MAKILING ENSEMBLE The new ethos of ethnic
By MAYO UNO AURELIO L. MARTIN
Plug n' play has always been the call to arms of countless
college bands manning the ramparts of universities and adjacent watering holes, an ethic
rooted in the devil-may-care lingo of pubescent rock anthems. Indeed, it's been the
predominant thing that whenever a group like the Makiling Ensemble goes onstage to play
with nary a stomp box or marketed angst (while lugging a bunch of instruments straight out
of Indiana Jones's Africa), it comes as no surprise that a resounding silence is sure to
greet them. Or worse, polite patronizing applause. They are, after all, leading an
audience weaned on rap-metal "mooks" such as Korn and Limp Bizkit, into
unfamiliar terrain - the non-folk acoustic, the ethnic. And such difference, therefore,
makes the Makiling Ensemble, more than the next electronica hype, the group to watch out
for.
Still, there's nothing threatening about this scraggly group of juveniles who, at first
glance, seem to be more at home in the moshpit. Also there's nothing pretentious or
artsy-fartsy in their demeanor. Just kids who happen to play African drums and kudyapis
instead of Stratocasters. The Makiling Ensemble is made up of eight UP students from the
Colleges of Music and Fine Arts, all of whom graduated from the Philippine High School for
the Arts. Named after their alma mater's home base in Los Baños, Laguna, the troupe has
been making waves for three years now, after first performing at an exhibit sponsored by
their former school in 1997.
"Sa Makiling, merong Anino, isang shadow play collective kung saan members din
kami," says percussionist Wed Lodriga. Aside from performing and doing the narration,
they would also do the plays' background music live, chucking 'canned' recorded music. And
given the non-traditional pedagogy up there, the boys also had their fill of another kind
of alternative music. "Bago ako pumunta sa Makiling, ang alam ko lang kumanta,"
recounts Evan Britanico. "Pagdating ko d'un, ang daming choices." Aside from
introductory lessons into ethnic and folk via Joey Ayala and Buklod, they also got to
watch classical concerts. So-called world musicians, both local and foreign, such as
Waling-Waling, Sarah Hopkins, and Sirocco would also drop by for workshops. Not to mention
standard curriculum electives on local indigenous music such as the kulintang
ensemble." Nakarinig rin kami ng isang CD ng Freeway Philharmonic Orchestra. Siguro
naging model namin sila," adds guitarist David Sicam. "Na-information overload
kami ng iba't ibang cultures ng iba't ibang mundo," kids Diwa de Leon, their chief
songwriter and violinist/hegalong master.
When they finally left the "boondocks" for the big city, they decided to
formalize the group. Armed with a broadened perspective on music and some instruments that
they had borrowed from the de Leon clan, whose musical roots stretch all the way to
composer Felipe de Leon Sr., the ensemble first became visible as part of UP Ibarang, an
informal PHSA alumni group, before embarking on their own - doing concerts and gigs in
venues as diverse as the PCIBank Francisco Santiago Hall, the UP Sunken Garden, the
College of Music's Abelardo Hall, Ora Café, and 70s Bistro.
So what do they call their music? "Usually `pag tumutugtog kami ang description, nung
una, classical ethnic, tapos naging world music," relates percussionist Otto
Hernandez. "Pero mas maganda siguro 'Filipino music' lang. `Yung una nga naming
naisip na pangalan ay Pangkat Manunugtog para mas generic yung tunog. Kasi `pag sinabi
mong Razorback o Wolfgang, rock `yan. O `pag sabihin mong Bagong Lumad, ethnic `yan. Ayaw
naming ma-label kasi nali-limit `yung music namin. Gusto namin as diverse as rock, ethnic
at saka classical. Gusto din naman naming bumuo ng banda, eh. Yung tipong hardcore rock.
Walang problema sa amin `yon. Kaso nga, dahil nanggaling kami sa PHSA, merong disiplina
bilang artista ng bayan. Tugtog lang nang tugtog. Sanayan lang to (ng audience)."
You have to hand it to these guys who willingly offer themselves to public scrutiny as the
college rock concert's resident curiosity. But don't they get bothered being labeled by
both young and old as these cute kids who grew up on their hippie dad-turned-new age
guru's records? De Leon shrugs. "Nasa-sistema na namin yung passion for world
cultures."
Besides, they're not musical squares as most people think. They are, after all, still
students and do lead lives outside the group. Flutist Floro Sernande moonlights as a
member of Bo Razon's Latin American band Puro Ritmo. Hernandez, who's currently AWOL, is
concentrating on designing puppets for Anino's shadow plays. Britanico, a music education
major, is teaching at UP Integrated School as part of his practicum. De Leon, on the other
hand, is currently chairperson of the College of Music and spends his spare time creating
websites.
They also act and, being visual artists, hold exhibits. In fact, they quip, they're also
the ones who'd usually do the opening performance for the exhibits. Likewise, their
musical preferences vary, which perhaps contribute to the mixed familiarity and
unfamiliarity of their compositions. While Lodriga listens to hiphop and rhythm 'n' blues,
Sicam and Hernandez go for "skateboard" punk rock. On the other hand, Sernande
brings in a fusion of Brazilian and Cuban rhythms.
At present, they are also recording their songs and plan to come out with a self-produced
album. The germ, they say, started when people would come up to them during gigs asking
for copies of their songs. Maybe the kids are doing something right. "In a way, gusto
din namin na yung ganitong music maging part ng mainstream," says Lodriga.
"Ipakita na may ganitong music na rooted sa culture ng Pilipino."
They recount one particular gig last summer during an international conference on, of all
topics, sexual exploitation of children. The hundred or more delegates made up of Cubans,
Thais, Indonesians, Chinese, and a number of other countries, simply stood up and got into
the groove. "Gumana yung feel ng music," says Hernandez. "Pareho yung
naging reaction nila sa gusto naming iparating. Nag-translate, hindi lang sa music kundi
pati sa dance. Kanya-kanya silang galaw pero sabay pa rin sa tugtog." De Leon smiles
- "Ang masaya pa talaga doon, sila lang yung nag-initiate."
Which is probably the whole point of the Makiling Ensemble's music - when everything and
everyone, granddaddies and punks, just blend into one throbbing, feel-good vibe. |
