(1466) MUSIC AND ME (Oct. 19, 2017) PRACTICING WITH MIKE AUNOR & BAND IN THE NOISY PRR ENGINE ROOM

MIKE AUNOR AND ME AT THE FINALS OF D' VOICE
     Multi-talented musician Mike "Wolf" Aunor sits beside me as fellow judge during the final day of D' Voice Palau in early 2015. Another judge was the late Ariel Vingcoy, who passed away 2 years ago due to multiple illness. Me, Mike and 3 other members of a band performed at the 2012 New Year's Eve Countdown at Palau Royal Resort's Waves Restaurant.
                   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


    PRACTICING WITH MIKE AUNOR
      AND 3 OTHER BAND MEMBERS
   IN THE NOISY PRR ENGINE ROOM 

ONE week before the 2012 New Year's Eve Countdown at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort, a 4-member band was hired by PRR to performed there. 

Usually, I used to practiced with the performers without being paid because I'm being paid by monthly.

But this is a challenging group that includes Mike "Wolf" Aunor, former graphics designer of Tia Belau Newspaper, where I am writing Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez for more than 15 years now. 

We practiced every day inside the PRR engine room where it is very noisy. Before playing at 6 pm

(Ariel Vingcoy, middle, is also a judge with me in the Blind Audition of D' Voice Palau)



at Waves Restaurant, I will practice with the band first for more than an hour.

There's a lady singer, a bass guitarist and a drummer, who used a wooden beat box because there is no available drum set at that time. Mike is playing the lead guitar.

I remember Mike asked me if I know the Japanese song "For You". I said yes and he gets the bass guitar, the lady singer sang it and presto! Mike's 'itchiness' of playing bass guitar fulfilled his dream of finding a person that can play that song in piano/keyboard.

Eventually, it was sang by the lady singer during our performance where a real drums were used for better quality of live music sounds.

The lady singer sang also one Chinese song.



Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 --January 01, 2018

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- January 01, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- January 01, 2018


    

(973) MUSIC AND ME (June 04, 2015) D' VOICE PALAU (One of the Judges in the Blind Audition)

LONG TIME IN PALAU, TOO
     Ariel Vingcoy has been to Palau a few years more than Roberto Hernandez. The two was selected by the TFCP elected officials to adjudge the Blind Audition of their fund raising program on Nov. 16, 2014 at Sunset Park. Before the start of the Blind Audition, they performed some dancing numbers to pump up the waiting crowd. There are some dancing even to the tune of Palauan song "TNT" sung by Roberto.

                    D' VOICE PALAU
   (One of the Judges in the Blind Audition)

For being one of the elected Board Members of The Filipino Community in Palau (TFCP), one way of sharing my talent in music is agreeing to be one of the judges in the Blind Audition of the first D’ Voice Palau to be held on Opening day of 2014 Palau National Chess Championship on Nov. 16, 2014.

I have played already my first round game against co-employee Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. 3 days prior to the opening day so that I can assist to the many needs of players (more than 40 of them).

At past 3pm, Palau erstwhile top player for 5 years Menandro Manuel asked me if we can play our game since he is leaving Palau after a 2-month job stint (Oct.-Dec. 2014).

Although I might be late for the Blind Audition, we played our 2nd round game on that day. I won in 32 moves and immediately proceed to Palau Royal Resort to have dinner and proceed to Sunset Park for the 1st round of the Blind Audition of D' Voice Palau.

I met a colleague there, Ariel Vingcoy, and we performed on the stage with him using the place's keyboard. We only have one mike and we alternately sing some upbeat songs, mostly reggae.

When I notice that there are some Palauans in the crowd, I sang "TNT", the Palauan version of the Hawaiian song "Baby Blue" in reggae beat.

Like any other first time occasion, the blind audition didn't go smoothly at first. Some contestants didn't have a CD of their song to be performed. One guy has a guitar, one even have the guts to ask us to accompany him with a keyboard while he is singing. Maybe, not knowing that we are judges of the event.

Mike Aunor, left, had played with Roberto Hernandez, right, in the 2010 New Year's Eve Countdown at Palau Royal Resort. Aunor is also one of the judges in the final day of D' Voice Palau.
                                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)