Text and photos

By Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

Direk Gil Portes of “Two Funerals” was on hand to watch Martin Macalintal rock. “Two Funerals” won the Cinemalaya Best Director and Special Jury (Director’s Showcase) will be screened at SM Megamall. September 6th Monday will be the celebrity premiere at Cinema 6, 6pm.

With apologies to Eminem the resurgent rapper and the classic melt in your mouth candy, here in the Philippines we have our own double M: Martin Macalintal. To a great number of film makers, musicians, painters, sculptors and artists of almost every kind Martin is definitely a superstar. As Audio-Visual Attaché at the French Embassy, he has assisted the likes of Brillante Mendoza and Raya Martin participate and win in Cannes, there’s Jim Libiran’s L’Avenir award at the Paris Film fest. In music he helps recruit countless bands for the yearly Fete Dela Musique. Many painters and sculptors have also exhibited their work at the prestigious Alliance Francaise De Manille with Martin’s help.

M&M aka Martin Macalintal in action

This is because it takes a good performer to know one.

Last Friday night September 3, it was Martin’s turn to rock as a keyboardist for the storied Executive Band. The band was originally formed by Senator Raul Manglapus. His son Francis now leads them as the drummer. Ricky Quioge, the vocalist, is definitely the most rock’n roll of the group having a throwback, masculine, hoarse voice that easily channels the likes of Louis Armstrong, the coolness of Nat King Cole and the Gershwin era. The Ayala Museum gig is part of a Jazz fest which will go on til next week.

Standing from left: Jethro Velasco – clarinet and alto sax, Ryan Dy - alto sax, Mike Tan – baritone sax, Arnel Zapanta – flute and trumpet, Ace Bernardo- trombone, Padon Patito – trumpet and Danny Zapanta – trombone Front row: Butch Silverio – Trumpet, Martin Macalintal – keyboards, Ricky Quiogue- vocals, Zenaida Celdran of the Ayala Museum, Bill Luz of the Ayala Foundation, Francis Maglapus – drums, Hector San Victores – tenor sax and Ale Rivera- violin.

With the Executive band the music is the star, not just any one individual. It takes you back to the roaring 20s, big band era in the 30s, 40s and even the Latin rhythms that exploded in the 60’s. Almost any genre that made use of a lively horn section which they have in droves: Jethro Velasco – clarinet and alto sax, Ryan Dy – alto sax, Mike Tan – baritone sax, Arnel Zapanta – flute and trumpet, Ace Bernardo- trombone, Padon Patito – trumpet, Danny Zapanta – trombone and Hector San Victores – tenor sax.

Francis Manglapus on drums and Butch Silverio on trumpet

A smiling Butch Silverio was on trumpet but also occasionally would conduct the band too. Jack Lagonoy is on that huge unmistakable bass. Although a number of them do have white hair, there are a number of young guys like violinist Ale Rivera.

The gig helps you travel through time to the glory days of boogie and Glen Miller playing tunes like: “Tuxedo Junction”, “Take the A Train” and “Night Train.” They also played the classic Harlem Globetrotters theme “Sweet Georgia Brown.”  How can Martin allow them to play music without a French tune? They also played “La Mer” and “C’Est Si Bon.”

I experimented with my Canon 450D's Sepia feature. This is an in-cam effect that I thought fit the subject.

Francis Manglapus joked to the crowd that “Girl from Ipanema” and “C’Est Si Bon”are from the 60’s, “which is quite new for us.” Ricky showed his vocal talent by singing “Walkin My Baby Back Home” by Nat King Cole, “Moonlight in Vermont” by Bing Crosby” and “Come Fly with Me” by Frank Sinatra. Ricky joked that when he told his pal that their gig was in the Ayala Museum (for that night) his friend said, “You belong there, in a museum.” This would mean that they belong not because of their age but because they’re valuable and that people want to see them.

from the Executive Bands facebook fan page:

“The current members of the band are also mostly amateur musicians led now by Francis Manglapus son of the late senator. Hector Sanvitores is president of Seacom Industires, Butch Silverio is president of Fordham Food Factory, Jings de Guzman is founder of Audiofile Electronics, Mike Tan is owner of a printing company, Ricky Quiogue works at Standard Charter Bank and Vince Tan is an executive vice president for Ayala Land.”