SITTI-ng Pretty

A Bossa Nova Boom.

That's how we ought to remember 2006 by
when we look back on the current OPM scene,
many decades from now.

And I'm sure that one artist's voice
will still be heard on many playlists,
in the same way that Astrud Gilberto's
is still very much around, 40 years on.



SITTI exploded onto the Pinoy consciousness
only half a year ago,
yet I fully expect to be enjoying her music
many many years from now.



In six short months,
she's directly influenced the release
of at least 20 local & foreign Bossa CDs.
Along the way,
she's also become a TV star,
hosting the Kapamilya's Pinoy Dream Academy.



Yesterday,
a pirate friend gave me a bootleg CD
with many of Sitti's unreleased live performances
of songs such as:

Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered
Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang
I Honestly Love You
Saranggola ni Pepe
How Did You Know
Limang Dipang Tao
Smooth Operator

After playing the new songs over & over again...
I fell head over heels for her all over again!

This brought me back to the 1st time I saw her,
Friday night at her Stone House homebase,
April 21, 2006.

Here's my account of that excellent evening:



Lola Sally's Clan was at Stone House by 8:30pm;
and we just managed to get the last available table,
that early in the evening!!!

And the management of the venue,
knowing how the "IT" girl's popularity was exponentially rising,
decided to start charging a P100 cover fee
that very night.

After a few beers,
I started bugging Garrie, Sitti's manager,
to make sure that we had pictures taken with the star.
By this time, a few minutes before 10pm,
the tiny piano bar was already Standing Room Only.



Finally, Sitti showed up!!!

and as expected,
she blew us away.

she sounds even better live than on her CD!!!
and she's a cutie,
very charming~~

not an intimidating 5'10" as we thought.
she's only around 5'4",
but definitely a giant in terms of talent.....


she started off with Girl from Ipanema,
and sang a bunch of songs from her CD
including her single "Para Sa Akin",
and closed the first set with Tattooed On My Mind.

For her 2nd set,
she showcased a killer version of "Pais Tropical"...
...and WOW (!) she sang "Lanca Perfume".
Children of the 80's rejoiced!!!


This is how she sings:
swaying and grooving to the music of her excellent jazz quartet,
eyes closed, feeling the music...

remember Julie Delpy in "Before Sunset"
and how sexycool she slinked & grooved
in that classic final scene of the movie?
That's Sitti's style.



as the 3rd set began,
the adoring crowd was cooled down by this old hipster dude
who played a mean harmonica a la Stevie Wonder.
Sitti's highlights in her final set were:
Ryan Cayabyab's "Liman Dipang Tao" and
Celeste Legaspi's "Saranggola ni Pepe".

After two encore songs, it was time to go...

It was 1:30am,
and after a Hot Night with Sitti,
and time for Steaming Lugaw at Pilo's on Timog!!!



for the latest on SITTI,
including her gig skeds,
here's her official website:
http://stonehouse1.multiply.com/