Album Notes

Mebuyan, a women-led music group based in Davao City, Philippines, is composed of Geejay Arriola (artistic director, percussionist), Gauss Obenza (music director, guitarist), Maree Contai (percussionist), Maan Chua (guitarist), Paolo Sisi (bassist), Chico Zambrano (drummer, percussionist), Maia Tampoy (keyboardist, and Lolong Gonzaga (keyboardist).

The group has released its first album entitled "Mga Kuwentong Bata."

The album features compositions by Geejay Arriola, Bayang Barrios, Gauss Obenza, Maree Contaoi, Maan Chua, Maia Tampoy, and Sheila Labos.

Mebuyan is set to release its second album entitled "Mga Kuwentong Mindanaw" (Mindanao Stories) in collaboration with various music artists in Davao.

As members of Mebuyan Peace Project, the all-women performance group, the musicians of Mebuyan wrote and arranged the music of "Panaw," written by Arriola and writer Malou Tiangco. “Panaw” was performed at the Asian Women's Theatre Festival in India and at the Asia-Pacific Conference for Women in the Arts Festival in Manila.

Arriola also wrote the music for Steven Patrick Fernandez's “Uwahig,” a dance theater production that was an entry to the International Theater Congress in Manila held July 2006; three of the pieces were arranged and performed by Mebuyan.

The group was also one of the prime movers of Davao-based EarthMusic Foundation's long-running concert-theatre musicale entitled "Salima," conceived and directed by Geejay Arriola and written by Palanca awardee Arnel Mardoquio. The musicale brought together music artists from various musical persuasions and renowned Philippine composers including Eric Gancio, Popong Landero and Gary Granada, who collaborated in the music writing.