If one is to describe the effort of folk artist Jam Quijano when it comes to his singing, the perfect word is ‘effortless’. That’s not saying he does it without being adventurous and artistic in his use of his vocals. It’s just that he delivers every song without pushing it hard. Simply put, he embraces the meaning of easy-listening to the core.
His third digital single and released composition “Otherwise” puts the matter well on display right on the get go. In fact, the verse melody and the way it is vocally interpreted is strong enough to give the song an instant hook; you don’t need to wait for the chorus to get the number’s recall badge.
The track is dropped in music stories today, Friday, Oct. 29. It completes a troika of first batch of releases from the singer-songwriter discovered by OPM luminary Ebe Dancel singing in a food park and definitely catching his attention.
“’Otherwise’ is a song about coming to terms with one's own vulnerability”, noted Jam who sings and does his own backing vocals.
The first stanza alone creates a vivid picture of what the tunesmith from Los Banos, Laguna is conveying: “I sat in my room/ As long as I could/ Until I got sick of it/ There was never a reason/ To sit in silence with what’s left of it.”
The touching pop ballad is distributed by Widescope Entertainment spearheaded by executive producer Vic De Vera and supervising producer Neil Gregorio.
Once again Ebe sat as record producer who ensured that the track comes out in its full bloom and bearing the individuality of its singer in crystal clear beauty.
Backing Jam in this beautiful piece are arranger John Apura (guitars, synth), Roger Alcantara (bass), and Luke Sigua (drums).
Jam deeply expressed, “I find that it's common for people to pretend that they're not hurt by a rejection, a breakup, etc., so this song is sort of a reminder that, yes, you can fool other people into thinking that you're not affected but you can't really fool yourself. Pain doesn't discriminate.”
Recorded at Digital Post and Bear Cave Studio, “Otherwise” also enjoyed the privilege of having the laudably professional Dante Tanedo on board who mixed and mastered it.
After his debut “Bribe My Heart” came out in April, Jam put out his sophomore effort “Duyan” in June. The two songs may be different in their language medium, but the mood and magic of the music came from the same fine, fruit-bearing tree. This third song further softens the rough edges that may have been overlooked in the first two.
The chorus flow attested to that smooth ride: “I’m close to getting back smiling/ I told my tears they could dry/ I thought that I’ve really moved on without you here by my side/ I said I’ve moved on/ But the pain says otherwise.”
Jam Quijano, who takes pride in his indie folk scene roots, had played in notable venues like Wish 107.5 Bus and Fete de la Musique. With three compositions significantly introducing his work this year, the future’s bright for this terrific tenor.
For streaming and download, click the link: https://orcd.co/jamquijano_