Karl Ramirez is a musician, songwriter and activist. He is a member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (FILSCAP), and volunteers for the multi-awarded multimedia organization Kodao Productions.
His song Convergence won the grand prize in Net-25’s 2010 songwriting competition. He was also selected as a participant in the 1st Elements National Songwriting Camp held by Ryan Cayabyab’s 7101 Music Nation.
In November 2010, he released an online compilation Makibaka! Rakenrol Tungong Pagbabago (Struggle! Rock ‘n Roll Towards Change) a collection of rock & pop songs for and about the people’s struggle for meaningful change. Songs Desap, Panata sa Bayan, Mananatili Ka (Written by Empiel Palma), Elian, Sobra-Sobra (Written by Yen & Karatula), Song of the League (Written by Danny Fabella), and Dahil (Written by Ericson Acosta), all produced independently, were released shortly after. A self-published CD edition containing 17 tracks was released in August 2011.
Three new original songs – Barikada, Tumugon sa Hamon and Free were released in the first week of September 2011.
Members of the band Plagpul and Sinangag, namely Pol Torrente, Jay Jamoralin, Leo Daniel Isais, Jimmy Jamoralin, Peter Panelo, Ephraim Leynes, and fellow people’s artists Roselle Pineda, Loujaye Sonido and maestro Tony Palis have greatly contributed in live performances of songs Makibaka, Desap, Elian, and Sobra-Sobra.
Discography
Songwriter, Arranger and Performer:
- Barikada (2011)
- Free (2011)
- Tumugon sa Hamon (2011)
- Elian (2011)
- Manindigan and Makibaka Reprise, original soundtracks of Center for Environmental Concerns’ “Higante’t Tutubi”, a short animated feature about the environment (2011)
- Panata sa Bayan (2011) – Published at Click Music Philippines, a joint venture of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the Filipino Composers Development Cooperative (FILCOMDEC).
- Desap (2010)
- Makibaka (2010)
- Makabayan, Palaban – Campaign song for Satur Ocampo’s senatorial bid (2010)
- Convergence, an entry to Net25 Rock the Beat’s songwriting competition held in 2010. The song won the grand prize and is now the official theme of Net25’s premier Information Technology show Convergence.
- Tagapagtanggol ng Bayan, a song project commissioned by the National Union of People’s Lawyers, 2010
- Viewfinder – Kodao Productions’ video ID original soundtrack (2010)
- Nagbabalita – Bulatlat.com’s live webcast ID original soundtrack (2010)
- Makata’y Mandirigma – Original theme for the trailer of the Makata’y Mandirigma DVD (2010)
- Writer, Arranger and Performer – Alagaan ang Kalikasan, a song project commissioned by the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center for their segment in a weekly radio program in Radyo Veritas, 2009
- Dahil –Written by Ericson Acosta (2011)
- Song of the League –Written by Danny Fabella (2011)
- Sobra Sobra – Written by Yen, Karatula (2011)
- Mananatili Ka, a song written by Empiel Palma for the documentary feature “Ka Bel”, March 2011
- Balang Araw – Written by Xandra Bisenio (2010)
- Oyayi – Music written by Xandra Bisenio based on a poem by Leoncio Bagani (2010)
- Sali Na, Bayan, a song project commissioned by Kodao Productions as the official theme of the radio program Sali Na, Bayan! airing at DZUP 1602 Khz from Monday to Friday. Written by Flon Faurillo. (2010)
- Kapit-Bisig sa Pagbabago – Written by Xandra Bisenio and performed jointly with Walkie Mirana (2010)
- Free the 43 – Written by Carl Lopez and performed by Aki Merced and Renato Reyes (2010)
- Desaparecido – A violin rendition performed by Jonathan for the musical Mrs. B (2010)
Musical Arrangement – 8 song segments in the musical “Makata’y Mandrigima, Mandirigma’y Makata” a Filpino musical staged at the UP Diliman Theater, November 30, 2009. Written by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and Palanca awardee Edward Perez. Directed by Rommel Linatoc. Musical direction by Rica Palis.
Songwriter and Arranger – Original Sound Track of “Hustisya” a video documentary about human rights produced by the Bikol X Press, 2006
