I Ain’t Only Write, I Sing Too

 

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I relished some pages of the hard bound I bought The Soul of It All (My Music, My Life) that talks about the life story of rock, R&B (Rhythm and Blues), and pop singer Michael Bolton that I kept all the time in my fatigue knapsack. Damn, I whisked out the stuff whenever I was snagged in a dull situation like waiting for my name being called by a teller in a bank or money remittance center.

The only thing I could not fast read it when I was struck with a dull talker hahahaha!

Since I loved to sing and play guitar and hear (since high school) mostly foreign singers, I was glued with interest what Bolton has to say on the following:

“I heard Stevie Wonder perform recently and it’s amazing how the quality and range of his voice are still as strong as ever. His voice is superior on every level – in its range, flexibility, and power. Stevie’s singing also has an ethereal, inspired soulfulness that may be beyond the reach of most mere mortals”.

Photo is internet grab

I agree about what Bolton said.

The song My Cherie Amour I played for the umpteenth times when the blind Stevie Wonder’s belted Lately and My Cherie Amour when he exhorted the crowd in the latter song to sing its introduction or what musician calls in a song book as “intro” and first verse:

La la la la la la
La la la la la la

My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as the milky way
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine

His iconic voice never stop to mesmerize me. Just like the blind Ray Charles weaving vigorously  his head, where both sport a dark sunglasses, while belting “Georgia on My Mind” I played several times after Georgia State in the U.S.A gave us those breathtaking poll counting how between presidential rivals Democrats Sleepy Joe Biden and Sore Loser Donald “The Donald” Trump snare the 16 Electoral College Votes there and where Biden and Trump got a hair thin popular votes of 2,473,633 (49.50% ) and 2,461,854 (49.26% ), respectively.

“Was that song sang by Stevie Wonder?” I asked folk-rock singer Jun Lahi when I dropped by for the second time to the folk-rock bar’s Cuervo Makati in the Red District's Barangay Poblacion, Makati City in October 13, 2017 after he finished belting the scintillating song.

Before he sang it by the way he told the mostly foreign patrons “This song is dedicated for my media friend Mortz Ortigoza of Dagupan City”.

“No, it’s the song of Ray Charles,’ he retorted.

He added: “It’s your time to sing your favorite Desperado (by Eagles)”.

                                                        ***

Let’s go back to Bolton.

“Technically, Stevie is acknowledged to have the greatest range (of voice) of any singer in the history of popular music. His top notes in full voice after well above high C,” he said.

Talking about the “High C”, Bolton said that Italian consummate operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti Cavaliere di Gran Croce was the greatest tenor ever. His power, his magnificence, his tone, and, behind it all, his personality were combined in a way he had never heard elsewhere, even as he studied, as Luciano put it, “the tenor”.

“One of my favorite moments during the performance was the grand finale, when my turn came to step up to the microphone, following Pavarotti, and sing a verse of ‘Nessun Dorma’. He was gesturing to me to take over, very visibly supportive, smiling, and joyful, which helped ease my nerves. At the same time, everything was accelerated and elevated. The tone, power, and perfect control of his phenomenal voice was felt by all my senses, setting the bar as high as it could go for my entrance. The sensation was both inspiring and demanding. The audience was pleasantly surprised when I hit the high note. Just after that Luciano walked behind me and gave a thumbs-up. I couldn’t see him, but I heard the audience reaction, and of course I’ve only replayed that part of the video six or seven -thousand – times”.

Okay ‘nough said. This yokel has to go back to his room and mimic’s Bolton’s How Am I Supposed to Live With Out You where he struggled on the high toned lyrics:

Tell me how am supposed to live without you?
Now that I've been lovin' you so long
How am I supposed to live without you?
And how am I supposed to carry on?
When all that I've been livin' for is gone

Just like the high note’s chorus of Bruno Mar’s Versace on the Floor, this wannabe singer could conquer someday his frustration on those parts of the two songs.

“Just like Bolton hitting those High Cs of Pavarotti’s ‘Nessun Dorma" this writer told himself for the impossibility and incredibility of his illusion to be a singer.

Hinde naman masama ang mangarap. Ang problema lang noong last na kumanta ako sa Mindanao noong na locked down ako, five junkies or narco addicts were arrested by the cops dahil sa kinanta ko hahahaha!

READ MY OTHER BLOG/COLUMN:

Filipino Folk Rock Singers in Makati

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)