Our friend, Rodison C. Leonardo, was born in the Philippines, a native Filipino. You can also call him by his nickname Jing. He's 34 years old, a Roman Catholic. He holds a degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communication Engineering. There was once an occurrence in his life he wanted to enter Priesthood after his graduation in college. For some personal reasons, he didn't continue to pursue it. Until now it's very hard to admit that he's still a bachelor at his mature age. He only diverts his time to watch film or hear music after his work. He loves film and music. His real hobbies are to collect music in LPs and CDs, and also to collect films in VHS, VCD and DVD as well. He started to like Sir Ennio Morricone's music when he saw the film "The Mission" in 1995. He considered The Mission music 'very influential' to him. Seeking more of Sir Ennio's works, he joined in one of Morricone's prestige forums. There he met many friends in different nations who really loved to help those who were beginners of knowing Sir Ennio and his magnificent scores. He still makes contact to some of them through e-mail. Knowing friends who have one common goal, "to spread the music of Sir Ennio Morricone", is a very remarkable and tremendous experience for him. It's so great to know there's someone in the Philippines who really appreciate Maestro Ennio Morricone, truly the legend of film music.

The Early Years

Born on September 22nd, 1958, Andrea grew up on the family farm in Lajatico, a close knit farming community set among the vineyards and olive groves of rural Tuscany. The farm includes a small vineyard, from which Andrea's father, Sandro, still produces a small quantity of "Chianti Bocelli." Displaying rare musical gifts from an early age, Andrea's parents nurtured and encouraged his talents with formal piano lessons from the age of six, later learning to play both flute and saxophone. Andrea's love of opera was also apparent from an early age, and he feels he was destined to sing. "I was one of those children who would always be asked to sing for my relatives. I don't think one really decides to be a singer - other people decide it for you by their reactions".

After school, Andrea studied law at the University of Pisa, and these years are fondly recalled as a highly enjoyable period in his life. Graduating as a Doctor of Law, Andrea spent a year acting as a court-appointed lawyer, before embarking on a make-or-break attempt at singing. He approached the legendary tenor, Franco Corelli, famous for working with some of the greatest voices in the world, who readily agreed to take Andrea as his pupil. To pay the fees Andrea performed at night in piano bars and clubs, and at one of these venues he met Enrica, his future wife. The couple have now been married for eight years, with two sons, Amos and Matteo.

The Discovery

In 1992 a chain of events accelerated Andrea from piano bar performer to international superstardom: Italian rock legend Zucchero held auditions for tenors to make a demo tape of the duet Miserere , the track co-written with U2's Bono, in attempt to persuade Luciano Pavarotti to record the song. Zucchero recalled: "Andrea was just unbelievable! He had something not one of the other tenors possessed. He had soul." When Pavarotti received the demo, he was extremely impressed with Andrea's voice, "Zucchero!, Who is this guy?" Pavarotti demanded. "Thank You for writing such a wonderful song. Yet you do not need me to sing it - Let Andrea sing Miserere with you, for there is no one finer." Zucchero convinced Pavorotti to record Miserere with him, and the duo scored a Europe-wide smash hit. When Zucchero embarked on his European tour, with the public crying out to hear the hit live, he invited Bocelli to perform the duet in place of Pavarotti. Bocelli was received tremendously, and a solo spot was incorporated into the concerts.

Pavarotti later arranged to meet with Andrea, and a friendship was formed. Andrea's fame and popularity increased with a high profile performance at Pavarotti's annual charity gala concert, which brings together the worlds of classical and popular music, and this saw Andrea performing not only with his host, but with stars of popular music including Bryan Adams. A 1995 pan-Europe tour, "Night of the Proms" featuring Bocelli, Bryan Ferry, Al Jarreau and others, saw Andrea performing to a live audience totalling 500,000 with televised audiences numbering tens of millions.

Sugar Music & The Sanremo Festival

Andrea's recording career begun in earnest when in 1993 he signed to Inseieme/Sugar, the Milan-based music group founded in the 1930's who represent scores of famous Italian artists. Caterina Caselli, Sugar's President, heard Andrea sing Miserere and Nessun dorma at Zucchero's birthday party and a deal was made immediately. In November 1993 Andrea entered the preliminary round of the prestigious Italian Sanremo Music Festival performing both parts of the duet Miserere. Andrea won the preliminary competition with the highest marks ever recorded in the "New Entrants" category. In spring of 1994 Andrea entered the main competition with II mare calmo della sera, and the victory was again awarded with a record score. His debut album was released and immediately entered the Italian Top Ten and went platinum in a matter of weeks.

As winner of the 1994 Sanremo Festival Andrea was invited, as in the tradition, to return the following year. Andrea entered with Con Te Partiro taken from his second album "Bocelli" produced by another of Italy's leading record producers, Mauro Malavasi. The album went on to achieve double platinum sales in Italy.

Major international chart success with single and album releases

Bocelli's worldwide success has been phenomenal, scoring No.1 singles and albums. the singles Con Te Partiro and Time to Say Goodbye have smashed sales records in several countries, while Andrea's albums have amassed sales awards across Europe. Bocelli's original solo version of the singe Con Te Partiro, featured on the album "Bocelli" was a massive hit; in France the single topped the charts for 6 weeks, earning a triple Gold sales award; in Belgium the single became the biggest hit of all time, spending 12 weeks at No.1 The album "Bocelli" has been awarded Platinum status is all territories of releases, including sextuple platinum in Belgium, quadruple platinum in Germany (selling nearly two million copies), quadruple platinum in Holland and double platinum in Italy. In November 1996, Andrea and Sarah Brightman were invited to perform the duet "Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) at the farewell contest of the German World Light-Heavyweight boxing champion, Henry Maske. A national hero held in unrivaled esteem, he is known for his love of selecting entrance themes to his bouts. Sarah Brightman, the internationally renowned soprano and friend of Henry Maske heard Con Te Partiro in a restaurant while dining with her friends. Entranced by the singer and the song, Brightman made contact with Andrea. Andrea and Brightman re-recorded Con Te Partiro as the duet Time to Say Goodbye with members of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Maske, unfortunately was defeated on points by US champion Virgil Hill. As the German public paid tribute to their departing hero, the arena was filled with the glorious sound of Time to Say Goodbye. The hearts and minds of the German nation were captured. The single was released and shot to No.1 where it resided for 14 weeks. With sales nearing 3 million copies, and a sextuple platinum award. Time to Say Goodbye has eclipsed the previous best-selling single by well over 1 million copies. However, it was "Romanza", Bocelli's international debut album released in 1997, which took him to even greater heights of success. Going multi-platinum in virtually all territories of release. With his recent release of "Sogno" selling in excess of 4 million copies in just a couple months, is a testament to the power of his unique voice and irresistible warmth in overcoming barriers of language and culture. (See here)

While creating the perfect track listing for Bocelli's first-ever album of popular songs, Bocelli and his producers searched the musical eras from the 1920s to the 1980s for songs in Italian, Spanish and French. Bocelli also added some of his favorite international pop songs, including the Italian classics "L'Appuntamento" and "Quando M'Innamoro," the Latin American hit "Besame Mucho," and the French standard "Les Feuilles Mortes," which has become the much-loved English standard "Autumn Leaves." "Solamente Una Vez" (a hit as "You Belong to My Heart" for stars including Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby) and "Somos Novios" (famously an English-language hit as "It's Impossible" for Perry Como) are also highlights of the album. The end result is Bocelli's amazingly beautiful interpretation of classics made popular by legendary vocalists from Edith Piaf and Luis Miguel to Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
Amore features a stellar lineup of the world's finest instrumentalists, who between them have worked with virtually every major artist of the recent era: On electric and acoustic guitar, Dean Parks (Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, B.B. King) and Michael Landau (Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis); on Spanish guitar, mandolin, charango, bajo-sexto and vihuela, Ramon Stagnaro (Luis Miguel, Alejandro Sanz, Enrique Iglesias); on bass, Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Phil Collins); on drums, Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn); on piano and keyboards, Randy Waldman (Barbra Streisand, Kenny G, George Benson); on percussion, Paulinho Da Costa (Prince, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock) and Rafaela Padilla (Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz); and on trumpet, the acclaimed soloist Chris Botti.

Product Description
Romance. Passion. Emotion. These words are synonymous with the voice of Andrea Bocelli. Almost ten years ago he exploded onto the international music scene with Romanza, and has since sold nearly 50 million albums worldwide. Amore--released amongst the glamor of the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy (where he will perform at the closing ceremony) and the romance of Valentine's Day--finds Bocelli straying from the carefully groomed classical ground in which he is most familiar. The concept of the album came from famed producer and longtime Bocelli fan David Foster along with co-producers Humberto Gatica and Tony Renis, who posed the question: Why not take the most beautiful love songs in the world and pair them with the most romantic voice in the world? The result is a beautiful album of pop standards that Foster has publicly claimed is "one of the most beautiful records I have ever been part of."

Embarking on a new era, Amore unveils a fresh sensuous sound that gently moves Bocelli into new territory. Spanish guitars flourish, traditional Latin percussion seductively keeps the tempo, accordions and harmonicas provide charming melodies, while sometimes Bocelli shares the spotlight with just a grand piano. Recorded late in the summer at Bocelli's Tuscan home studio overlooking the coast, the album exudes the natural beauty and breathtaking surroundings evident in Italy. Amore marks the only album David Foster has made outside of his Californian studio complex in two decades. This was also most musically gratifying for Bocelli: "I've been presented with opportunities I once could only dream of, challenges I longed to confront and experiences I will cherish forever, but while recording this album I realized that now is the perfect moment to arrive at an album of this repertoire, with the perfect producers, the perfect musicians and the perfect selection of songs." (See here)

Whether Quentin Tarantino's new film was intended as a grovelling apology to his fans for the soul-crushing tedium of Kill Bill or as another shameless tribute to the cinema of the 1970s he so deeply loves is irrelevant. What matters is that it works as both. Splendidly.

Embracing the aesthetics of the psycho-killer exploitation flick as well as the car chase movies that so dominated the drive-in circuits of the '70s, Death Proof is an exhilarating, no-holds-barred, long-overdue return to form for Tarantino.

The film positively breathes with the qualities that made Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994) and Jackie Brown (1997) so remarkable - relentless narrative drive, pulpy characters, energetic performances and those lengthy, marvellously naturalistic dialogue exchanges dripping with pop culture references that have become Tarantino's most distinctive trademark.

On top of all this, Tarantino stages in Death Proof a climactic 20-minute car chase that easily ranks as one of the most thrilling ever put on film - and, as cheekily stressed several times in the movie, it's intended as a loving salute to old-school stuntwork and as a backhander to those cowardly action filmmakers who resort to CGI, with special mention being made of the appalling, digitally enhanced 2000 remake of Gone in 60 Seconds.

The premise of Death Proof is as cheesy and as cheap as nostalgia allows. Kurt Russell - his weathered face lined with the crags of middle age and bearing a full-length scar he refers to as a "shaving cut" - is Stuntman Mike. He likes stalking sexy young women, then killing them with his "death-proofed" stunt car, specially designed to protect the driver from dying no matter how severe the collision.

He targets two groups of women. The first lot fall victim to him, the second refuse to - and it's this marvellous piece of table-turning that results in the adrenalin-charged climax that is not only breathtaking to behold but highlights one of the glorious ironies of Tarantino's work.

When indulging his love for retro-cinema, Tarantino often proves himself to be more progressive and genuinely daring than many of his contemporaries. In Jackie Brown he cast a middle-aged black woman (Pam Grier) in a lead role; in Kill Bill he had Uma Thurman as a female action hero; and in Death Proof he has women fighting back against their male tormentor - not with the twitchy, guilt-ridden reluctance of Jodie Foster in The Brave One, but with euphoric aggression and salivating smiles. It may be a case of going back to move forward, but these are the type of women we need to see more of on screen. And it's hard to pick which is more enjoyable - the killer car sequence of Death Proof or the lengthy, delicious bursts of Tarantino dialogue that precede it.(See here)