Emerging Artist Series: Young Morrie

Apart from opportunities to work and collaborate with established artists, one of the satisfying moments in an arts career is taking note of emerging artists and following their career trajectory. Admittedly, some of those I’ve observed did indeed soar to dizzying heights, and some have crawled to frustration and oblivion. As someone who has gone through the artist’s ups and downs, I always harbor high hopes for an emerging artist. And one such fellow is rap artist Young Morrie.

Young Morrie is Ralph Giralao in real life, 25 years old, born in General Santos in the Philippines, and was on his third year of nursing studies when his family moved to Edmonton five years ago. And like any young man eager to claim independence in a foreign adopted country, he worked different jobs mostly in the food and entertainment service industry.

As a young child, Ralph remembers accompanying his father to the video rental store and seeing a drum set in the store next door. And because he was still too small to play that particular drum set, his father started him on piano lessons instead. He would later train himself on drums by observing and imitating other drummers, using the couch and whatever was handy at home as his drums. His love for music was established during his elementary years - performing with school bands and composing his first song in Grade 5. The band gigs and song writing would continue up to his adult years. His favorite music artists and influences would include Eminem, Andrew E, Blink 182, Bamboo, Salbakuta, Kawago, Story of the Year, Snoop Dogg, and Powerspoonz.

In Canada, he looked for a band to join but for some reason, it just did not pan out. This lead him to a period of frustration, desiring for an outlet for his music. Being an introvert, music was his way of connecting with people. This period also lead him to a period of introspection, of self-discovery, and a mature way of looking at life. He saw the inability to join a band as the universe’s way of telling him that he just might need to go in another direction. He thought, “If I can’t find a band, why not use my music writing myself?” Fortuitously, at work, where he has the habit of singing/rapping out his latest beats, a co-worker encouraged him to come up with a mixed tape. This was when Ralph decided to use the stage name Young Morrie, inspired by Mitch Albom’s book Tuesdays with Morrie. The emergence of Young Morrie was in August 2015. Since then, he would record and upload his music, and perform during Open Mic nights at Tavern on Whyte.

I first came into contact with Young Morrie through the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta last June 2016, where he was one of the performers for the Entertainment Program, of which I was the organizer. He then struck me as a very easy person to talk to, respectful and at the same time intense. He was one of the few performers in the Fiesta who sang original works, instead of doing covers. To date, he has a total of 25 compositions, 14 of which still need to be recorded. Among those recorded and available in the Young Morrie YouTube channel, Facebook page and iTunes are: In It, Get the Money, After 5, Blue Wave, Moment with You, High, Question Air, I’m Sorry, Drive, Hold on Tight, among others. His album was produced by Juno-nominated, Western Canadian Music awardee, and Canadian Independent Music awardee, Mr. Sandro Dominelli. Based on public feedback during the Fiesta, Young Morrie was one of the favorite performances.

Since then, we’ve been in touch through social media - listening to his new music, providing feedback when solicited and keeping up with his various guestings. I am struck by the contrast in persona of the Young Morrie and Ralph Giralao. Whereas Young Morrie comes across in performances as the confident, ready to face the world and its challenges, young man, Ralph on the other hand, portrays the typical young artist treading on career insecurities, obstacles and wistfulness of one yearning for validation and recognition. His dialogue in our conversation vacillates from a determination of living out the dream, to the practicalities - facing the realities and hardships of life. He counters this conflict by inspiring and motivating himself through his favorite books: Tuesdays with Morrie, Steal Like an Artist, Awaken the Giant Within, and Relentless.

The music of Young Morrie is a snapshot in time of Ralph Giralao’s life. Music is Ralph’s way of verbalizing and expressing his thoughts and feelings, and once it’s out there, causes him to reflect and understand his behaviour and dreams. It is admirable when someone makes himself vulnerable, opening one’s heart and mind. He is focused in being true to himself and in living life to the fullest - essential lessons and guiding principles learned from Tuesdays with Morrie. I am glad that Ralph has the Young Morrie alter ego to channel and harness his aspirations. In this quest, how can one not hope but only for the best for him in all his endeavours? For Ralph Giralao/Young Morrie, music is his journey. With or without fame and fortune, I wish for him an awesome and extremely fulfilling ride.

For all artists, both the established and especially the emerging ones, a rapport with the audience is essential, and a validation of your work. Go check out his music and connect with him through the Young Morrie YouTube channels, Facebook page and better yet, purchase them through iTunes.

This article was published in the January 2017 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Arts in a Business Model

The Panciteria de Manila in downtown Edmonton has evolved through the years, from its opening in 2012, from a family run eatery on popular Filipino foods, to a Filipino hang out, and incubator of emerging and suppressed talent. Owned and operated by Bayani Alcantara, together with wife Lorena, they have, wittingly or unwittingly, woven art in a successful business model.

I initially regarded Panciteria de Manila as another one of the sprouting Filipino restaurants in the city, eager to brand it based on which Filipino food/s it would stand out against the others. However, while organizing the entertainment program for last June’s Edmonton Filipino Fiesta, I noticed that there was a circle of performers whose common denominator was the Panciteria de Manila, and Bayani Alcantara. This then made me very curious and eventually impressed with the ongoings at this hive of a place and the person behind this concept. 

Bayani Alcantara hails from V. Luna, Quezon City, studied at the University of the

Philippines and worked at St. Luke’s as a cardiovascular technician. His family arrived in Edmonton in April 2002. Like other immigrant stories, he took on an assortment of jobs in Edmonton all the way up to Fort McMurray. He has a passion for youth causes, so it’s not surprising that the restaurant has become a vehicle for this - to detract them from vices, to develop a sense of belonging in the restaurant’s circle of customers and performers, at the same time providing an opportunity to demonstrate and hone their talents. He also sits as Director for the Clairview Multicultural Centre, under the auspices of the City of Edmonton. 

Belonging to a family in the restaurant business, Bayani conceptualized Panciteria as a fast food type of restaurant (place your order in the counter, no servers type) with an area for karaoke, considered the Filipinos’ favorite past time. Gradually, customers would request for extended time to sing, then a scheduled performance, and later on, suggestions for technical equipment and stage set-up. These would normally be people who belonged in bands and were performers in the Philippines and are wanting to find an outlet for their talents here in Edmonton. Bayani would readily accommodate these requests, eager to nurture and improve their shows. The restaurant now hosts a weekly karaoke and live band night, produces special shows, and functions as a performing venue for veteran performers, and training ground for emerging ones.The acts were no longer confined to karaoke but broadened to acoustic music, improv-comedy, open mic and poetry nights (“Hugot Lines”), bands, variety shows/musicals, art exhibits and fundraisers. 

These opportunities have not only given growth to the individual performers but have also fostered collaborations amongst them. Through his connections with the Clairview Multicultural Centre, he has provided performing engagements for his in-house artists. He dreams that the artists he has been instrumental in developing will find viable careers and gain renown in their chosen fields. 

Some of the products of this performers’ incubator and who have continued to earn engagements elsewhere and developed a following are: The Girls of Crazy Sexy Cool; Sooner Band; Escapo; Dos Diablos; Genghis Rex; Stringed Sessions; Kainos; Diversity; Headcakes; and hosts Ode Mamu, Kriss Diva, Donna M., Emjae, Nelly, Bhelle, Kim JD and TJ. The Panciteria has also featured Enoch Attey, Jamaican singer and guitarist and Music Coordinator of iHuman Society, who was a regular customer, and other Canadian artists of country music, thereby increasing the restaurant’s customer base. 

During his student years, Bayani used to hang out in this folk/pub house where the likes of Lolita Carbon, Heber Bartolome and Noel Cabangon used to play. It is sweet that he has come full circle now, having hosted shows by Lolita and Heber this year at Panciteria. Other produced shows include: Bamboo (2014), Parokya ni Edgar, Ely Buendia (2015) and Klowns Komedy Bar (2016). 

Although the support provided to these performers stemmed from his passion for youth causes, it has generated more income for the business - emphasizing the symbiosis of arts and financial sustainability. The in-house shows have been a vehicle to reinvent the restaurant. This is a model where one aspect of the business markets the other. 

Filipinos normally don’t bond together easily but they bond together through food, drinking, singing. It is not uncommon to have people in different tables, strangers to each other, end up connecting their tables and becoming fast friends. Panciteria revives the atmosphere of a town plaza/square where people commune, congregate to celebrate. A percentage of Filipinos come to the restaurant to celebrate their Canadian citizenship after their oath taking ceremony at the Service Canada a couple of blocks away. It has also been a place where romance has blossomed and a subsequent wedding celebrated. 

Panciteria de Manila has evolved in a way that not even Bayani has envisioned. But this evolution has been organic, stemming from the man’s passion for youth development, and a basic desire to relive what he misses in his life back in the Philippines. He performs the roles of entreprenuer, talent developer, promoter and booker with a humble and cheerful disposition. In Bayani, I found a kindred spirit in aspiring to elevate the profile of the Filipino within a multi-cultural society, and the honing and showcasing of Filipino talent. Kudos to the man who is indeed living up to his name of being a hero and a champion to so many he has helped and is supporting in his endeavours!  

* This article was published in the Alberta Filipino Journal December 2016 issue.

Filipino Voice for the Airwaves

The Akash Broadcasting panel

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)  released  a call for applications  for an ethnic radio station in Edmonton. Edmonton’s population growth over the past two years has outpaced that of Alberta as a whole, and was over three times that of the current estimates of growth for Canada. The largest groups of immigrants come from the Philippines and India. Alberta Employment and Immigration found there were over 130 languages identified by new immigrants destined to the province as their mother tongue with English, Tagalog, Punjabi, Mandarin, and Spanish consistently in the top five languages. With currently only  one radio  station  for the ethnic communities, 101.7 World FM, the need for at least another ethnic radio station was evident.

I  was approached  to be a part of the panel for the application for a license by Akash Broadcasting, based in BC. This was my first foray into the world of radio broadcast, not counting the few projects I did as part of my Theatre Arts Bachelor’s degree at the University of the Philippines. Needless to say, the whole experience was fascinating to me. The amount of work and resources required for an application alone, is staggering. There’s the engineering survey, the market research, financial feasibility, audience demographics, programming options, to name a few, that needs thorough research. And then comes the most crucial phase of the application, which I was involved in, the hearings with the Commission.

My commitment involved four intense days of preparation and the actual hearing day, with a very dynamic and committed group representing different sectors of the community: Tejinderpaul Singh - well-known broadcaster with Shaw Multicultural Channel, performing artist, teacher, and volunteer; Herkiranjeet Kaur Mann - entrepreneur; Marco Luciano - advocate of migrant rights; Nav Kaur - educator and equity advocate; Simrat Cheema - radio and television broadcaster; Satnam Rai - financial advisor; Kanak Chamarty and Julie Zhang - journalists; Jagdeep Sandhu - telecom engineer, talk show host and DJ; Stephen Zolf - legal counsel; Andrew Forsyth - broadcast consultant; Kerry Pelser - consulting engineer; and Rita Cugini - adviser. The five-day stint we shared was marked with enriching, diverse dialogue, validated and challenged perspectives, and initiated relationships. We shared our vision and desires for an ethnic radio station, immigrant stories, employment issues, child rearing practices, educational philosophies, ways of life, entertainment preferences, and humour. In all these interaction, I kept in mind that I was there primarily as a Filipino and an artist.

There were a total of 11 applications for this call. The hearing for all applicants went for four whole days, sometimes stretching to the evening. The whole process allowed for inquiries and rebuttals from Commissioners, other applicants, supporters and opposers of an applicant.

The applications had commonalities in their objective - to complement, and not compete, with the existing ethnic radio station, in offering extended programming for underserved communities mainly in the languages of Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. For programming dedicated to the Filipino community, 101.7 World FM currently allots 3-4 hours one day a week.  

It does not need to be emphasized that another ethnic radio station in Edmonton will only benefit the Filipino community. As an artist, I see this as a bonus opportunity to develop and promote works of Filipino artists, and open up avenues of collaboration with other cultural groups. As a Filipino, this is a way to build a community with other Filipinos in this country and to reflect on our culture in a global framework. As a Canadian, this is a platform that stresses the importance of, and regard towards diversity, and honouring each other’s cultural perspective. So regardless of which applicant is granted the license, regardless of whether we have supported an applicant or not, the Filipino community should rally to support and patronize whoever is granted a license to operate this ethnic radio station.  Because as succinctly articulated by Thomas Berry, “Diversity is the magic. It is the first manifestation, the first beginning of the differentiation of a thing and of simple identity. The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection.” Let our voices be heard.


This article was published in the Alberta Filipino Journal November 2016 issue.

Dancing in the Park 2016

When you live in a place marked by harsh winters and freezing temperatures, you maximize the outdoor time nature provides you with sunny +20 weather. Yesterday was such a day when we decided to stroll around the Farmer's Market at South Common, the Street Performers Festival at the Churchill Square and the Dancing in the Park at the Alberta Legislative grounds.

Dancing in the Park was a roving performance of five groups - Read Fenton and Happy Hep Cats, Hit that Jive Dance Crew; Tia Kushniruk, Katherine Semchuk (and another girl whose name I missed); CRIPSiE (Collaborative Radically Integrated Performers Society in Edmonton); and Toy Guns Dance Theatre, lead by Artistic Director Jake Hastey. The evening ended with a swing dance lesson and party by Let's Swing Dance.

The reason we went to Dancing in the Park was to see Katherine Semchuk perform again. We were so impressed with her technique, musicality and movement sensibility at the Feats Festival of Dance last July 8, which we watched due to our son's performance with Synaethesis Dance Theatre. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that Katherine was one of the dancers we gave master classes to at Victoria School of Performing Arts, and in Jojo's choreography "Women in Waiting". Amazing dancer.

It was wonderful to see CRIPSiE once again. The first time I saw them was in an Orchesis show at the University of Alberta. I was so moved that I joined them in a movement class at the Glenrose.

Toy Guns Dance Theatre was an absolute delight. It's a pity that it took us a while to know of this group. Easily rectifiable, their next show is at the Fringe. From the title alone, "Watching Netflix at 3am Questioning Your Mortality" you get a sense that you will witness tongue in cheek humour. But you get more - strong and eloquent dancing, clever choreographic counterpoints, movements and musicality that felt Pina Bausch-y. And yes, we found out after the show that he did follow the Pina Bausch company like a groupie (in a good way). Good to know too that there's a little bit of history with choreographer/artistic director Jake Hastey, as our paths have crossed at some point with the Edmonton School of Ballet and Dance Unlimited connections. As mentioned previously, do catch the Toy Guns Dance Theatre's performances at the Fringe Festival. They are so inspiring that I even verbalized the idea of taking their class. Well, let's see how my body and courage will hold up to that.

Needless to say, our foray into outdoor performances yesterday made for one exhilarating experience.

Karilagan Dance Society at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

The Karilagan Dance Society is one of the featured performers at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

Karilagan Dance Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1971 from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is composed of Filipino-Canadians who aim to promote and live the Filipino culture and heritage through dances, songs and culture. This group has been travelling, performing and competing in and out of the country taking home major prizes.

For the Fiesta, they will be performing:

Bumaya - Is an Ifugao dance of thanksgiving to their God for a bountiful harvest. The movements of this dance mimic those of a rooster scratching the ground.

Binasuan - Means with the use of a drinking glass. The dancers display good balance, graceful movements, and unusual skills. They dance with three glasses half-full of water, one on their heads and one each in the palm of their hands as they execute continuous fast turns, sitting and rolling on the floor.

Binuyugan - A dance that portrays women fetching water from the well.

Tinikling - Known as the bamboo dance, the national dance of the Philippines. It is a dance imitating the movements of “tikling” birds as they play and chase each other. The dancers show their skills, endurance and grace as they hop and leap between two bamboo poles that are clicked together in time with the music.

Paunjalay - From the island of Mindanao, here is a tribal dance called “Paunjalay” that is traditionally performed by the bride and groom prior to their wedding.

Singkil - A dance of Muslim royalty, to the rhythmic clapping of bamboo poles, the dancers weave expertly through crisscrossed bamboo poles in solemn faces and maintaining a dignified pose dancing at a slow pace as it progresses to a faster tempo.

D'9 Zero Crew at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

The D'9 Zero Crew is one of the featured performers in the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

The D’9 Zero Crew was formed in October 2015. They are a group of 4 millennials who were teenagers during the 90’s in the Philippines. That’s what the “9 Zero” stands for, the decade of the 90’s. They didn’t know each other then in the Philippines, and just met each other through friends here in Edmonton. They discovered that they all have the same passion, dancing.They all had their own dance crew back then. They claim “We may be old now, don’t have the same body built and can’t perform as energetic as we were before, but our passion for dancing is still burning inside.”

Couples in Harmony at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

Couples in Harmony is one of the featured performers at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

Couples in Harmony was formed in October of 2008. Inspired during the worship in their household prayer meeting, they sang beautifully and spirit-filled. Since then came the birth of the choir serving different parishes and has welcomed other members who share the same passion in music and serving the church.