Craig Abaya
Encyclopedia
Craig Abaya is an independent artist from San Francisco, California. In music, he is a singer, musician, songwriter, producer and engineer. In film, he has directed music performance and interview videos for countless musical celebrities as well as his own music videos. As a concert photographer, his portfolio includes a veritable Who's Who of popular music. He is also a designer and educator, serving as the Director of Digital Media & Entertainment Programs for San Francisco State University San Francisco State University
Extended Learning.
, is the reason for his slight southern accent at the age of 4. Primarily Filipino in heritage, Craig's bloodline also includes Spanish, German, Chinese and East Indian.
Craig recounts his musical background as "Guitar at 12, Drums at 11, Piano and 6, Voice at birth." He played with neighborhood bands starting at the age of nine and went on to form the hard rock trio, "Apparition" singing, playing lead guitar and writing the songs. At the same time, he wrote and played, primarily piano-based, songs for the local youth choir.
When Craig was nine years old, his brother, then a yearbook photographer at University of San Francisco, bought him his first point-and-shoot camera. Notable pictures from this camera were a local police chase and drug bust and a live concert by local band The Tubes.
At twelve he set out peddling some vintage comics he purchased cheap from the local Mom & Pop's in order to raise funds for his first movie camera. As he did with music, he invited his friends to join him in some creative fun. This time, creating short humorous films and animations.
).
In 2002, Craig was approached by Apple Computer
(for whom he acted as a consultant) with an opportunity that started his practice of merging his music industry and education involvement. With a team of DVI students ("DVants") and 13 sponsors (including Apple), he directed "Bruce Hornsby Live at Villa Montalvo" for DIRECTV.
Since then, he has involved his students in countless music-related film projects, working with the likes of Neil Young
, Sarah McLachlan
, No Doubt
, Ozomatli
, Hugh Masekela
, Joan Baez
, Lyrics Born
, Elton John
and many more. This includes producing and directing concert and interview videos for Stern Grove Festival
.
He formed his first professional band, the grunge/metal trio, "Apparition" in his teens, playing searing guitar and singing for young fans throughout the Bay Area. At this time he also served as the singer/songwriter/musician for the local church youth group, performing mostly on piano.
After disbanding "Apparition," Craig acquired his own recording equipment and founded the 4-piece group "The Basics" and later, "Abaya," in an attempt to merge the extremes of his two divergent musical endeavors. Both bands received considerable attention from the Filipino press including "Philippine News" and developed an entirely new following. At this time, his unreleased recordings received their first review from Recording Magazine where they wrote, "Everything about the songs and the recording are big!"
In 2009, Craig released his first solo album, The Fine Art of Politics, recording and mixing on his Mac laptop, playing several instruments and featuring many Bay Area notables including Myron Dove (Santana), Eric McCann (Clarence Clemmons and the Redbank Rockers) and Kenney Dale Johnson (Chris Isaak). Also featured on backing vocals for the song "When Change Comes" is Craig's first cousin, JoAnne Lorenzana
, the Philippine pop/jazz singing star, who immigrated to the U.S. in 2005. The recordings were mastered by Bay Area mastering engineer, Michael Romanowski, who served, briefly, as bass player for "Abaya." Craig also directed and edited his first music video of the song "Silly Sentimental Fool" for release in 2010.
From these sessions, the song and recording of "This Jail I Made" was not included on the album. However, it received rave reviews from Recording Magazine editor and TAXI
founder, Michael Laskow, who wrote, "This guy has ALL his ducks in a row!" The songs themselves received much praise, garnering awards in songwriting including several from Billboard Magazine. Bay Area radio personality (and last person to interview John Lennon
), Dave Sholin, upon hearing a rough version of "Touch Me" responded by saying, "That singer has a lot on the ball." and "You're writing a great story, now make it a great novel!" Songs from the album have received airplay on alternative rock stations the Philippines and college radio in the U.S.
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
Extended Learning.
Early life
Growing up in San Francisco's Bernal Heights and Mission Districts, Craig was exposed to a variety of cultures and perspectives. His nanny, Margie Williams, a CreoleLouisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
, is the reason for his slight southern accent at the age of 4. Primarily Filipino in heritage, Craig's bloodline also includes Spanish, German, Chinese and East Indian.
Craig recounts his musical background as "Guitar at 12, Drums at 11, Piano and 6, Voice at birth." He played with neighborhood bands starting at the age of nine and went on to form the hard rock trio, "Apparition" singing, playing lead guitar and writing the songs. At the same time, he wrote and played, primarily piano-based, songs for the local youth choir.
When Craig was nine years old, his brother, then a yearbook photographer at University of San Francisco, bought him his first point-and-shoot camera. Notable pictures from this camera were a local police chase and drug bust and a live concert by local band The Tubes.
At twelve he set out peddling some vintage comics he purchased cheap from the local Mom & Pop's in order to raise funds for his first movie camera. As he did with music, he invited his friends to join him in some creative fun. This time, creating short humorous films and animations.
Multimedia
In 1999, Craig was serving as multimedia instructor at Silicon Valley College, SFSU Multimedia Studies Program and SFSU Corporate Training when he was asked to launch and run SFSU's Web Design Intensive program. For two years, his professional life was immersed in running the program, teaching and coordinating local non-profit agencies as clients for his student web design teams. In 2000, Apple Computers(Apple, Inc.) (now Apple, Inc.) contracted Craig to help develop a Web Design curriculum for Florida's Miami-Dade County Public Schools (Miami-Dade County Public SchoolsMiami-Dade County Public Schools
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is a public school district serving Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1885, it is the largest school district in Florida and the Southeastern United States, and the fourth largest in the United States, with a student enrollment of 380,006 as of July 5, 2010...
).
Digital Video
In 2001, the college accepted his proposal to develop a Digital Video Intensive program where students could learn all the ins and outs of filmmaking in 16 weeks. Here he brought on colleagues from the film, television and multimedia industries; most notably Philip J. Gallegos (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and Mark Devito (TechTV). He launched the DVI in the spring of 2002. This was both the final semester of the Web Design Intensive and the year he began to take over the Multimedia Studies Program.In 2002, Craig was approached by Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
(for whom he acted as a consultant) with an opportunity that started his practice of merging his music industry and education involvement. With a team of DVI students ("DVants") and 13 sponsors (including Apple), he directed "Bruce Hornsby Live at Villa Montalvo" for DIRECTV.
Since then, he has involved his students in countless music-related film projects, working with the likes of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
, No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
, Ozomatli
Ozomatli
Ozomatli is a seven to ten piece band playing primarily Latin, hip hop, and rock music, formed in 1995 in Los Angeles. They are known both for their vocal activist viewpoints and their wide array of musical styles - including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap, and others.In a 2007 NPR interview, band...
, Hugh Masekela
Hugh Masekela
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer.-Early life:Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa. He began singing and playing piano as a child...
, Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and many more. This includes producing and directing concert and interview videos for Stern Grove Festival
Stern Grove Festival
Established in 1938, the Stern Grove Festival is an admission-free series of performing arts events held during the summer months at the Sigmund Stern Recreation Grove, a eucalyptus-wooded natural amphitheater on a site at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, about two miles south of Golden Gate Park...
.
Independent Musical Artist
Born into a household that featured a piano, analog tape recorders and a record player, it was not long before Craig began creating and learning on his own. He wired cassette decks together and took advantage of his parents' 2-track recording deck to produce multitrack recordings. He began composing songs on the piano at 9 and on his first guitar at 12. This led to jamming with friends from Bernal Heights and nearby Inner and Outer Mission districts.He formed his first professional band, the grunge/metal trio, "Apparition" in his teens, playing searing guitar and singing for young fans throughout the Bay Area. At this time he also served as the singer/songwriter/musician for the local church youth group, performing mostly on piano.
After disbanding "Apparition," Craig acquired his own recording equipment and founded the 4-piece group "The Basics" and later, "Abaya," in an attempt to merge the extremes of his two divergent musical endeavors. Both bands received considerable attention from the Filipino press including "Philippine News" and developed an entirely new following. At this time, his unreleased recordings received their first review from Recording Magazine where they wrote, "Everything about the songs and the recording are big!"
In 2009, Craig released his first solo album, The Fine Art of Politics, recording and mixing on his Mac laptop, playing several instruments and featuring many Bay Area notables including Myron Dove (Santana), Eric McCann (Clarence Clemmons and the Redbank Rockers) and Kenney Dale Johnson (Chris Isaak). Also featured on backing vocals for the song "When Change Comes" is Craig's first cousin, JoAnne Lorenzana
JoAnne Lorenzana
JoAnne or Joanne Geraldine O. Lorenzana is a Filipina recording and performing artist, songwriter and former model, best known as an exponent of Original Pilipino Music in the Mid-1980s to the 1990s...
, the Philippine pop/jazz singing star, who immigrated to the U.S. in 2005. The recordings were mastered by Bay Area mastering engineer, Michael Romanowski, who served, briefly, as bass player for "Abaya." Craig also directed and edited his first music video of the song "Silly Sentimental Fool" for release in 2010.
From these sessions, the song and recording of "This Jail I Made" was not included on the album. However, it received rave reviews from Recording Magazine editor and TAXI
TAXI (A&R)
TAXI is an Independent A&R company, based in Calabasas, CA, that was founded in 1992 by music veteran Michael Laskow with the intent of helping songwriters, artists, bands, and composers get their music heard by record labels, music publishers, and supervisors of film/TV projects.- Annual...
founder, Michael Laskow, who wrote, "This guy has ALL his ducks in a row!" The songs themselves received much praise, garnering awards in songwriting including several from Billboard Magazine. Bay Area radio personality (and last person to interview John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
), Dave Sholin, upon hearing a rough version of "Touch Me" responded by saying, "That singer has a lot on the ball." and "You're writing a great story, now make it a great novel!" Songs from the album have received airplay on alternative rock stations the Philippines and college radio in the U.S.
- Abaya is a member of the National Association of Recording Arts and Science (NARAS) and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).