MANILA, Philippines?During office hours, Ray Olaguer is a lawyer, government prosecutor and professor. When the evening hours kick in, however, he assumes a radically different persona, as singer, keyboardist and composer, with a decided preference for the seductively improvisational siren call of jazz.
It?s difficult to get a handle on Ray?s twin involvements, which are as different as?well, night and day. In his view, however, there?s no contradiction here at all, since he?s committed to both. The varying expressions of that commitment are what are different, that?s all.
First album
Olaguer?s love for performing and composing is showcased in his first album, titled, ?Perspectives.? The compilation features 20 songs, four of which are written by him.
The album leads off with ?Do It Again? by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, which affirms Ray?s preference for the jazz mode, albeit with the pleasing patina of pop.
It smoothly slides into his first composition, ?Part of Me,? a musical testament to the ?passion that keeps the fire burning,? and thus makes living not just worthwhile, but an exciting adventure, despite the frustrations and dangers involved.
?I?ll Be Over You? (Steve Lukather-Randy Goodrun) and ?Baby Come Back? (Peter Beckett-JC Crowley) further develop Ray?s signature musical and thematic grace notes.
The fifth cut, ?Panahon,? is another Olaguer composition, which was the theme song of the film, ?Largado.? Its lyrics again speak of life?s travails and traumas, but end on a high note with the fervent hope that ?darating ang panahon na makakamtan ang kata-himikan.? That?s a wish many other troubled people empathetically share, as well!
With ?If You Leave Me Now,? ?Friends and Strangers? and ?Fragile,? Olaguer pays tribute to Sting and other like-minded musical artists whose ?tough but tender? outlook on life he shares.
And, he ends his album with two more of his original songs, ?Until? and the title track, ?Perspectives.? ?Until? is the most emotional cut in the album, baring the artist?s heart as he sings about love gone wrong.
This may be Ray Olaguer?s debut album, but he?s no musical tyro, having paid his dues since age 12, when he started playing the piano. At 16, he was the keyboardist and vocalist of the BMR band in Iloilo City. In 1980, the group performed in Japan.
At the same time, Ray was studying law, and when the bar exams loomed, he was forced to take a leave from his musical career.
New lawyer
Right after he passed the bar and practiced law in Makati city, however, the new lawyer started performing again, singing solo at Kalye Bar in Legaspi Village in Makati?which was conveniently located just across the street from his law firm?s offices!
Later, Ray worked in the Senate and became a government prosecutor. He continued to play with bands like Glyph, Koda and Myriad. Lately, he?s been playing solo again in venues like Shades Bar, Easy Street, Treehouse, Tonkatsu Tei and DKR Garden Grill. Thus has Ray Olaguer convincingly established his legal and musical ?Perspectives.?
