Rey Mapeso
Lead Guitar, Keyboards/Synthesizers, Vocals
Rey learned
to play the guitar at age 11 while in grade 6. Mainly
acoustic guitar first, playing songs from James Taylor, Seals and Crofts,
America in the 70's.
Born in Cebu City, Philippines, Rey got his first Fender Stratocaster copy at age 15 from the first job in high school working in his dad's firm while learning blues guitar licks from early heroes like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton and later to Van Halen and Yngwie Malmsteen.
At 16, he was asked to join Spit of the Morning Sun - Cebu's premier club band in the 70's. Later formed his first band called Mother Goose, a 4-piece tribute to Led Zeppelin that toured college and university campus around Visayas and Mindanao. Unfortunately, the group disbanded as they got offers to play in Manila and Olongapo.
Finishing his degree in Architecture at the Cebu institute of Technology in 1981, Rey concentrated working at Cebu Plaza Hotel while performing with various bands around Cebu at nights.
After a few tours with several groups, he joined "Nightshift" in 1986, a top 40 fashion band and regularly plays in 5-star hotels and resorts that also performed as opening acts for local and international artist like Apo, Sharon Cuneta, The Frictions, Zsa Zsa, Angela Bofill, Bad Bananas, Celeste Legaspi, Bert Marcelo, Hocus Pocus and the Firelights Band.
In 1987, Nightshift landed a stint in Singapore were they played for about 360 nights a year seven nights a week and join onstage with many major artists in that island state. The band also performed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Indonesia. Rey left the Nightshift when the band went back to Cebu in 1989.
Rey moved to Canada in 1990 and immediately formed Sticky Substance band performing in filipino and mainstream audience until 1994. He had performed with Versatile Band, U of T musicians group, Kalesa band (with Paul Paredes), Natalie Remo, Josie De Leon of Manila Hyatt Regency fame, Ivory Keys promotions, Pilita Corales, Jolina Magdangal, Kempe De Leon, Rey Valera, Bobby S of the Platters fame, Gentle Touch, The Fullhouse Band (had stints in Baltimore, Chicago, Disney World-Orlando,
Washington DC, Buffalo-NY) and recently the Jaltro Sextet Jazz Band Concert. He also recorded songs with Chico-lites, Danny Gangemi, Karen Tan and other performers here and abroad.
In a way of thanking all Rey's friends and musicians, check out his first solo CD called "Guitar Stories" a rock guitar instrumental album just released under the label Sticky Records.
Rey resides in Brampton and works for a major financial company in downtown Toronto and is also a freelance Graphic Designer.