Amapola Cabase
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| Amapola Cabase, Amapola | |
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 San Francisco Mocambo Cabaret
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Maria Amapola Cabase |
| Born | November 3 |
| Origin | Cebu City, Philippines |
| Genre(s) | Pop, Jazz, Latin pop, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, Novelist |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Website | TheAmapola.Com |
Amapola (born November 3) is a popular Filipino pop and jazz singer and musician. She has been performing for 48 years in the musical industry which encompasses more than 590 concerts, numerous awards in the Philippines and internationally. In 1973, during her Town Hall One-Woman Concert, the Philippines' First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos invited Amapola to perform for her guests at the Carlyle Hotel in New York and unofficially gave her the title "Music Ambassador" for helping pave the way for other Filipino entertainers. Amapola was the first Filipino singer to host her own weekly Magazine-Variety television presentation (Amapola Presents Show) in San Francisco from 1977 to 1981. In 1984 she released her international debut album produced in collaboration with Jazz pianist "Wildman" - Bobby Enriquez. Enriquez led the members of the Cal Tjader band for Amapola's debut Jazz album - Sophisticated Lady . [1][2]
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[edit] Personal
Amapola Cabase aka Amapola was born Maria Amapola Cabase on November 3, in Cebu City, Philippines. She has a daughter named April Blossom Kee,[3][2] and a son Rodney Nathaniel Aballe. She is married to Stephen Charles Woodward of Kent, Hampshire, UK, a photographer by profession. Her father was the famous Mr. Music of Cebu City, Manuel aka Mahnee Cabase of San Nicolas, Cebu City. Her mother, Priscilla aka Sheila Cabase of Tuburan, Cebu, was a former English professor of University of San Carlos, Cebu City. Philippines.
[edit] Career
[edit] Philippine and international music industry
Amapola’s career in music began when she dubbed Cebu City’s famous child star Lisa Mari voice in the Azucena Productions film “Inahan” (English translation = Mother). Azucena Pictures of Cebu City were on the lookout for a few child actors for their next film “Utlanan” (English translation = Borderline) while Amapola was still a 2nd grader in Cebu Normal School now Cebu Normal College. Amapola’s father Manny Cabase was the musical director of Azucena Pictures and score to the film’s love theme “Guihigugma Ko Ikaw” (English translation = I LOVE YOU) was altered for 7-year-old Amapola. The song and the film became pivotal for Amapola’s singing career. She later received the key to Cebu City at the age of eight. Amapola eventually recorded her first hit song “Kapantay Ay Langit” a George Canseco composition that became a Filipino classic.
[edit] 1970s
In the 1970s, Amapola has performed during concerts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the Cebu Coliseum, the Araneta Coliseum, PICC and the Philippine Folk Arts Theater. [1]
In 1970, Amapola and the Manny Cabase Band were guests in An Evening with Pilita on ABS-CBN TV. An encore presentation of a Pilita and Amapola duet of Cabase’s composition “Sa Dulo ng ating Landas” followed. Amapola became a regular performer at ABS-CBN television and radio shows and co-hosted a weekly noon show Stop, Look and Listen with Eddie Mesa and alternate host Tirso Cruz III. On the same year, Amapola made a cameo appearance in Gloria Sevilla’s film production of “Plaza Miranda”.
In 1971 Amapola opened for Jack Jones at the Araneta Coliseum. Her interpretation of “In My World” from the Italian song “Il Mondo” garnered an ovation. This was followed by a contract to open for Sergio Mendes Brazil 66 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati, Manila. Her band Amapola and the Sounds also performed regularly at the Les Boulevardier from 1971 to 1972.
In 1972 Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Production’s Atty. Laxa offered a film contract for Amapola to co-star with Victor Wood in the studio’s Christmas presentation of the film “Mr. Lonely”. It was followed by a Valentine Presentation of “You Are My Destiny” with Amapola in the lead opposite Victor Wood. In the same year 1972 was offered a Hawaiian Road tour and the role of resident chanteuse for Kahala Hilton’s Maile Lounge. Amapola accepted. The first hotel feature was an International Festival starred by various famous entertainers from all over the world. Amapola represented the Philippines and was lauded by the audience and the Honolulu press Dave Donnelly and Wayne Harada for her performance. [2]Amapola was the first Filipina singer who graced the cover of the Waikiki Beach Press. In early 1973 Amapola co-hosted a week long television show with local celebrity Don Robbs. Amapola also appeared in a series of print ads, television and movie theater commercials for Vicks Cough Drops in the Philippines.[1]
On August 29, 1972, Amapola was the featured performer in a benefit for the Philippine Flood Victims – Project Tulungan. The Fashion Show Luncheon Musicale was spearheaded by former Filipina beauty pageant winner Mrs. Baby Handl.
In November 3, 1973 Amapola launched a 90-minute one-woman concert in New York’s Town Hall sponsored by the Amihan Cultural Society of New York. Amapola’s New York debut concert featured Amapola on several musical instruments – Piano, Guitar, Drums and Vibraphone; a vocal repertoire of mainstream American and Spanish hits notably “Angelitos Negros” (The Black Angel), Filipino ethnic sounds of classic kundimans, and beautiful songs in several dialects that included: Visayan, Pampangueno, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Waray, Bicolano and Tagalog garnering Amapola a full five minute standing ovation. The highlight of the concert was the audience’s singing “Happy Birthday” for Amapola, led by dozens of the cultural society’s children. Her concerts eventually toured major American cities sponsored by Filipino organizations throughout the country notably APPA led by Stella Salgado – Evangelista of Michigan. . [2]
From 1974 to 1976 the Mabuhay Gardens on Broadway, San Francisco featured Amapola’s cabaret shows every month sharing the stage with Philippine luminaries: Eddie Mesa, Bobby Gonzales, Norma Balagtas,
In 1977, Amapola produced, starred and directed her own weekly local television show (Amapola Sings) in Channel 20, KEMO-TV selling her own advertising to finance the project. After two years, the television station picked up Amapola’s show and she was able to focus on production. The show was reformatted and became Amapola Presents Show and Hollywood’s Dirk B.G. Dirksen took over the full production, writing and directing each weekly episode. Ness Aquino of Mabuhay Gardens was brought in to co-host with Amapola, and the “Straight People”, a group of international actors, were the shows regular guests. Soon other celebrities graced the show: Debbie Harry, La Verne Cumming, Gerri Granger, Bobby Gonzales, Eddie Mesa, Jennifer Miro of the punk band The Nuns, David de Alba, local Bay Area bands like Bolinas, local dance companies like Bagong Diwa, and Amy and the Sounds of the Tonga Room, Fairmont Hotel, to name a few. The show also featured news journalist Cocoa Walther as regular columnist and reviewer. Amapola Presents Show was then syndicated and shown as far as Sacramento and San Diego. Its first airing in Los Angeles was linked with Amapola’s first one woman concert at the Scottish Rite Auditorium.
In 1979 Amapola returned to the Philippines for a concert tour sponsored by Boots Anson Roa, Pete Roa, and Romy Jalosjos. The concert “Sentimentally Yours” began with a two concert appearance at the Fairview Room of the Hotel Magellan in Cebu City, followed by two concerts, at Davao City’s Apo View Hotel, and other concert venues in Cagayan, IloIlo and Makati, Metro Manila.
XXX Giants and 49ners Anthem Oakland As
[edit] 1980s
In 1981, August 23, San Francisco’s Stern Grove on its 44th Season’s Midsummer Music Festival presented an afternoon of Unique Jazz hosted by Jim Eason of KGO-Radio. Amapola was vocalist for the 20-piece Jimmy Price Orchestra, the affair also featured Larry Vuckovich and his all stars. The day’s presentation was highlighted by the performance of Opera great, Luciano Pavarotti.
December 1 – 20, 1981 Amapola was invited to perform at the Tiara Showroom of the Shangri-la Hotel in Singapore along with an agreement to appear in a television special with The Platters and Tina Turner courtesy of the Monte Carlo. Amapola’s two-week contract ended with another television special, Christmas in Singapore. Amapola performed “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and Kay Thompson’s “Jingle Bells” accompanied by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra[1] and featured choir.
In 1982 Amapola held her first one-woman concert at the Manila Hotel sponsored by Alay ng Puso (English Translation: Offering From The Heart). Backed by symphony orchestra of 33 musicians and singers, Amapola garnered another standing ovation of 1200 people in the audience. It was the first live concert recorded in the Philippines produced by Doug Douglas of Las Vegas, NV, Nicolas Aiello of San Francisco, Ca, and John Golden of Nashville, TN. Amapola’s “Angelitos Negros” became the highlight of the concert garnering a mid-concert standing ovation. Amapola begins the song with the story about a black baby.
In December 11, 1983, Amapola starred with Gary Valenciano in “Kasaysayan ng Musika sa Pilipinas, (English Translation: The History of Filipino Music) the Concert At The Park 309th Program, a project of the First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos representing the Popular Entertainment World portion backed by the Manila Symphony Orchestra. The well-attended concert was PNOC 10th Anniversary Presentation hosted by Tina Monzon-Palma. Dozens of the country’s performers took part in the huge event. In the same year Amapola's vocal concern for public littering in California's San Francisco and Daly City parks led to an invitation to join the board members of San Franciscans for a Cleaner City, a Diane Feinstein city project as Mayor of San Francisco. Amapola held her position for two years in between her travels.
From 1984 to 1986, Amapola joined Gloria Sevilla and her son Dandin Ranillo in a concert tour of the mid-west performing for SRO crowds of Filipinos and Asian-Americans. The mid-west concert tour began at the Stephen Young Mather H.S. Auditorium in Chicago on November 4, 1984, presented and sponsored by Verrene Promotions and 17 Filipino Organizations in the Mid-West. The tour culminated at an all-star benefit concert held at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Los Angeles for the benefit of Parkinson’s Disease sufferer Ruben Tagalog, the Kundiman King of the Philippines. [1]
From 1986 to 1990, Amapola performed her first concert onboard the Royal Viking Sky followed by concerts onboard the Royal Viking Star, Royal Viking Sea and Royal Viking Sun, the latter featuring Amapola in Concert while docked in Manila on Valentines Day 1988. In May 1989, Amapola performed her last one-woman concert at the Silahis Hotel on Roxas Blvd. Philippines. Her last performance of the week was attended by all her friends in the press led by Mar F. Cornes, and Justo C. Justo. In her audience were her former recording producers Jose Mari Chan who wrote and produced Amapola’s movie theme hit “Cherry Blossoms” and George Canseco who wrote and produced Amapola’s first movie them hit “Kapantay Ay Langit”. .[1][2]In San Francisco where Amapola resided, she hosted the Philippine Beauty Pageant at the Davies Hall, and was one of the judges of the Oakland annual SingFest along with other judges Pete Escovedo and Sheila E.
[edit] 1990s
The 1990s brought cruising into Amapola’s career. She held a series of concerts onboard the following cruise ships: Royal Viking Sun World Cruises – the maiden voyage blessed by Princess Ann when the ship left London. In Miami, the ship was blessed by Bob Hope and Dolly Parton, in San Francisco by actor Jimmy Stewart and his wife, in Honolulu by Jim Nabors who stayed onboard from San Francisco. Onboard the Royal Viking Ships, Amapola sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Bob Crosby and the Bobcats and Mitch Kerper Orchestra. In 1990 Amapola played the role of Bloody Mary in the RVL Sun’s Theater production of “South Pacific”. The stint onboard the Royal Viking fleet gave Amapola the chance to perform alongside Hollywood legends Margaret O’Brien, Celeste Holm, Jane Wyman, Vincent Price and Omar Sharif.
The MS Song of Flower, one of the ships from Seven Seas Cruises, then headquartered in Singapore cruised to Alaska and back to the Orient for two seasons followed by Mediterranean cruises for two more seasons. Amapola headlined from 1991 to 1994. Onboard Song of Flower, Amapola performed before Hollywood luminaries Eli Wallach, Cliff Robertson, and Brendan Fraser to name a few. During one of her performances, a German shipping executive hired Amapola to headline onboard the MS Hanseatic based in Germany.
The Hanseatic cruised the Arctic alternating with the Antarctic for two seasons which included the South American coasts. Onboard the Hanseatic, Amapola was offered to sing onboard the MS Gripsholm.
The 1997 Amapola Concert onboard the MS Gripsholm was a 40 Day Cruise from Hamburg to Hamburg including the East Coast of England, and the East Coast of Canada and the United States. Onboard the Hanseatic, Amapola performed with some of Europe’s most celebrated entertainers and lecturers including author and lecturer Erich von Däniken author of Chariots of the Gods.
[edit] 2000s
In 2003 Amapola published her first novel “Coming Home” and won the Florida Writers Palm Award First Place for Romantic Fiction, the Editor’s Choice Blue Ribbon from iUniverse Publishers; became one of the finalists for Best Fiction of 2004 Foreword Magazine. In 2005 her 2nd novel Promising Skies, Adult fiction, won critical acclaim from New York Times bestselling author Ellen Tanner Marsh.
Amapola celebrated her 40th year in the music industry onboard the Celebrity Cruise ship Summit with her husband Stephen Charles Woodward of Kent, Hampshire, England.
In 2006 Amapola joined the Regent Seven Seas Cruises – Voyager for the World Cruise at the request of the ship’s Captain Dag Dvergastein, former captain onboard Song of Flower. Onboard Voyager, Amapola starred nightly at the Latitude Supper Club with the Phil Torres Band. She also co-starred with Robert Shields of Shields and Yarnell fame in the ships concert hall.
Amapola currently spearheads an online campaign for her husband suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Her husband was diagnosed with PD in 1989.
Her company Amapola.Net continues to produce multi-media products for Infinity Productions, and Rodney April Productions.
[edit] Philippine cinematography
AMAPOLA has appeared in films such as Plaza Miranda, Mr. Lonely, You Are My Destiny[1]
[edit] RVL Sun theater
AMAPOLA performed in South Pacific as Bloody Mary.[1]
[edit] International television
Manny Cabase Show – Channel 2, ABS-TV Cebu City Amapola Sings – Channel 2, ABS-TV Cebu City An Evening with Pilita – regular guest appearances, Manila Stop, Look, and Listen – Wednesday Weekly, Manila The Sensations – Sunday Weekly, Manila Superstar – Cameo Appearances, Manila Seeing Stars – Cameo Appearances, Manila Etchos Lang – Co Hosting and Cameo Appearances, Manila Eat Bulaga – Cameo Appearances, Manila Penthouse Live with Pops and Martin - 1989, Manila That’s Entertainment – German Moreno guest, Manila Solesvida – KPIX-TV Channel 5, San Francisco, Ca. USA 1974 Fiesta Filipina – KEMO-TV Channel 20 – 1975 Fiesta Filipina – KEMO-TV Channel 20 – 1976 Amapola Presents – KEMO-TV Channel 20 – 1977 Amapola Presents Show – KEMO-TV Channel 20 – 1978-1981 [1]
[edit] International performances
International Festival of Stars – Kahala Hilton, Honolulu, Hawaii San Francisco Giants, Candlestick Park San Francisco 49ers, Candlestick Park Oakland A's , Oakland A's Ballpark Bay Area Fil-American Cultural Week from 1977 to 1981 Kasaysayan ng Musika sa Pilipinas – Concert at the Park 1983 San Francisco Cow Palace- Ben Villaflor-Ray Lunny III Bout, 1974 San Francisco Sport & Boat Show Opening Concert in Japanese – Golden Week in Tokyo, Song of Flower Concert for Valentines in Manila onboard Royal Viking Sun Shangrila Hotel Singapore Christmas Ball Concert in Spanish for Argentineans onboard Hanseatic Concert in French for L’Express Charter onboard Song of Flower Concert in German -American onboard the Hanseatic Italian-American Concert – Mediterranean Cruises onboard Song of Flower
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h (website), AmapolaMusic.com, retrieved on: 07 February 2008
- ^ a b c d e Manx, Mack. AMAPOLA, Arguably the Most Captivating Entertainer from the Philippines, retrieved on: 07 February 2008
- ^ Biography for April Kee Website 2007, retrieved on: 07 February 2008
