Jose Mari Chan

'Aquino loves music, like a sound technician'

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III may have denied that he is hooked on video games, but his Executive Secretary revealed that he is so focused on music that he is "almost like a sound technician."

Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr. said Aquino's rooms in his bachelor pad near Malacañang Palace (Bahay Pangarap) and his family's home in Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac are "all set up."

"One thing he really loves is listening to music. I don't know if people know that he's an expert in [music]. He's almost like a sound technician. He's so focused on it. He builds up a good sound system way back pa," he said in an interview on ANC's "Strictly Politics" early this week.

"You'll find the whole room is surrounded by compact discs...That's what he enjoys most, listening to music."

Last May, Aquino made it clear that using Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) is not his favorite pastime. Previous reports said the President is not working hard enough because he is spending too much time playing video games, among other activities.

The PSP is a handheld video game console that uses a universal media disc as its primary storage medium. About 5 models of this device have been released.

"I haven't seen him [play video games]. I haven't had the chance to see him playing any video game," Ochoa said.

Asked if he enjoys using video game consoles, the "Little President" said, "No. Before, mga uso-uso noong araw...Mga Atari pa ata eh."

Back in the 80s, Filipinos were crazy about the Atari 2600 video game console, with its one-button joystick controllers and cartridge games such as "Pitfall" and "Pacman."

PNoy the music lover

Aquino earlier said that he likes listening to different kinds of music on his iPod -- from Broadway to disco.

"[I listen to] OPM (Original Pilipino Music), Broadway, disco, trance [and] house, except rap," he said in a speech delivered during the Global PNoy Town Hall sa TFC meeting in California in September last year.

The President has a  soft spot for OPM . A local newspaper earlier reported that Aquino enjoys original songs by Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, APO Hiking Society, Noel Cabangon, Jose Mari Chan and Mitch Valdez, saying that their compositions "reflect his moods.

Jose Mari Chan given tribute CD by US artists | U.S. News Las Vegas

Music icon Jose Mari Chan again made history, this time as the first Filipino artist to be given a tribute CD by American singers and composers.

“The Manhattan Connection: The Songs of Jose Mari Chan” is the title of the tribute CD done by the American vocal music group The Manhattan Transfer.

In an interview during the press launching of the new CD, Chan said Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer and international musician and music producer Yaron Gershovsky worked together for the CD, considered a special collector’s item.

“It’s not me singing my song. I’m very happy and proud because this is the first time that a group of American artists–and not just any American artists–is singing my song,” Chan said.

The music icon shared that the CD was conceptualized after his meeting with Siegel a few years ago.

“We started a conversation and she found out that I’m a songwriter. And she wanted to hear my songs. I gave her a set of my CDs and suggested perhaps she could arrange one or two of my songs.

“About a month later she e-mailed me and said, ‘Wow so far, I like 3 of your songs.’ Then it became 4, 5, 6, 7 until it became 10. Then the idea came for her to produce a whole album of my song using jazz and pop artists from the States,” Chan said.

Chan revealed the songs from the new CD are really different from other remakes of his hits.

“Sometimes when artists, especially here in the Philippines, when they copy my song, they sort of clone the song, so that the audience will not be shocked, hindi ba? But, in the case of Janis and Yaron Gershovsky, who arranged the music, they really gave the songs a lot of thought and studied them so the arrangements are fresh and exciting,” Chan said.

The singer said that what surprised him was the fact that Siegel and Gershovsky did not pick his hit songs “Beautiful Girl” and “Please Be Careful with My Heart.”

“I was surprised but at the same time I feel honored and challenged,” he said.

“The Manhattan Connection: The Songs of Jose Mari Chan” is the first tribute CD to a Filipino artist that will be sold at Starbucks outlets starting May.

Below is the track list of the said CD:

1. “Constant Change” — Nic Bearde 12.

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