34th Mo Awards...
The evening of Tuesday 11th May 2010 saw the large cabaret
room of Sydney's Bankstown Sports Club packed to capacity with a
glittering array of Australian showbiz stars gathered to mark the
34th Annual 'MO' Awards, the longest running annual entertainment
industry awards which recognize the achievements in live entertainment
in Australia. The Mo Awards began in 1975 as the New South Wales
Star Awards, when local entertainers started the awards to promote
live entertainment in New South Wales. When Johnny O'Keefe became
chairman in 1976, he decided the awards should become a national
awards program . Don Lane then proposed the awards be renamed the
Mo Awards in honor of Australian entertainer Roy Rene, who used
the stage name "Mo McCackie". The evening was presented
by Barry Crocker and proved to be special for many including entertainer
extroaordinaire Tony Pantano (pictured) who, for a record thirteenth
time, received the Mo Award for "Best Male Vocalist".
Musica Brasileira...
Eight piece band Guarana’, formed in 2001, are the
leading proponents of bossa and samba in the Philippines and as
such are always very much in demand at leading beach resorts, bars,
restaurants and hotels. They also continue to perform their twice
weekly gig at Café Havana in Greenbelt 3 Makati, Metro Manila
and also at jazz and arts festivals and for important corporate
events. Their dedication to the bossa and samba style has seen them
featured in the Brazilian television program "Fantastico Ao
Mundo" televised in prime time on Brasil’s Globo

TV
network. Bandleader is vocalist Eileen Sison (pictured) whose passion
for the South American rhythm has earned her an award by none other
than the Brazilian Embassy for her “invaluable cooperation
in the promotion of Brazilian music in the Philippines”. Eileen
makes regular trips to Rio de Janeiro not only to attend the famous
Carnival but more so to further her learning of Brazilian music
and culture. She can speak, sing and write songs in Brazilian Portuguese
and is the Founder and Dance Director of Escola de Samba de Manila,
a samba school composed of drummers and dancers headquartered at
Steps Dance Studio in Makati. Eileen is also the founder of the
Bossa Nova Club of the Philippines and hosts a radio segment called
“Understanding Bossa Nova” on Crossover 105.1 FM. Guarana’s
new CD, to be released in early 2010, will also feature a cover
of a song by GMP writer Nello Giansiracusa, a guitarist with strong
cultural and musical ties with both the Philippines and Brazil.
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