Lucky Eights to Cap SamaSama Project’s 8th Year

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

As the lead singer of SamaSama Project, a Filipino Folk Fusion Band based in Chicago, I have had the tremendous opportunity to be part of local happenings and events that show the vibrancy of our sweet home, Chicagoland.

While I continue to feature inspiring personalities, interesting tips and trivia, exclusive peaks in the biggest events in and around the Filipino American community, I also hope to highlight recent goings on and share with you, our readers, upcoming events you definitely want to be a part of! To close off the year and starting with this December issue, I’d like to present our very first SAMASAMA SPOTLIGHT!

Looks like the culmination of 2015, our EIGHTH year of being together, is beckoning an auspicious start for SamaSama Project in 2016!

Last November Twenty EIGHT, we were fortunate to have backto- back big celebrations with a Christmas caroling show in the afternoon and a royal birthday party in the evening!

SamaSama Project Family Choir at Christmas Around the World 2015

The Museum of Science and Industry’s beloved annual tradition, Christmas Around the World, is a brilliant extravaganza of decoration and entertainment displaying 50 dazzling trees representing different countries. During weekends throughout the season, select artist groups offer performances that make the holiday even brighter!

To celebrate what has become our very own holiday tradition, we invited a few friends and their families to perform Filipino and American Christmas carols for SamaSama Project’s EIGHTH year of performing at MSI’s Christmas Around the World.

Our SamaSama Project Family Choir composed of the Dizons (Josua, Jericho and Jassie), the Rabors (Barber, Ella, Kobe, Joey, Jeremy), the Maranans (Jason, Angie, Lexi), Ruben and Aissa Pactol, Rosemarie Tom, Mary Ann Espanola and Ellen Delarosa, rendered heartwarming Pinoy carols like Sa Paskong Darating and Payapang Daigdig, and the kids led the group with Holiday favorites like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph infectious melodies.

After the successful breakout performance, the SamaSama Project Family Choir also guested in the Christmas episode of Chicago based TV Show, FilAm NOW! on GMA Pinoy TV.

SamaSama Project plays for the King of Thailand’s 88th Birthday

Festivities continued on in the evening with SamaSama Project enterntaining honored guests at the King of Thailand’s EIGHTY-EIGHTH birthday celebration at Drury Lane in Oak Brook, IL.

Stage and Program Manager share, “The celebration is organized by the Thai American Association of Illinois for all Thai communities to come together and pay respect and well-wishing for King Bhumibol Adulyadej on his birthday on the 5th of December.” The event also coincides with the organization’s 46th Annual Gala Dinner Dance.

It was truly an honor to perform for the Thai Community and the King’s Birthday but the icing on the cake is how much our friends in the community enjoyed our music as captured by organizer and fellow performer, Hon Bannapradist, in his email message to the group, “Thank you so much for being a part of our King’s Birthday celebration! We truly enjoyed your entertainment on Saturday night. Our guests loved the music and enjoyed dancing ‘til the end. Your music just made the party!”

SamaSama Project serenades UPAAGC and Loida Lewis Nicolas

Last June, I and several other alumni of FYLPRO, a group of Filipino American Leaders selected yearly by the Philippine Embassy to undergo a weeklong immersion program were invited by Loida Nicolas Lewis, a highly respected lawyer, businesswoman and trailblazer for all Filipino Americans in the US, in her Manhattan home to discuss a matter that we all believed was timely and critical as leaders in the community – voting and encouraging others to vote in the next Philippine elections on May 2016.

Months later and after I had fulfilled the commitment to apply for Philippines dual citizenship and register as a Filipino Voter the same day I got my US citizenship, I had the pleasure of performing at the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Chicago’s Annual Dinner Gala with Ms. Lewis as Keynote Speaker.

We performed “I Wish You Love” and “Usahay” with Louis Carmelo Tan (drums), Baron Cabalona (bass) and my father-in-law, Orlando Cabalona, Sr. In between singing the classics, I mentioned that “I am very glad that I finally was able to perform for UPAAGC,” mentioning that I was invited to perform a couple of times in the past years but didn’t pan out and added that it, the lucky third invitation “was perfect timing that it is the year Ms. Lewis graced the event”.

During our first meeting at her home, after dinner, I was much obliged to perform a few kundimans with Baron accompanying me on grand piano. Loida was thrilled and expressed her interest in bringing SamaSama Project over to New York to perform at the Asia Society Museum while the Philippine Gold Collection was on exhibit October this year.

While a NY performance had not materialized just yet, I am hopeful that her words during the Q&A the UPAAGC event, “Napakagaling ng SamaSama Project! Palakpakan natin sila,” could be a sign that our third lucky meeting – keeping my fingers crossed — might just be during SamaSama Project’s concert in New York!

Third time’s a charm!

A Christmas Night to Remember with Jam Morales and Gabby Concepcion

But before we get to the future for the upcoming year, I would like to invite you all to a post-Christmas treat, especially for all fans of EIGHTIES Pop in the Philippines!

The pop idol of Filipino movies and the OPM Diva of the 80’s are teaming up to bring Chicagoland fans A Night to Remember, a concert featuring Gabby Concepcion and Jam Morales on Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 5pm at the Miraj Restaurant 8801 N Milwaukee Ave in Niles. Dinner and Show Tickets are priced at $60. Call Zar at 708 528 6321 or check out SamaSamaProject.com for more info.

The SamaSama Filipino Choir with father and son musicians, Orlando Sr. and Baron Cabalona

Baron and Lou EllaRose Cabalona of SamaSama Project with Michelle Delson, Lourdes Singson-Chew, Adeline Fajardo and Ruben Salazar or PACF posing in front of the Philippines Christmas Tree at MSI.

 

An energetic young dancer joins the band composed of (Fr L to R) Eddie Irizzary (trombone), Freddy Rodriguez (trumpet), Ran Sevilla (Guitar), Lou EllaRose (vocals), Louis Carmelo Tan (drums), John Kniker (Guitar), Baron Cabalona (Bass). Not in picture: Ben Corpuz (keyboards) at the King of Thailand’s Birthday Gala.

 

 

Lou EllaRose (center) with Thai American Association of Illinois officers and members, (Fr L to R) Alongkot Vongkankom, Supavadee Rithidej, Chana Sookhakitch, Hon Bannapradist and Suchada Viriya

Lou EllaRose sings the classics with (L to R) Orlando Cabalona, Sr., Louis Carmelo Tan and husband Baron Cabalona;

 

Atty Loida Nicolas Lewis and Judge Jessica O’Brein (top row center) with some leaders in the community, (clockwise from top right) Ray Torralba, Almi Gilles, Lou EllaRose and Baron Cabalona, Adeline Fajardo, Ruben Salazar and Jan Paul Ferrer.