Binky Lampano: Back to sing the blues

After a seven-year absence from the local music scene, veteran bluesman Binky Lampano is back in Manila for a one-night-only performance that has the blues community abuzz.

“Welcome to the Blues” is set for Aug. 12 at Strumms Makati and also features Bluesviminda and Ian Lofamia Band.

The Los Angeles-based Lampano reunites with Lampano Alley, the blues band he founded in the ‘90s that has cemented its status as a pioneering group creating original music in the genre.

Lampano guides the group’s musical direction and acts as frontman and songwriter. Tom Colvin plays harp, Kwachi Vergara guitar, Simon Tan bass, and Rey Vinoya the drums.

“It’s great to be back with my bandmates after all these years,” said Lampano. “We’ve had several rehearsal sessions, and I’d say we’re ready to put on a good show.”

Lampano migrated to the US nearly 15 years ago. After that, he maintained a presence in the music scene by coming back to Manila yearly to gig, but his last performance with “Alley” was back in 2008.

A musician since the early 1980s, Lampano has blazed trails in whatever genre he’s chosen to perform. His influence over the succeeding generation of musicians is evident in the homage paid to him by the band Sandwich, which mentions him in their song “Betamax”—“Disyembre ni Binky Lampano”—a reference to the first band he was a part of, new wave group Deans December.
In the early ‘90s, he flourished in a solo rock career, recording the hits “Kwentong Looban” and “Hallelujah”, among others.

After that he discovered the blues—“it was a revelation”—and composed original songs for Lampano Alley for the group’s only album so far, “Songs from the Alley” (2002).

Lampano also added that during his seven-year absence, he composed enough new lyrics and music “to fill two albums,” that, once recorded, will be a treasure trove for fans of the group and the genre.

For their gig on Aug. 12, Lampano said, “We have a setlist of 30 songs that includes our originals 'Losing You,' 'Hold On Me,' and 'Ganyan Lang,' blues standards, and new music.”

Event impresario Roy Allan Magturo said that as early as two weeks ago, and even with minimum publicity, interest had reached such a pitch that “we anticipate that Strumms will be packed. We request people to come early.”

When asked if Lampano Alley would actually play all 30 songs on their setlist, Magturo grinned and said, “Walang tulugan!” — BM, GMA News

“Welcome to the Blues” is a one-night-only performance on Aug. 12, Wednesday, at Strumms, 110 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati. For reservations, call 895-4636 or 890-1054. Gate opens at 7:30 p.m. There is no entrance fee.