(From left) Monica Patanao, Nelson Oliva and Elizabeth Patanao in Shillong. Picture by Bidhayak Das

Shillong, April 19: Music, the saying goes, knows no barriers. A Filipino band touring Meghalaya is reinforcing this belief.

Entranced by the earthy folk compositions from this northeastern state, Nelson Oliva, Monica Patanao and Elizabeth Patanao are blending their Filipino tunes with traditional Khasi, Garo and Jaintia melodies to come up with a unique pan-Asian genre.

?There is so much to learn here and so much similarity between their and our music,? said Nelson, who is the leader of the band D Sphere Circle. ?We can create a new genre of music by blending music from the Philippines with that of Meghalaya,? he added.

All the band members are part of the famous Patanao Orchestra of the Philippines, formed in the 1940s. Before visiting Meghalaya, they performed in Mumbai and Guwahati. Nelson is the band?s composer and plays the keyboards, while Monica and Elizabeth are the vocalists.

Apart from singing for Cloud 9?s music-loving clientele in the evening, the band has been spending considerable time meeting local musicians and listening to their compositions.

Nelson said he and his partners had already picked up some ?rare compositions? from traditional musicians.

The band members are so impressed with the ?music-minded people of Shillong? that they have decided to dedicate a Filipino song, Anak (child), to the people of this picture-perfect capital city.

Elizabeth said D Sphere Circle was trying to set up a ?music laboratory? for experiments in blending different forms of Asian music.

?We think there is a lot of scope to do so, but we have to keep listening to each other?s music and work towards a common goal,? said Elizabeth, whose favourites include Bon Jovi, Tracy Chapman and the Eagles.

Her all-time favourite is a Filipino song that goes Noong isilang ka sa kundong ito (the day you were born in the world).

Local musicians like DJ Ashley are all praise for the Filipino trio?s enthusiasm about learning the traditional music of Meghalaya.

?Meghalaya is a happening place as far as music is concerned and I believe our music can make a splash around the world. In any case, all experiments are acceptable as long as the musical ingredients are good and blend seamlessly,? Ashley said.