Ella May returns and shares the stage for the first time with Jay
AFTER her concert at the PICC didn’t push through in February 2020 because of the pandemic, Queen of Soul Ella May Saison was locked down in Manila for seven months.
Even if she has been based in the US for more than two decades since 2001, Ella May followed protocols and stayed in Manila. “That was chaotic then, so I was forced to stay with my family while we were on lockdown,” she recalled.
When the coast became clear, she returned to Texas, where she is based. It was only last September when Ella May came back to Manila.
She was recently tapped to perform in SoundTrip Sessions, Volume 3, with South Border lead singer and songwriter Jay Durias, November 9 at The Theater at Solaire. The concert is produced by Rachelle Colmenares of Dragon Arc Events Management.
The first SoundTrip Sessions was with Jinky Vidal and Luke Mijares in 2019, followed by SoundTrip Sessions Volume 2 with Nyoy Volante and Juris Fernandez in 2023.
Jay, meanwhile, cannot be more thankful that he and South Border get to perform with Ella May in SoundTrip Session, Volume 3.
“It’s very comfortable to sing iconic hits from the ‘80s and ‘90s,” attested Jay. “We get LSS (last song syndrome) with the love songs we hear that Ella and I will give justice to. So expect that.”
Added Ella May, “Those songs will make you cry and perhaps fall in love again. For sure, you know very well the songs that we will sing. So expect to hear those songs and expect a good concert. Expect a lot of things.”
Musical director is Ella May’s brother, Elhmir Saison. “In this SoundTrip 3, everybody will take a trip on the sound of the concert,” explained Elhmir. “This is a new version with South Border and Ella May.”
Since she was young, Ella May loved listening to such foreign artists as Aretha Franklin, Patti Austin, Angela Bofill, her favorite singers. “I would often ape them and got tips from their songs and performances,” Ella May said.
When she started singing professionally, Ella May got the tag “Queen of Soul,” even without meaning to. That has been attached to her up to this day.
Known as the biritera who hits the high notes., Ella May has learned to choose her songs whenever she performs onstage.
“There are a lot of good singers around,” she insisted. “There are Kyla and Morissette. Of course, there’s Lani Misalucha. I don’t really know the good artists today. I don’t criticize, but I only admire them.”
Ella May uprooted to the US since 2001. She has lived there peacefully, first in Los Angeles before she moved to Dallas, Texas, where she is now based.
“My life in the US is so simple,” Ella May admitted. “I can contemplate, write songs and think about certain important things there.”
Ella May and Jay first met each other in Davao, when he was only 15 years old. “He was still with a different band at that time,” she granted. “He was really good already at that time. His talent then surprised us. He was a singer-songwriter and keyboardist.”
Jay admitted Ella May became one of his idols when she was still with the Artstart Band. “I used to play at Apo View Hotel in Davao and that was where Ella May and I met,” granted Jay.
“We were the Artstart alternate band. They were the ‘imported’ band that performed in Davao.”
There were times when management of Apo View got bands from Manila like Artstart and Jay’s band was the mainstay in the hotel.
“I would often cut classes then just to watch the rehearsals of Artstart,” recalled Jay. “That was a big learning experience for me. Solid na solid ‘yun.”
After graduating from high school in Davao, Jay, then only 16, dauntlessly ventured to uproot in Manila.
“My bandmates in Davao, except for the guitar player, all of us came to Manila,” Jay offered. “That was why we were called South Border. We were all from the South.”
“Jazz and pop fusion are my childhood music,” added Jay. “Although we’re known as an R&B band, our roots were pop fusion.”
Hearing South Border’s songs being used in TikTok posts makes Jay consistently grateful. The songs still resonate and are remembered by many up to this day.
“Nakaka-taba ng puso,” he said. “South Border has been around for 32 years and our songs are still around. Our songs are all under a publishing house, so they can give the permit to all those who want to use and record our songs again.”
The collaboration with Ella May is something that Jay looks forward to. It is only now that they are sharing the stage together since Ella May has been based in the US for more than two decades.
“We’re not used to performing with a female artist,” asserted Jay. “We are all guys. So this show with Ella May is something to look forward to. There are many possibilities that we can do with Ella May onstage.”
Jay left for the US in 2005 and did not perform with South Border for three years. When the recession came, he returned home and gave up his green card. He pursued South Border anew and with the blessings of his former band mates, he formed the latest group.
The “official” members of South Border are session players by day. The youngest is 23-year-old Johndave Picache, who plays alto sax. He is the nephew of Edward Picache, the band’s former sax player who passed on.
Guitarist is Janno Queykep, Manuel Tabuñar plays bass, Joseph “Otep” Concepcion plays drums and percussion.
Among the South Border songs that will make it to their set list are ‘Love of My Life,’ ‘Kahit Kailan,’ ‘Habang Atin ang Gabi’ and ‘Rainbow’. Ella May, meanwhile, will render her national heartbreak soundtracks like ‘Till My Heartaches End’ and ‘If the Feeling is Gone,’ among others.