Friends A to spice up Teach Your Children
ANOTHER kiddie band taking the stage in this Sunday’s Teach
Your Children gig organized by the Samahan ng mga Musikeros sa Davao, Inc. (Samadhi) at MTS is
Friends A Band, a group
whose members have an age average of 11 years young.
Friends A started as a group of relatives playing music in
family gatherings. But now, the children perform beyond birthday parties of
their relatives.
They are all fresh, but they already play like veterans,
said Noli Bencio, the president of the organizing Samadhi which is the biggest
group of musicians in Davao City.
The band’s youngest is the drummer, nine-year-old Febriene
Pitao.
Febriene’s two older brothers, Francis Renz Lois and Franz
Joseph, are also in the band. Francis, the oldest member at 15, plays the bass
and lead guitar while Franz, 11, takes the bass.
Also in the band are the cousins of the Pitaos – 12-year-old
keyboardist Len Nesmer Catindi and 11-year-old vocalist Jayrald Domingo who
also doubles on keyboard.
Newly tapped lead vocalist LJ Bohol is just 10 years old but
she sings like a professional.
The band was initially designed as group exclusive for Pitao
relatives.
Before they were formally formed in the summer of 2006, the
Pitao cousins were playing in family gatherings like birthdays with Matet
Domingo on the vocals.
But since the 15-year-old Matet grew too tall and that she’s
busy with her study in
Panabo City, she has to quit the
band.
Francisco “Kiks” Pitao, the father of the Pitaos who founded
and manages the band, said he plans to have the band as young as possible.
“Members have to graduate upon reaching a certain age… 18
perhaps,” Kik said. He is sure that the overage member of the band can pursue
solo or other projects, especially with their experience acquired while in the
group.
He envisioned Friends A Band to become a training ground for
talented young musicians, “relatives or not.”
In fact, the newest band vocalist is not a relative.
Pitao accidentally discovered LJ last July just as Matet
left the band.
The Grade 5 girl was singing videoke at Blowing Up Music Bar
and Grill owned by the Pitaos located in Dagat Diri. Bo. Pampanga in Barangay
Sasa.
“It was my children who noted that LJ has a good voice,”
Kiks said. “They asked me to recruit LJ.”
Kiks said he was also impressed with the performance of LJ,
LJ eventually became one of the friends, and it ushered a
new chapter in the band history since an “outsider” was welcomed to the group.
Friends A Band was named after Kiks’ former band, Friends
Band, which was active in Davao in the 80s and 90s. He was in the band’s wind section, playing the trumpet,
together with saxophonist Ric Junasa who later became a member of South Border.
Kiks said he initially wanted the children to play wind
instruments like the trumpets and saxophones.
But since playing wind instruments at the very young age is
not advisable since children still have milk teeth, the kids were instead train
to plan string instruments and drums.
He said the children are not only limited to one instrument.
“Each member can play the instrument of the other member,” Kiks said. “They
switch instruments during their performance.”
Kiks said the band is now into composing their own songs and
hoping to release an album in the future.
“We want them to sing songs with positive messages,” Kiks
said. Among the topics of their songs are environment, child protection, and
youth empowerment. Love songs, he said, is not a priority in the list.
The band’s last major performance was in Sundance 2007 in
Island Garden City of Samal last February. They also performed in the Hito
Festival in Calinan last August 30, and the Foundation Day of Hizon public
school.
While the kids have still no regular club gigs, but there
are lots of invitations for them to play in special occasions, Kiks said.
The Friends A Band will perform with other young musical
acts based in
Davao this Sunday evening at Matina Town
Square for the Teach Your Children benefit gig.
Also in the list are the funny Palad Brothers, The Cousins and saxophonist Nico
Dumlao. Show starts at 7:30 pm.
