Encantada

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This 1992 release is the soundtrack to a major Ballet Philippines production written by Al Santos and choreographed by BP’s then-Artistic Director Agnes Locsin.

Encantada is a sequel-of-sorts to a much earlier Al-Agnes-Joey collaboration titled Sa Bundok ng Apo, a rock musical based of Bagobo myth and legend produced by Kulturang Atin at the Ateneo de Davao College in the mid-70s.

Recorded at Circle of Fifths the album features instruments within my reach (owned and borrowed) that had not been used in the Tanod-Lupa recording – log drums, a vase from the Dans living room, an old banjo, Cordillera flutes, shakers, three sets of bongos tuned in harmony, etc.

Vocal coach/jazz maestro Mon David helped compose one piece based on the pasyon. Sister Cynthia, then playing with Hayp, added some far-out vocal play, Cutie Paduano and Bayang Barrios did great babaylan vocals and Connie Lawigan-Chua wailed away in the distance. Noe Tio and Onie Badiang are here, too – Noe in many of the percussion tracks and Onie with both vocal and instrumental work.

Only 1000 CDs of this album were produced and I lost a chunk of the inventory to unsystematic handling but the “neo-ethnic” energy has regenerated manifold. Countless choreographers, dancers and musicians have made copies of this and here’s your chance to get an official rip-off!