Fusion Band Biographies
Keyboard/Vocals - Glenn Pagkalinawan
Glenn's passion for music motivated him to learn and develop his musical abilities. His interest in playing the piano began at the age of 5. He started taking piano lessons in 1st grade. He also attended organ classes and performed in recitals just like everyone else. He joined the choir, several bands, and performed in musical plays just to continue and expand his music skills.
Glenn got his first taste of performing in the bay area with the 'Til Dawn Band. He later joined other bands such as Sound X'treme, Session Company and NuVerz. He has also made himself available to perform with other groups to fill in as keyboardist and/or sound technician (Unknown Band, Lynx Band, Insight Band, Rendezvous, and Rock Motion).
A musical arranger and composer, Glenn loves to create and explore new styles, grooves and chops. "I love the variety ~ gospel, blues, pop, smooth jazz, hip-hop, rock, R&B and ballads. They say music is an art.... Let's be creative!"
Guitar/Vocals - Rollie Mancilla
* 1974 (Olongapo City/Harlem Club with Funk Campaign)
*1974-75 (Tokyo, Japan/Cordon Bleu with Reflections Band)
*1976 (Bodega Folk House, Mabini, Ermita; Bodega Theatre, Q.C.; My Father's Mustache; The Spindle; The Kola House, etc.
*1977 (first recording contract with Blackgold Recording Co. with Sino Band. Launched 1st 45 rpm. "Problema Na Naman" flipsided w/ "Taxidriver"). Series of Sino Band New Moon concerts with Sampaguita, Mike Hanopol, Anak Bayan, Joey Smith, Resty Fabunan's Maria Cafra, Wally Gonsalez, etc. Sino Band disbanded in early 1978 due to mismanagement of the group.
*1978 (formed the group Kayumanggi and signed a recording contract with Vicor Recording Co. and recorded the group's 1st 45 rpm "Sigarilyo flipsided with "Kara Krus"). Did a lot of gigs in Olongapo City (100 % Club; Chatter Box and Hot City) alternated with Boy Adan's Please Band, Metamorphosis, Friction, Wally Gonsalez's City Hall Band, The Jerks and others). Major concert in Araneta Coliseum back to back with Juan dela Cruz Band who's consist of Joey Smith, Mike Hanopol and Wally Gonsalez. Kayumanggi is consist of Rollie Mancilla (guitar/vocals) Jun Pobre (may he rest in peace)(guitar/backvocals), Sunny Taay(drums/percussions) and Dave Andrade(bass/backvocals). Mid of 1978 Freddie "Anak" Aguilar joined the group and made a lot of shows/concerts with the group. Did some parts of his recordings in mid `78.
*1979 1st Cecil Music Awards Night Kayumanggi was awarded "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a group." Took major concerts in Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro and Metro Manila. Join Freddie Aguilar in major solo shows/concerts In Davao, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Bacolod and Metro Manila. Freddie and Kayumanggi made a successful concert tour in Kota Kinabalu,West Malaysia and the whole of west Malaysia in mid `80s. Kayumanggi lasted until 1981.
*1981 Join my cousins "Lord Bees" band in Lost Horizon Disco @ Westin Phil. Plaza Hotel.
*1985 Traveled to Singapore with Lord Bees for 1 year.
*1986 Back to Lost Horizon Disco
*1987 Back to Singapore for another 1 year contract.
*1988 formed the group "Airplay" and had a 6 month contract in Takikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
*1989 Back to Lost Horizon Disco for 1 1/2 years.
*1990 Went back to Singapore this time with Airplay band for 1 year.
*1991 Reformed Lord Bees band with my nephews and had a 2 year contract at Lost Horizon Disco, Westin Phil. Plaza Hotel
*1993 6 month contract @ Estancia Club in Roponggi,Tokyo, Japan. Then back to Lost Horizon Disco.
*1994 6 month contract @ Extancia Club in Roponggi, Tokyo, Japan.
*1995 Joined Crossover band and had steady gigs in Hard Rock Cafe,Studebaker, Shangrila Hotel's Eddie's Grill, Streetlife, Rembrandt Hotel, Westin Phil. Plaza's Lobby Court, etc. 1995-1997 Crossover had been playing in Hard Rock Cafe in Jakarta and Bali.
Bass - Nhel Ebanez
Started playing bass guitar in high school, same year i recorded an all original songs with my first band Dimoz. My musical influences are Red Hot Chilli Pepper, Metallica, Tool, Primus and Victor Wooten, this are the bands that reflected my bass playing style, I’ve played with bay area bands such us Misfire and Nuverz.
Lead Female Vocals – Cece Casanada
"Singing has always been and will remain my number one passion in life". She was a member of "Tambuli" choir of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 12 years old. Through this group she reached out to other young performers, including World Youth day held annual. Throughout High School, she was in the school chorus where she performed solos which included Broadway musicals such as Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Fiddler on the roof, and George Gershwin compositions. These solos were performed at various public functions in the Peninsula. During sophomore year, she helped form an accapella group called KARIZMA, which was comprised of 4 members, each delivering their own style of background.
Karizma performed with other groups at other high schools and several community events. In 2000, she hosted Casa Manila's karaoke nights, which helped her a great deal in overcoming the little stage fright she had left. She partook in the "EB Talents International" Best of the Bay concert, featuring some of the local talents in the Bay Area. She has performed under "Synchronicity Productions", based in the South Bay , whose main objective was to get the young people out of the streets and chasing their dreams. She hosted AND performed during their first show held in Cupertino High School in 2001. In 2007, she joined her first band, After Midnite Band, consisting mostly of SFPD. They performed at various venues in the North Bay including political events in San Francisco.
Lead Female Vocals – Myra Simmons
For nearly 13 years, she has thrilled audiences across the bay with her tremendous energy and proven ability to entertain audiences of all ages. Melding the essence of her music influences, she combines the very best of modern Hip-Hop, R&B and Pop while entertaining and captivating audiences with sincerity and power. Joined multiple bands such as Diversity, 'Tildawn and Nuverz before settling down with Fusion in mid 2009.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Myra held the microphone at the age of 6, joined glee club in her junior year and represented her school in various singing competitions. She's never had any voice lessons except karaoke which has always been a part of her Filipino up-bringing. Myra auditioned for American Idol in 2005, never made it to Hollywood but considered it as an experience of a lifetime. She has always aspired to make her own record that will give her a chance to grow as a singer and an artist as a whole.
Drums/Vocals – Jay-R Covita
Jay-R has been playing drums till he was 5 years old. He grew up listening to his father play the drums, watched him play while covering his ears because it was too loud, but was fascinated on how he played. Jay-R played with various band throughout the years. The highlights band, Dejavu, The New Concept, C'est La Vie, LP, Nuverz, Keith Johnson Allstars,Opening Night band, Mirage band, and now with the "FUSION band". Jay-R also has other talents as well, he plays the bass and in his free time he loves to compose and play piano and sings. He plays all types of music and loves what he does.
Lead Male Vocals – Virgil Casanada
His penchant for music was manifested at the early age of 2. Although he could not sing the exact words to a song, he was able to hum the musical notes beautifully and with gusto. At the age of 5 he had his first concert at a cultural show in his hometown of Batangas City singing an original composition "Kabataan, Saan Ka Patungo?" written by his mom. He joined the Glee Club during his grade school years in St. Bridget’s College and competed in various school competitions where he was a consistent winner. Not content with winning laurels in his school and his hometown, he also joined TV programs in Manila and won TV Channel 13's talent show hosted by Ike Lozada and Ariel Ureta and Channel 7's Student Canteen with Eddie Ilarde. Whenever his schedule permits, he also performed at road shows and other places in the region since his dad was the producer of most of these shows. These opportunities allowed him to harness his musical skills and gain confidence in his trade.
While in middle school, he studied keyboards at the Yamaha School of Music before going to the St. Francis of Assisi Seminary in Lipa City to study. There he became the soloist of the seminary choir where he also competed and won awards in the inter-city seminary contests.
It was a short-lived stay in the seminary since he decided to go back to St. Bridget's to finish high school. Right after graduation, he and his school friends formed the "Huggers Band", the youngest band ever to play in the circles of night clubs in Batangas City.
He had barely started to pursue his Architecture studies in Manila when he left the Philippines to go abroad and live in the US permanently.
When he arrived in the US in 1987, he found his musical niche by joining a singing competition at the War Memorial Building in Daly City and won the top prize. This contest was hosted by KSOL and sponsored by the city of Daly City Parks and Recreation Department. This was the first contest of its kind in the city at that time. Shortly after he joined the San Francisco City Chorus.
A few months later, he and his other Batangueno friends, formed the "Live Version Band" and became its soloist/keyboard player. The band had their biggest break when they were asked to perform regularly on weekends at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlingame. This was later followed by a string of gigs at some of the local hot spots like Solita's Restaurant, Tito Rey of the Islands, Carnival Restaurant and Josephine’s on Broadway, San Francisco. They got rave reviews performance-after- performance and drew a huge crowd of followers wherever they went , be it corporate, organization or hotel gigs. The Live Version Band was active until 2007.
Virgil provided opening acts to some of the big name entertainment figures such as Gabby Concepcion, Nora Aunor, Aiko Melendez, Aga Muhlach, Buffy and Jocelyn Enriquez in concerts held at Fort Mason, Nob Hill and the Cow Palace.