“Pag-ibig ko,” or, “my love” in Tagalog, is Matthew Muñeses’ third album, and a further exploration of the Filipino songbook. Having discovered the beauty and versatility of kundiman (Filipino love songs) during his research from his previous record, he wanted to further explore this song form.

For this project, he wanted to involve different instrumentations than his typical quintet, and the first formation he settled on was a harp duo. He knew precisely who he needed to work with, having met Riza Printup roughly a decade prior during a Filipino jazz event in California.

This pared down instrumentation, coupled with the general subject matter, set up perfectly in their minds, so they set out to establish a set of music that encapsulated both the deeply beautiful sentiments of these old songs, but the love of country also inherent in other kundiman (i.e., Kundiman ni Rizal).

1. Dahil sa iyo
2. Nahan
3. Kundiman ni Rizal
4. Minamahal Kita
5. Maalaala mo kaya
6. Nasaan ka, irog?
7. Canto de María Clara
8. Sampaguita

This captivating, veritably crystalline in aura new recording opens on the languishing beauty within Dahil sa iyo and then we get the aching yearn of Nahan, the all-embracing Kundiman ni Rizal and the stoically smooth Minamahal Kita.

Then we get brought forth a dutiful warmth within Maalaala mo kaya which is itself backed seamlessly by the ever so pleasing Nasaan ka, irog?, the album rounding out on the delicately hued Canto de María Clara, coming to a close on the emphatic elegance of Sampaguita.

The concept of “love” is obviously a multi-faceted one, implying several types, including romantic, platonic, patriotic, “agape,” etc. Kundiman have been used over the years to speak to many of these, especially romance and patriotism. “Kundiman ni Rizal” and “Canto de María Clara,” both being on his last record, remained ideal vehicles for the concept of patriotism (or as is said in the Philippines, “nationalism,” without the implications inherent to the wider Western usage of the word); for both Riza and himself, as first-generation Fil-Ams, they have a deep love for the place they were raised, as well as for their ancestral homelands.

In an era when anti-Asian sentiment has been on the rise in the United States, Matthew felt torn between being grateful to live here, and angry at the injustices that have been perpetrated/a perceived lack of progress toward an equitable society.

However, he has also been encouraged to take pride in a heritage that gives him a unique perspective on what the “American dream” represents to non-natives. From his last album, “Noli Me Tángere,” to this one and beyond, the thread of battling injustice in whatever ways we can remains - sometimes simply expanding your own perspective can be a way of combating those injustices.

Musicians:
Matthew Muñeses - saxophone
Riza Printup - harp

Official Purchase Link

www.matthewmunesesmusic.com