Bossa Nova Queen Sitti Navarro under the Moon at Max’s Puente Hills

Photos & article by Jay Fermin (PinoyWired)

Philippine bossa nova queen Sitti Navarro, who have been creating waves worldwide with her sultry and cool rendition of Bossa Nova songs (her CDs hitting the charts), is currently visiting Los Angeles and other US cities for a series of shows.

We caught up with Sitti with an SRO Friday night crowd at the newest Max’s at Puente Hills Mall in California last Friday, August 15. At the outdoor dining area surrounded by waterfalls, rock formation, and soft lights all over, everybody was in anticipation of the newest favorite singer among both old and young Filipinos, Ms. Sitti Navarro herself. She was special guest at the just concluded US Philippine Expo in Fairplex Pomona and will have a series of shows put together by R-Page's CEO Ruben Panopio, Jr. under the direction of Jet Montelibano of www.creativeconceptsintl.com.

After dinner, under the soft light of a full moon, the night became alive with the smooth voice of samba and bossa nova (influenced by Astrud Gilberto and Sergio Mendes) amid the wild cheers and the lovely atmosphere of the cool evening and the intimate setting. Sitti certainly set the place in a very romantic mood and capped the evening with her rendition of “Waters of March”, a night song composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim. “A stick/ a stone/ a sliver of glass/ a scratch/ a cliff/ a knot in the wood/, a fish/ a pin/ the end of the road/ went the song, but the crowd wanted more…..

This Saturday, August 23, Sitti will be at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in a show entitled “A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: A Late Summer Night’s Dream Concert” produced by Creative Concepts International and RPJ Productions in association with R-PAGE Inc.

She will be joined onstage by Ms. Joey Albert, best known for her original Pilipino music like “Yakapin Mo Ako” and the revival hit “I Remember The Boy” (also made famous by Lea Salonga.)

Also joining Sitti on Saturday will be American singer, composer and writer David Pomeranz who is known worldwide by his classic songs including “Trying to get the Feeling Again”, “Got To Believe In Magic”, and “King and Queen of Hearts.”

Sitti released her CD 'Cafe Bossa' in 2006 (certified double platinum) and followed it with a re-release in 2007 coupled with a bonus VCD. Her next CD, 'Sitti Live' which has become a gold release. 'Sitti in the Mix', a collaboration work with Dense Modesto was release in 2007 and the CD 'My Bossa Nova came out in the same year. The latter CD was re-released in 2008 with a bonus VCD of Sitti Live!2 entitled 'My Bossa Nova Live 2.'

Scheduled shows are:

August 15 at Max's Puente Hills Mall
August 23 at Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles**
August 29 at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula**
August 31 at Cashman Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada
September 5 at Rebel Bar in New York

(**with Joey Albert & David Pomeranz)

Surely, Sitti with Joey and David will satisfy that longing for a relaxing midsummer night’s dream, a little night music for the soul.

(Tickets available at Wilshire Ebell Theatre Box Office 323-939-1128, Katz Entertainment at 562-219-7235 or 562-787-9030, Marissa 818-219-2009 or visit CreativeConceptsIntl for more info.)