“Calling My Name” Unplugged performance

Without electronic instruments for a change, Ron performs “Calling My Name” with songwriter Kristine Sina, keyboardist Mark Tayag Davis, and dancers Jericho Rose and Lady Kalayaan.

Kulintronica is Radio Republic’s “Daily Track” for February 25, 2014!

Kulintronica is Radio Republic’s Daily Track for February 25th, 2014

So excited to be a Daily Track in Radio Repbulic’s 2014 calendar (see the profile here)!  I am not the first Filipino artist from outside the Philippines to be listed here, and I’m not even the first artist from California to be listed here, but I do believe I am the first kulintang player to be featured here.  I’m so grateful to be mentioned in the same lineup with OPM artists 6Cyclemind, Sugarfree, Gloc-9, Denise Barbacena, Uela Basco (of the Chilitees), Mishka Adams, Indio I, and Nouvul.

As mentioned in the article, I am a huge OPM fan and when I am in the Philippines I spend quite a bit of time seeking out new music and enjoying the vibrante Pinoy Rock scene in Manila.  Eraserheads’ “Aloha Milkyway” was my first OPM album; and their “Natin99,” Up Dharma Down’s “Bipolar,” and Kjwan’s “2StepMarv” were very influential to me and I had these in heavy rotation when I was first developing the Kulintronica sound.

Kulintronica is Radio Republic’s Daily Track for February 25th, 2014

Just minutes before the Daily Track was posted, I completed this video blog that gives what would have been all the latest Kulintronica updates had this latest development not taken place.

Next gig:

February 26th, 2014 – Hult International Business School

Kulintronica LAUNCH is 12/29/13 at Pa’ina Lounge in San Francisco

Kulintronica LAUNCH is 12/29/13 at Pa’ina Lounge in San Francisco featuring live art by Kristian Kabuay, music from Sheryl Ann Padre, an all-star kulintang jam hosted by Kapwa Kulintang, and an all new live performance of electronic dance music kulintangan.

Kulintronica featuring Waway Saway “River Clouds”

Now available on iTunes is Kulintronica featuring Waway Saway playing “River Clouds,” an ethereal and emotional instrumental written in the mountain ranges of Bukidnon and performed in San Francisco while Saway stopped over after his performance at New York City’s Lincoln Center.

Waway Saway is a Talaandig artist who builds wooden instruments by hand and creates paintings with sand, but was very comfortable when Ron started powering up and firing off machines and synthesizers when making music together.

Saway performed with Kulintronica at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Asian Heritage Street Celebration, and the Filipino Community Center in Fulton before going into Xubee Music studios to shoot the performance music video that eventually evolved into this full fledged record that also features John Roselada on keyboards.

A gift from Waway Saway

Waway Saway, musician from the Southern Philippines, spent a week in and around San Francisco in which we spent quite some time jamming and talking about the development of Filipino music.

Pictured here is a bamboo kubingthat he made himself pictured resting on one of my analog synthesizers onstage before a performance.

Waway brought his organic tribal folk sound along with his handmade katyapi and tambuleleleng string instruments and graciously participated in one of my typical musical experiments combining indigenous Filipino music with electronic instruments and live looping.

In the pit for PCN 2013 season

Sitting with the Tan family as the Haranistas de Manila, ready to lead dual National Anthems “Star Spangled Banner” (aka Oh Say Can You See?) and “Lupang Hinirang” (aka Bayan Magiliw).

The Tan family toured internationally with Bayanihan Dance Company, providing live music on the gamut of Filipino instruments including gongs, bamboo, and the rondalla Filipino guitar ensemble.

Left, is Bayani Tan, band leader, arranger, and octavina player. Center, is Ador Tan, former b-boy and current motorcycle enthusiast, flew up from Los Angeles to play banduria. Right, is Melissa Tan, who was lead vocalist and kulintang soloist with Bayanihan, here playing laud. Not pictured, playing upright bass is Celisse Tan who also plays marimba. Celisse played lead kulintang for this PCN.

I’ve been playing six string, gangsa, tong a tong, and gandingan with the Haranistas on the PCN circuit since before I could legally drink in California.

Kulintang playing as fast as you can see in Waipahu

Kulintangan Pearl City

September Kulintang Sessions

September kulintangan up and down California.

Filipino Performing Arts & Culture (FPAC20) in San Pedro, California

FPAC Kulintronica by J Bashiri

Filipino Fest at Six Flags

Kulintang and Eskrima Filipino Fest Six Flags Vallejo by M Williams

Nieto Art Gallery