The Music Minded Brods

 By Gilbert Joven UP β∑ Diliman ’66 and Mars Robosa UP β∑ Diliman ‘71b

Music is well entrenched into the hearts and minds of the brods. We sing to our hearts delight, we form singing groups and know how to entertain ourselves, not just during jug-a-lags with our drinking songs and certainly not only in the shower, but we take our music seriously. What better way to describe the feeling than to quote the brods on this subject.

From BROD VEE DE VERA
"Music is an enviable part of the fraternity life. BROD "Kuya" DOMINGO, the late BROD NING DE LA PAZ and others introduced the "Beatnik" sounds complete with bongos, guitars, congas and tambourines, played till morning in the frathouse. Brod BEN BALBENTA polished his singing among the brods in the early 60s to later become "The Trini Lopez of the Philippines". The 60s saw the birth of "The Beta Sigma Broken Chords" composed of BRODS ROTSEN LAWAS, RENE TIAMZON, PERCY PEREZ and VEE DE VERA. Music is alive and still being played in Los Baños."

"The frat's golden voice, BROD DON GANCHORRE - the ultimate balladeer on TGIF's gig and weekend sessions in the frat house. It is said that to appreciate brod Don's singing, you have to close your eyes while drinking a glass of vodka and you can feel that Frank Sinatra is in the frat house. That's how the "Los Baños Spirit" got nourished culturally in the frat. TGIF's, sessions, music, stage, rodeo, Sigma Beta and weekend outings and many more. Beta Sigma was a home away from home. "The Los Baños Spirit" lives on."

From BROD ERIC PUNZALAN
"Please don't forget to include the Original Beta Sigma Broken Chords group of BRODS THAD HAMOY, ED TRINIDAD, RAY PASTRANO and JUN OGA specially their smooth rendition of the Imperial's "Going Out of my Head". It is also very heartwarming to listen to the early '60s to BROD JOSIAH FERNANDEZ's (lives somewhere in Ohio) baritone voice singing "Climb Every Mountain, Exodus and Moonriver", to name a few. My roommate and batch mate BROD MEL GULFIN (Cliff Richard of the International House dormitory) who had been the mainstay performer of many TGIF at the Umali subdivision frat house. As known to many Brod Mel became a regular performer at the old "Butterfly" and later on did many jingle songs for many companies. Mel is currently residing in New Jersey."

There is also BROD PERFING PALACIO, also from Los Baños with a powerful voice, who sang at the frat ball of the US brods."

From BROD SEBASTIAN ANGLIONGTO
"The original quartet did not include "Kuya" Domingo. When the Betan quartet was formed in 1957, the lead singer and also playing the guitar was Brod Eufracio "Ely" Udarbe UPLB batch'56 and his Betan batch mate Don Ganchorre together with my batch mates '57, the late brod Ning de la Paz and late Brod Egan. Check with Brod Don Ganchorre and Brod Ed Quisumbing! I am sure my info is correct. I think Brod Kuya Domingo took the place of Brod Udarbe, when he graduated in 1959 with EQ and me."

Betan Quartet

Ben Balbenta, aka the "Trini Lopez of the Philippines", at UP North Hospitality Night 2003

From BROD MARIO PASAMBA'58 UPD
"Some of the drinking songs were written by Johnny Moreno in the early sixties. I believe Johnny was from the College of Law with Miguel Manguerra."

From BROD GILBERT JOVEN
The UP BETA SIGMA KINSFOLK was formed after the BARSTOOL SINGERS disbanded.

The original members of the Barstool were BROD PET GRAJO, the late BROD MATTI CASTANOS and BROD FREDDIE DE LEON. After the disband, BROD PET GRAJO (now living in New Jersey) formed the UP Beta Sigma Kinsfolk with BROD BOY CONCEPCION and BROD GILBERT JOVEN. This group continued with the Harana at the girls dorms, sang at the FOLKWAYS and had concerts in Abelardo Hall and UP Baguio. What made the UP Beta Sigma Kinsfolk stand out was their unique blending, from folksongs to contemporary songs like "Softly", "Going Out of My Head", "Love is But a Song we Sing" and many more.

UP Beta Sigma Kinsfolk concert with Boy Concepcion, Gilbert Joven & Pet Grajo at UP Diliman Abelardo Hall 1967

Gilbert Joven sings at "Malmon's Got Talent" 2014, with folksinger friend Mario Andres

From BROD ROBERTO MANANSALA
"Mga brothers, pls allow me to add some unmentioned but really good and mean Betan singers during the late 60s and early 70s (my time in the tambayan), and the first among them would be BROD OCA PASAMBA UPD'70, the original Pukay ala Pakakak, who had a song always ready whenever he got hold of a guitar. Pukay would sing James Taylor songs, Friends of Distinction and Peaches And Herb. My personal favorite was his take on "Great Day" by the Friends Of Distinction and it would always take me a little "higher" while listening to him. BROD REY BANTEGUI UPD'69A, was another marvelous crooner. he was known as the Smokey Robinson of the frat kasi talagang parang plaka at kayang-kaya ni Rey, not only Smokey Robinson's and the Miracles songs, but all of Motown. He and Oca always played together at the time, both of them good guitar players. Let me also add to the list Tatang, aka Willie Vergara. Tatang's rendition of "Summertime" (I think it was their batch song, 67A), was classic. Many-a-time, I heard him sing it with abandon complete with tumutulong uhog at luha, during lasingan parties at Cubao and Botit's place at horseshoe Village"

From BROD ED ABON
"Do not forget brods LEE MANIKAN 68a Blitzkrieg and GABBY MORALEDA 68b. Girls would hang out at the tambayan just to listen to brods' rendition of Beatles songs, PPM, Bob Dylan, others."

From BROD EDWIN GARRIDO MD 78UPC
" If I may brothers... I do remember my buddy Brod Awots Reyes (May he rest in peace) also playing the guitar when he sings the Beta Hymn...while Brod Burger (tatlong utong ...) dances with Brod Rhet DAZA and other Albino? as we call him those days, if am right, we're still neophytes !!! Nostalgic moments...Cheers"

From BROD JOHNNY REGADIO
"Parang hindi pa nababanggit ang pangalan ng ating idolong si Brod Joe Lalas..."

From BROD MARS ROBOSA
“With some Brods, I’m fortunate to enjoy Brod Joe Lalas singing at Rock for Relief Concert II at the GULP Club of Brod Caloy Agulto last November 2013 for the benefits of Typhoon Yolanda victims.”
 

Joe Lalas at UP Padyaklatan 2013

 
Today, the brods who are active in singing are the BAND OF BROTHERS, whose members are BROD GERRY ABENES - perfect on the drums, BROD BABES IGNACIO - flawless with his electric guitar, BROD KIKO DELMENDO - superb on Sax, plays with mucho gusto, ang sarap pakingan, BROD DUTCH ARAGONES - on bongos and tambourine, BROD IKE ARANETA - on rhythm, BROD FRANK MORALES - on bass, and BRODS VEE DE VERA AND NESTOR LAWAS on vocals. BROD DING CAVESTANY is starting well with the bass guitar.
 

Band of Brothers

The brods who continue to be active in choral singing groups are BROD FRANK GORRES (UPLB Batch'52) as Tenor and Music Director and BROD GILBERT JOVEN also a Tenor of the SOUNDS OF SANTIAGO, the church choir of St James The Greater Parish Church in Alabang.

Singing and playing musical instruments is a lifetime talent amongst the brods. Being Music Minded lifts their spirit and brings Joy to their hearts !
 

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