Band's opening chapter gets good read in L.A.
South River man's harmonious garage band to record first album
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

The members of Chapter 2 are Rolly Ramos (l-r), Neol Tampac, Wenchie Olitan, Cutuy Herrero, Dennis Sy, Beng Llanto and (not pictured) Marla Garcia-Villacorte.

They may not look like MTV material, but if it's the music that matters a newly formed local band is already on the map.

The partly South River-based Chapter 2 won Artist of the Year earlier this month at the 16th annual International Los Angeles Music Awards in the Adult Alternative category.

Despite its excitement, the group was busy doing what it does best at the time of the awards, and could not accept in person.

"We were not able to attend, because we had to be in the city for another gig, so we had to forego the awards show," said vocalist and conga player Dennis Sy, of South River. "It is definitely something we are proud of. It is a big deal for us."

Chapter 2 is following in the footsteps of the now famous hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas, which won for Best Artist in a previous year.

In addition to Sy, the band is made up of lead vocalist Cutuy Herrero, guitarist Noel Tampac, Marla Garcia-Villacorte on the keyboards, and drummer Wenchie Olitan, all of whom were born in the Philippines.

Chapter 2 was also chosen from thousands of bands around the world as a nominee in the adult album alternative pop single category for its first single, "Real Me."

Part of what motivated the band members to submit their song for consideration at the L.A. awards was that it gave them exposure to have industry professionals - but it was also the judges' method of selecting bands.

"They had a category for blind judging where they do not look at an image of the artist or the artist's Web site, and that is why we won," Sy said.

The band members' rather straight appearances don't exactly fit the mold of a pop star. The musicians in Chapter 2 all have day jobs, Sy said, adding that he works for a bank in New York.

Sy's parents are still in the Philippines; his sister lives in California.

"I am a Filipino Asian American. I studied in the Philippines and I came here [to New Jersey] in 1994," he said.

When asked how their culture influences their sound, Sy said it has less of an impact than one might think.

"The Philippines is essentially an American colony," he said. "So we are exposed to American music as much as our own."

Sy described the band's sound as a hybrid.

"Certainly the chord progression is very Asian in flavor, and it becomes pop."

The band's lineup was formed in New Jersey about six months ago, and had its first show at Loews Landmark Theater in Jersey City in May.

"We have known each other for over a year," Sy said, "and we played under different band names."

Sy came to New Jersey after being recruited for work here, and after six years settled in South River with his wife, Anna Kanyek, in 2000.

"We bought a house in South River, my wife and I, because it is a nice, quaint town with a lot of new developments that attracted us. And it is quite close to East Brunswick and Route 18."

The band describes itself as a pop acoustic group, and has covered songs by Bon Jovi, the Dixie Chicks and Fleetwood Mac.

"We have a lot of harmony," Sy said. "That more or less distinguishes our sound. We call ourselves a pop acoustic band, but it is the harmony, the combination of our voices when we perform that makes us distinct."

Chapter 2 is planning to record its first album by early next year at its practice location in Olitan's Somerset home.

"We are a garage band that records in somebody's basement," Sy said, "but the equipment is sufficient enough for quality recording."

The band is currently "gigging" three times a month, with a show planned in Eatontown with recording artist David Pomeranz. The show, at St. Dorothea's Church Gym, 240 Broad St., is at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Visit the band's Web site at www.chapter2band.com for more information.