02.29.2008

BASSISTS FOR COMPARISON: TOP 10 PINOY BASSISTS

BASSISTS MAY GO UNNOTICED, BUT CERTAINLY NOT HERE. THEY MAY BE OVERLOOKED BY SOME PEOPLE, BUT DEFINITELY NOT BY THEIR PEERS. YVETTE TAN LISTS TEN BASSISTS WHO ARE VERY MUCH WORTHY OF ATTENTION.

by Yvette Tan

When most people watch a band, the first person they notice is the lead vocalist, then the guitarist, then the drummer, then finally, the bassist.  As you can tell, the bassist is probably the most underrated band member, with a few exceptions.  This is probably because traditionally, the bassist is the most low-key, laid back member of any band.

For this article, I went around asking people who are immersed in the music industry (musicians, music writers magazine staff, etc.) for their thoughts on who the Top 10 Pinoy bassists are.  Here, in no particular order, are the results:

Louie Talan
(Razorback, Kapatid, Pinikpikan, Spy)

Aside from playing bass for Razorback, one of the most influential rock bands in the 90's, Louie has also ventured into other genres, lending his bass skills to world music band Pinikpikan, fun rock band Kapatid, and funk reggae band Spy.  He has played back-up for singer Miskha Adams as part of the jazz band The Blue Echoes, as well as sitting in for other bands and singers like Cynthia Alexander, herself an accomplished bassist.  He was named NU 107's Bassist of the Year in 1990.  In 2007, he represented the Philippines in the  British Council’s International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year award, an award that focuses on the importance of entrepreneurial, creative, and leadership abilities in the music industry. 

Louie also owns Womb Works Productions, a production house that works with both new and established artists, and Station_01 Inc., an events company that specializes in music-related shindigs.

Francis de Veyra
(Radioactive Sago Project)

Francis de Veyra is most well known as the bassist and co-composer for politically-charged jazz rock band Radioactive Sago Project.  What most people don't know is that he finished his Bachelor’s Degree in  Music Composition at the University of the Philippines - College of Music, as well as having attended numerous workshops in music composition here and overseas.  His piece was the Philippine representative for the Asian Composers League “Young Composer’s Prize” competition in 2000 at Yokohoma, Japan. He has worked as a musical director and scorer for TV, theater, live shows, and films.  In 2007, he won the NU107's Producer of the Year Award.  Aside from Sago, Francis also sessions for studio recordings and live events, and has worked with several artists such as Mike Hanopol and Nonoy Zuniga.

Francis has also had the distinction of honing his bass skills under local bass greats like  Dondi Ledesma and Meong Pacana of the Ugoy-Ugoy band.  He is paying back this opportunity by giving bass lessons during music workshops.


Cynthia Alexander
(Hayp, Ang Bagong Lumad)

Before she became known as a folk-inspired singer-songwriter, Cynthia Alexander was first and foremost, a bassist.  Actually, she can play many different instruments - from guitars to various gongs and ethnic instruments.  She first came onto the scene as the bassist for rock band Hayp.  Later, she joined brother Joey Ayala's ethno-rock band Ang Bagong Lumad before going solo.  In between, she has performed with local rock legends Mike Hanopol and Jun Lupito, and has been a session musician for artists such as the Apo Hiking Society.

She has won numerous awards, including the Best Bass Player Award at the 1989 World Band Explosion Finals in Tokyo and Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album in the 1996 Katha Music Awards, where she garnered 15 nominations.  She was also nominated for Best New Artist and Bassist of the Year at the 1997 NU-107 Rock Awards.  The same award-giving body named Cynthia Female Rock Icon in 2004.

Dondi Ledesma
(DNDI)

Dondi Ledesma is one of the legends of Pinoy bass playing.  He's worked as a session musician and a minus one bass player (who knew there was such a job description?!) and even got to work on a movie soundtrack.

He, like his music (which he describes as "progressive hybrid classical rock jazz”), is rarely seen or heard in public.  And yet when he does perform, like in the 1999 NU Rock Awards all-star finale, he never fails to inspire awe.

Alongside his bass playing, Dondi honed his love for er... everything related to music production.  He currently runs DNDI, a personal recording studio where he is basically a one-man team, doing everything from producing to composing to playing (of course!), arranging, recording, and engineering his songs. 

And though he is publicity-shy, he leads a very active life on line.  Aside form his personal website, his songs can be downloaded in a number of websites.  He is also one of the teachers on  www.basslessons.com.  He has won numerous awards, including a Top 10 Most Downloaded Song Award on www.mpulse.com and "Best Heavy Metal Bass Player" and "Best Funk Bass Player" on the worldwide web sponsored by Sonic Foundry and Ernie Ball.  He is also (probably) the first Filipino bass player to be featured on The Bass Player magazine.

Mon Legaspi
(Wolfgang, The Dawn)

Believe it or not, before he joined Wolfgang, arguably one of the greatest bands in Pinoy rock history, Mon Legaspi dabbled in pop, playing bass for Mariya's Mistress.  His joining Wolfgang cemented the band's lineup, and helped develop their sound.

Mon was nominated for Bassist of the Year in the 1999 and 2000 NU Rock Awards.  Later, he replaced Carlos Balcells as bass player of The Dawn, playing with the band for two years before being replaced by ex-Eraserhead Buddy Zabala.

Rommel dela Cruz
(Sky Church, Barbie's Cradle, Freestyle)

Rommel de la Cruz is a bassist for whom the word genre does not exist.  He has played bass for rock bands Sky Church (which he formed with his brothers and a friend, Joey Dizon) and Barbie's Cradle, as well as playing bass and doing vocals for über-mainstream band Freestyle.

Mally Paraguya
(POT, Wunjo, Tame the Tikbalang, Skavengers)

Mally Paraguya played with hardcore band Tame the Tikbalang and ska-punk band The Skavengers before joining superband POT.  Nowadays, he plays for Wunjo (A runic name for acceptance of blessings and bliss), a band whose music is a mix of R&B, funk, soul, rock, and acid jazz.


Lakshmi Ramirez
(Brass Munkeys, Bembol Rockers)

Lakshmi Ramirez is one of those bassists who is fun to watch.  Part of this is because he plays the upright bass with a pizazz that is a performance in itself, but also because he dresses like he just stepped off the plane from 1940's Cuba.  He shares his love for vintage with his bandmates from both the Brass Munkeys and Bembol Rockers, which mixes genres from punk to rock to big band, producing a kind of music that is heavily inspired by the past but firmly set in the present.  Lakshmi has lent his talents to other musicians as back-up, most notably Sitti, the gal who brought bossa nova into the Philippine mainstream.

Nathan Azarcon
(Rivermaya, Kapatid, Bamboo)

Bamboo is probably one of the few local rock bands whose individual members all have distinct followings.  Log on to the net and you will find Nathan Azarcon fan clubs whose members swear by his talents as a bassist.  Like his current band's lead vocalist, Nathan was a member of Rivermaya.  He was instrumental (no pun intended) in introducing Bamboo's current members to each other.  His contribution to the music industry was recognized last year when he won Bassist of the Year in the 2007 NU Rock Awards.


Kelvin Yu
(Itchyworms, Corporate Low-Fi)

Log on to the Itchyworms website and you will find Kelvin Yu described, in the band's trademark humor, as the “bahista espesyal, or in layman's terms, special bassist.”  Tongue in cheek though this my be, the title is not without bassist, er, basis, since to watch the 'Worms play is like watching one of their songs come to life.  Kelvin is also involved in a side project called Corporate Low-Fi, a hip-hop influenced superband whose members include Sugarfree's Kaka Quisumbing and Kakoi Legaspi of Salindiwa.

Share this article!

• 2009
  • MARCH
    • THE "FINAL SET" DECAMERON
• 2008
  • JULY
    • TOP 10 ROCK HAIRSTYLES
  • MAY
    • ARE WE THERE YET?: 10 SONGS FOR TRAVELING
• 2007
  • AUGUST
    • WISHING I'M FINE: 10 SONGS FOR HEALING
  • JULY
    • FATAL POSPOROS' TOP 10+ FEMALE INFLUENCES
  • APRIL
    • CHICOSCI'S TOP 10 FAVORITE ARTISTS
    • JESUS WALKS: 10 SONGS ABOUT GOD
  • MARCH
    • TOP 10 INFLUENCES ON RADIOACTIVE SAGO PROJECT'S FASHIONISTA ALBUM
  • JANUARY
    • CHILLITEES' TOP 10 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF 2006
    • THE PULSE.PH TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2006
• 2006
  • DECEMBER
    • THE PULSE.PH TOP 10 SONGS OF 2006
    • TOP 10 PINOY ROCK LYRICISTS OF THE PAST DECADE
  • NOVEMBER
    • TOP 10 SAD BASTARDS WHO MAKE SAD BASTARD MUSIC
  • OCTOBER
    • TOP 10 GUILTY MUSICAL PLEASURES