If the Philippines has been globally known for exporting Manila hemp after the war followed by the world’s sweetest mangoes from Guimaras Island, and locally assembled by-products like semi-conductor devices, garments, copper, petroleum, and various quality hand-woven fabrics, just during the early 70s, supplying professionals worldwide became the chief source of income among Filipinos. The emergent aspiration for universal recognition of local beauties, models, performers, and recently, boy bands, has given the Filipinos remarkable opportunities to prove their innate competitiveness and world-class capacity at par with the best in the world.
And speaking of boy bands, every so often after their birth, impacting popularity, disheartening disbandment, schmaltzy reunion, and multiple attempts to resurrect and climb back to fame, some popular groups chose to take self-imposed hiatus while others have left the scene only to come back with a vengeance. But most often than not, majority had faded to oblivion due to old age, varied personal preferences, untimely demise or simply just couldn’t cope up with the current music trends.
The Philippines, after capturing international stage via the vocal prowess of consummate talents like Lea Salonga, has another quality export in the making in the persons of Jose “Pepe” Lozano II, Gregorio Lozano, Jr., Juan Carlos Lozano, and Nielson Valero Manapat, (a friend but more than just a brother)… collectively, the fame-bound quartet of The Band of Brothers.
Despite their diverse individual personality traits and predilections, not to mention their own personal status, the four members of The Band of Brothers are bonded together by their common interest in music and solidified by their well-driven desire to perform and entertain. Like a well-harmonized piece, the boys consistently create an atmosphere conducive for a more progressive set-up and a professional affiliation that strongly builds lasting comradeship.
After having deep-rooted their musical mark in the Philippines, The Band of Brothers invaded the neighboring countries via their 2007 Starcruise Asian Tour followed by a Hawaiian stint and successful performances in Kuwait in 2008. On December 0f 2010, they hied off to Hong-Kong and sailed to nearby Macao, Phuket, Thailand and Brunei.
Their instinctively exceptional vocal blending and harmonizing was finally experienced by their Filipino-American followers last year when the group visited the east coast and performed at the 3rd FAFI (Filipino-American Festival, Inc.) affair and later, appeared in a number of Filipino-American community fundraising events.
The Band of Brothers flew back in last June to perform at PIDCI’s 116th Philippine Independence Day celebration in New York City. There never was a single week for the fast-rising boyband to take a breather. Their calendar of activities was as loaded as their repertoire since their second arrival: June 14, they were at PDOC in Passaic, New Jersey; June 26 at the 26th PAFCOM (Philippine American Friendship Committee) cultural show at Lincoln Park in West Side Avenue in Jersey City; August 13 and 14 they graced the two-day indoor weekend summer celebration of the 18th Fiesta in America in the Meadowlands Convention Center; August 21 the boys performed at the Metropolitan Room in New York City and the following day, August 22, they appeared in Balitang America being interviewed by TFC’s Don Tagala.
There seems no stopping The Band of Brothers from what they do best— singing and entertaining. In between location shows, the indefatigable quartette still found time to squeeze into their already crowded calendar insistent clamors and demands from various watering holes and eateries in the Queens area: Payag Kitchen & Bar, Perlas Restaurant and D’Haven Restaurant and Dancing Pavillion.
As if the almost inexhaustible performances and social appearances weren’t sufficient to keep them nailed to their heels and toes, the unstoppable band is slated to perform on the following dates: September 24 at D’Haven, October 1 at Virginia Beach, October 8 at Carnegie Hall on the occasion of TOFA-NY (The Outstanding Filipino-Americans in New York), October 9 at Town Hall in Times Square, NYC, October 15 at the 24th Anniversary of PACCAL at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, and on October 16 at Bergen County, New Jersey.
But wait, there’s more! On November, they are Los Angeles, California bound while negotiations are undergoing for their first ever winter European tour.
“Actually, we’re just grabbing every possible opportunity where we could perform and share the pleasure of our music,” Pepe, the group’s lead guitarist, said. “It’s all about the most exposures that we could get. If we could be of help in any way we can to generate funding and aid in an organization’s fundraising campaign, my band is always at their beck and call.”
“It’s all for the love of music… talent fee or honorarium comes only secondary,” remarked Greg Lozano, father of the boys and the band’s manager and booking agent. “The boys are merely driven by their unparalleled passion to sing, perform, and entertain…. and all they wanted is to get bigger and capture the world audience that they may be able to further bridge across their advocacy!”
And if there’s but one maxim the group literally and figuratively embraces and upholds that would be: “A wanton note alone won’t create a tune…it would indubitably take more (notes) to compose a song.”
Yes, the group has an unwritten and silent agreement to stay solid and united under one rock-solid vow: “To be bonded by their music and remain brothers beyond the band.”
For a much closer overview of each member, read on the facts-and-files of The Band of Brothers.
Jose M. Lozano II
Birthday – June 13 (Gemini)
Rank among siblings – eldest
Schools – La Salle Greenhills, La Salle Taft, & University of Sto. Tomas
Course – Business Management (La Salle) & Fine Arts / Advertising (UST)
Position in the band — Lead guitarist, vocalist
Personal favorites – scent: Giorgio Armani,
Music: 60s 80s 90s
Food: Crispy Pata
Color: Bluegreen
Actors: Brad Pitt, Gael Garcia Bernal
Drinks: Tequila, mango shake
Past time: listening to music
Watering hole: clubs and bars
Reading matter: Yes!
Movies: Goonies, Neverending Story, Fight Club
Gregorio Lozano, Jr.
Birthday – February 12 (Aquarius)
Rank among siblings – second
Schools – La Salle Greenhills, De La Salle University Taft
Course – Industrial Engineering
Position in the band — Composer, arranger, bass guitarist, vocalist, pianist
Personal favorites – Scent: CK One
Music: Classical, Jazz, Pop
Food: Thai, Korean, Filipino
Color: white, blue-green
Actors: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, George Clooney
Drinks: Orange juice, red wine
Past time: writing, walking, swimming
Hangouts: Central Park, bar
Reading matter: Philosophy, Science, & Math books
Movies: Star Trek, Atlas Shrugged
Song: “Does Your Mother Know”
Juan Carlos M. Lozano
Birthday – August 29 (Virgo)
Rank among siblings – 3rd (youngest)
Schools – La Salle Greenhills, Center for Asian Culinary Studies,
Course – Culinary Arts
Position in the band — Keyboardist
Personal favorites – Scent: D&G Light Blue
Music: Boyz II Men, 90s
Food: Crispy Pata, Steak
Color: Blue
Drinks: Long Island (concoction)
Past time: Drinking, socializing
Hangouts: Any cozy place
Reading matter: Magazines
Movies: Dekada 70
Song: 4 Seasons of Loneliness
Nielson Valero Manapat
Birthday – August 4 (Leo)
Rank among siblings – Eldest
Schools – Aquinas School, Philippine Rehabilitation Institute
Course – BS Physical Therapy
Crash Course: Drums / Percussions (University of the Philippines, Diliman)
Position in the band —Drummer
Modeling /Print Ad Experiences: California Trends (Endorser), Kraft Eden Cheese (TVC)
Quick Chow Pancit Canton (TVC) Apolaki Percussion
Philippines (Drum endorser)
Personal favorites – Scent: Acqua Di Gio
Music: Jazz, Latin, Ballroom
Food: Native, anything but amargoso
Color: Green
Singer/Performer: Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich
Past time: Billiards, Open musicians jam night
Casual wear: Jeans, plain shirts, boots
The Band of Brothers, the pop group composed of four trouble-free, straightforward, undemanding, unpretentious, and down-to-earth musicians, is definitely on its way to the top and all geared up to carry out a more complicated but gratifying undertaking. They may be far from the images of demigod-looking idols that shrieking fans drool about but the incomparable vastness of their music genre has grandiosely made up for what they may be short of.
Another pride of the Philippines is definitely on the rise in due time and before we know it The Band of Brothers is already cutting their first ever recording label for international release…just wait and see!
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