?MUSIC & MEMORIES,? the 2-4 p.m. Sunday program on dzMM that features musical oldies but goodies, is full of information about the music of yesteryears, plus wonderful insights about nostalgic events.

Hosted by Boots Anson-Roa and funnyman Willie Nepomuceno, the show caters mostly to mature listeners. When we tuned in two Sundays ago, even listeners in their 80s were sending text messages to contribute to the show?s weekly theme: Big-band music, a genre with jazz influence that became popular during the era of swing from the mid-1920s to the late ?40s.

?Tulungan n?yo kami ni Willie na maalala ang local big band performers,? Roa enthusiastically urged listeners. Then, one by one, the answers came: Serafin Payawal and his band, Tirso Cruz (the grandfather of actor, Tirso Cruz III), Toots Dila, Berling Villapando, the Dorsey Brothers Band, Anastacio Mamaril, Perez Prado, Ping Joaquin, etc.

Discussion

The hosts made the discussion even more interesting with their recollections of that era?when local big bands lorded over the clubs on Roxas blvd. and the word ?nightclub,? as Willie Nep noted, still had a decent ring to it. ??Yun ?yung time na magbibihis ka talaga nang maayos para makasayaw sa Manila Hotel,? he recalled.

Boots, on the other hand, said she went to those clubs when her husband, Pete, invited her parents to join them?so he could court her! ?Sila ?yung nagsasayaw habang ako ay wallflower,? she laughingly relates. ?Ang galing ng mga bands noon?full orchestra parati!?

The hosts also shared some trivia?from the panciteria stands at the formerly cosmopolitan Avenida Rizal to the marching bands in provincial fiestas (which, Roa reckons, are derivatives of the big band). Boots and Willie also recalled when the peso-dollar exchange rate was still two pesos to a dollar!

Fans of Roa sent text messages, reminding her of how ?beautiful and sexy? she was in the film, ?Saan Ka Pupunta Ms. Lutgarda Nicolas?,? and her hosting stint on ?Salaghati? in 1972, to which the actress jokingly riposted, ?Buti ka pa, natatandaan mong 1972 ?yun!?

Instruments

Interspersed with songs from the likes of Tony Bennett and Jo Stafford, Willie would occasionally mimic musical instruments (trombones, horns and saxophones) when he and Boots would recall a song or movie title?a running gag throughout the program.

In fact, it?s Roa and Nepomuceno?s self-deprecating humor that makes ?Music & Memories? stand out from shows with a similar musical format. While other hosts stiffly dispense information about singers and composers, Boots and Willie do it with a lot of laughter. We?ve never had this much fun remembering how wonderful the good, old days were!

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