired of living the dream of the Filipino entertainer who brings life to the party, who brings joy to the world. (CORD)

KIS: THE POWERPOP GIRLS (Reprinted from CORD January 2012 issue) To create the perfect girl band, the professor used a mixture of sugar, spice and everything nice, then he purposely poured an ingredient of “X Factor” into the formula, that produced not one, but three cute, pretty and smart young ladies – KIS, the Powerpop Girls. That would be the intro of the make-believe TV series of Kayth, Ina and Shaine. To get a touch of this fantasy, they posed as superheroes for the cover of CORD’s special Superhero issue. KIS is a vocal trio that has performed in various social/community events around Auckland. The girls have many things in common: they are the only children of their respective parents; they love to sing and dance; they want to succeed as musicians. And if they mean to conquer the world (like superheroes), they’ve trained themselves hard to gain that power, that confidence, that bravura. Each of them has taken piano lessons, sought mentorship from Lea Salonga’s vocal coach Ann de Guzman; and learned slick dance movements from champ choreographer Jam Parado. It has been a busy 2011 for KIS highlighted by the group’s winning the People’s Choice Award in Pinoyz Got Talent in Hamilton and performing in West Auckland’s Christmas in the Park. Their first major project in 2012 is a guest appearance in “the biggest Pinoy Dance Party in Auckland”, Disco Diskoral on January 28 in the North Shore; and they wouldn’t need superpowers to get people to love them: they’ll be just themselves “a mixture of sugar, spice and nice with an ingredient of X Factor!”

IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE. IT’S OBG!

What can a web-designer, a physiotherapy student, a management guy, an architect and a writer do together if they were confined in a room? If these individuals happen to be the members of OBG!, you can expect them to speak one language: Music. Web designer John Mandawe, drummer, tries to imitate the playing style of drum heroes Travis Barker (Blink 182), Matt Greiner (August Burns Red) and Adam Gray (Texas in July) and digs the post hardcore band Saosin. Student JV Arenas, who has played bass guitar for 5 years with the Liston College Jazz Band, counts Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Girl from Ipanema” as his favourite song and loves Blink 182. Alvin Soniega, who works at NZ Insurance, is a percussionist, guitarist and vocalist, and played with such bands as El Dorado and Reborn. He looks up to Santana, Doobie Brothers and Sergio Mendes as role models. Dexter Ycong, an architect and jazz aficionado, plays the keyboard and listens to the music of Filipino pianists Celito Pascual, Marcial Samson and Anos Vergara. Mel B Libre, who worked as a DJ and concert producer and writes a weekly column in the Philippines, composes original songs and plays guitar and sings as well. He is a fan of Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Billy Joel and the Beatles. Though the five have diverse music influences and belong to different generations, they share a common liking for good music. There is no clash rather what results is an amalgamation of diverse music genres, of the best music from different generations. As OBG!, the five gents will playing together for the first time in DISCO DISKORAL 2012, and it is their collective experiences that provides them the confidence to deliver a pretty good performance. On Saturday 28 January 2012, we should be sharing the same room with OBG! at the AMI Netball Centre, and together we’ll be bound by one common language: music plus a lot of dancing.

PRESENTING KBNZ

The Katilingbang Bisaya sa New Zealand (KBNZ) is the organization of Bisaya-speaking Filipinos living in New Zealand. Though it has not been too long ago (about three years) since it was formally recognized as a Trust, KBNZ under the leadership of Rosendo “Sendo” Menchavez has embarked on projects in the service of its members and the greater community. It regularly holds fellowship activities with the intention of strengthening the bond of friendship and camaraderie among members. It propagates the unique culture of Bisaya-speaking Filipinos through participation in such activities as the Philippine Independence celebrations; and the Sto Nino de Cebu Fiesta where the group’s cultural troupe has performed for the past two consecutive years. In 2010, the group joined the Auckland International Carnival where it won the grand prize for its Sinulog presentation that bested more than 20 other participants from other ethnic groups.

KBNZ also engages in community-orientated projects including a beach clean-up and in raising funds to help victims of the recent typhoon Sendong that hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities. To pursue its goal of further assimilating into the New Zealand community, KBNZ has organized DISCO DISKORAL dubbed as the Biggest Pinoy Dance Party in Auckland featuring the popular CONSTELLATION BAND, New Zealand’s Powerpop Girls, KIS, and the mix bag music group, OBG! Everyone is invited to join the event, with $20 entrance fee.