Positive vibes fuel Pinoy band in UAE


AL AIN, United Arab Emirates — For the musical group Session Zone, it's all about good chemistry and positive vibes.

“Positive music comes from positive minds,” said the group's guitarist Randy Francisco via email. “Such music uplifts the soul to greater heights, feels good and makes you happy.”

Francisco, an interior designer who moonlights as photographer/videographer, described Session Zone as a “band with awesome chemistry, one that balances each other, energizes each other, and works together to create and perform great music.”

The seven-man musical ensemble had its first major performance on October 12, 2012 during the concert of soul princess Jonalyn Viray here.

Aside from Francisco, the other band members  are saxophonist/flutist Randy Michael Rex Bacarra, 36, a music teacher and a member of the Abu Dhabi Big Band; bassist Ray An Cenicio, 33, a music teacher; keyboardist Marvin Damuag, 34, a pianist at The British Club; drummer Jerome Vidanes, 34, an archives clerk; and singer Hyacinth De Cena, 30, a secretary.

Its sole non-Pinoy member, French violinist Thomas Jean Henri Mauduit, 32, meanwhile, is a software programmer at a security company.

Asked on the source of all the positive vibes in their music, Francisco said: “We believe positive music exists in all genres, from ballads, to country music to rock music which infuses positive content and Session Zone band is versatile and experienced in performing all kinds of music.”

Francisco is no musical neophyte. At 36, he has experienced performing with a former French Ambassador to the UAE (who was a blues/jazz musician) in a band.  He had also been a member of a funk-rock band called Viscous Mishmash.

Spellbound audiences

Francisco said their audiences “are mostly kabayans and some music-loving Europeans” who “are usually spellbound since the violin and the saxophone create magic when performed live.”

After their performance with Viray, Session Zone got booked again to perform with Duncan Ramos, Sitti Navarro, and Princess Velasco in December 2012; with Juris Fernandez in February 2013; with Nina in March 2013; and recently with Aiza Seguerra in September 2013.

“We also perform in various hotels across the UAE such as in the Emirates Palace Hotel, Hilton Abu Dhabi, Dusit Thani, Le Meridien, Le Royal Meridien, and Crown Plaza,” Francisco said.

Challenges

Although versatile in all genres, Session Zone still experiences challenges when performing.

“The main challenge is time. But it’s worth all the trouble when we finally perform and see our audience enjoying our music,” Francisco said.

He said the band makes it a point to choose its songs based on the audience. “The performing venue is [also] a key factor. When we play in various hotels, our audience varies and we practice all genres of music to reach out to them.”

Their Filipino audience, in particular, prefers OPM and old songs, Francisco said.

“Old songs like the APO [Hiking Society] medley can encourage Filipinos to sing,” he said. “These OPM songs really pleased kabayans.”

“It is very important to be a part of their eagerness and their desire for good music. Positive music is any music that makes people in high spirits, energized, and makes them sing along,” he concluded. — KBK, GMA News

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