As one year begins, the past year and its achievements are reviewed. What does that mean? Year-end “best of” lists.

We thank the Kansas City Star and PresentMagazine.com for including the Zamboanga CD on their year-end, best-of lists.

Here are links to each:

Kansas City Star’s “Local music: There was plenty to love in 2009″

PresentMagazine.com’s list included in ‘Back to Rockville’ (aka the KC Star/Ink blog), “List-o-mania: The year in music, in words and photos”

As a Christmas and holiday present, here is a free download of the bonus track “One by One” that Barclay Martin wrote and performs for the Zamboanga documentary film score.

We hope everyone is having a joyous season!

(To download, just click the down arrow to the right of the sound wave)

At the end of the concert last month, the stage was filled with reverence. The show ended with Barclay Martin’s moving “The Wheel” that states, “Learning is all we have to break the chains, while the wheel of poverty remains.” A line repeats, “Kalingkawasa kapit-os (hangtud tanaan),” which translates to, “Until we all are free from poverty.”

We’ve captured the concert on film so you can experience the evening, if you weren’t able to be there. And if you were in the audience on Nov. 8, you can relive the event!

Following is a video of the Pansak Dance, performed by the Sinag-Tala Dance Troupe of the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City.

The evening was a resounding success!! Thanks to the performers and everyone behind the scenes and in the audience. Barclay Martin Ensemble with the Sinag-Tala Dance Troupe, the Sampaguita Choir and Quixotic Fusion’s lighting design created an unforgettable experience on stage.

“One By One” (video below, song written by Barclay Martin) was a bonus track, not on the CD (to order a CD, click here).

See photos from the concert here.

What people are saying about the concert:

The Kansas City Star

CFCA Web site

There Stands The Glass blog

Tony’s Kansas City

Examiner.com

Gin’s Eyes blog

T-Rave video blog

The tickets are gone. Sunday night’s concert is fully reserved. We’re excited to share the documentary music by Barclay Martin, along with clips from the film and performances by Barclay Martin Ensemble, the Sinag-Tala Dance Troupe and the Sampaguita Choir with so many friends!

We hope you are planning on joining us for the show. But, if not, we’ll try to supply as much coverage afterward to give you a taste of the event. And we’ll keep you posted on the next song and film opportunity!

During the concert, we hope to send out some live tweets. Please follow us at www.twitter.com/zamboanga.

After the concert, please check back here for concert reports, pics and video. Also, we’ll be posting a story on the CFCA Web site, and we’ll let you know on this blog and via twitter and Facebook about any other bloggers and media who produce articles and post about the night.

If you attend the show, we would love to hear your comments!

In  the span of only one month, the Philippines has been hit by four severe storms, including Typhoon Ketsana, which news sources report dropped the largest rainfall on record in 40 years.

CFCA staff and sponsored families in the Philippines have been affected by the flooding, causing loss of homes, possessions and lives.

CFCA loss includes the death of subproject coordinator Ronaldo “Bong” Alcordo after he contracted leptospirosis from typhoon floodwater.

Please find the following stories from the CFCA blog and Web site:

First-person accounts from CFCA staff in the Philippines

Remembering Ronaldo “Bong” Alcordo

My experience with Typhoon Ondoy

The story of Rachel

News stories

Typhoon aftermath claims life of CFCA staff member

Fourth typhoon in a month strikes Philippines

Please keep all people affected by the storms in your thoughts and prayers.

For your listening pleasure and to whet your appetite for the album, we give you “Miracle,” written by Kansas City musician Barclay Martin from the “Zamboanga: Poverty, War, Music” CD.

This song will be played at the CD release concert on Nov. 8, 2009, in Kansas City. Learn more about the concert here.

The CD will be available with a donation to the CFCA Scholarship Program beginning Nov. 9. Sign up for the Zamboanga eNews to receive updates.

Miracle

Won’t you take the time to know me well?
The constant music of the mission bell
And you decide
As days go by
Won’t you take the time to know me well?

Can you see a mother’s hands get worn away?
The balance and the beautiful array
And her bones
Can’t bear the cold
Can you see a mother’s hands get worn away?

The miracle lay sleeping in the dark
And the soldiers at the checkpoints all remark
No one can see
We still believe
The miracle lay sleeping in the dark

Ooh….

Won’t you step inside my humble home?
Til kindness is the only thing we know
My father’s face
A mother’s grace
Won’t you step inside my humble home?

Did you hear the sound of crying in the night?
The solitude of monumental light
And in us all
Do you recall
The sound?

Can you hear the song of children all around?
And the messages of mercy still resound
A mother’s prayer
Suspends the air
Can you hear the song of children all around?

Ooh…

The gift of a song: It’s essential. It’s fleeting. And you’re invited.

The CFCA documentary film, “Zamboanga: Poverty, War, Music” is in the last phase of post production, and the companion CD is ready to launch!

As a gift to our sponsors and the Kansas City area, CFCA is presenting a CD release concert at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, at Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kan.

Find driving directions to the Carlsen Center here.

The music was written by Kansas City musician Barclay Martin during his travels in the Philippines for the documentary, and some of the songs are featured in the film. Barclay Martin Ensemble will perform the songs at the concert, joined by special guests.

Guest performances include the Sampaguita Choir and Sinag-Tala Dance Group from the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City.

Admission is free, but seating is limited. Please contact Yardley Hall to make reservations: (913) 469-4445.

Listen to a song from the CD – and download it for free.

The concert is being sponsored in part by Bank of Kansas City.

For more information about the documentary, visit www.zamboangathemovie.com. Please sign up for the eNews to keep current on the film.

The CFCA scholar students were diligent musicians, learning how to play traditional Filipino instruments, which they performed on in front of the audience of about 10,000!

Want to join the kids for a minute of one of their rehearsals? They start by counting out the beat (the main voice you hear in this clip is Xarina). Then they launch into the last segment of the piece they learned.