Where This Foot Sets

A rushing itinerary just passed me by like a freight train and it is such a relief to be finally writing this away. Sudden turns still take time to sink in , yet most often it just gets buried underneath this trove of memories.

It begins one Sunday with the second 10k of my imaginary athletic lifestyle, clocking in approximately 56 minutes. I'd like to think i have an athletic lifestyle. I run with stats as the least of my concerns though. Yet, there is a slight improvement from the previous 1:08 time I hit on the Milo marathon. What’s more, BAMC provided some cold, refreshing soymilk after the run. And, their raffle won me a free body bag stuffed with freebies 

Now, how good can that get? 

Early next morning got me all corporate on the first hour of the morning, set for Iloilo for some official business. I was scheduled to return in the afternoon and have a smooth week ahead.

Then storm PABLO happened. 

Trips were cancelled and signal number two was declared in the midst of a burning noonday sun. Interesting how times have indeed changed.

An extended stay meant two things: a hyper-stressed musical director, as we were having a big show as session band for the annual priest concert in the next 2 days; and happy new shirt/slippers/ whatever for me.

Trips resumed the day before the  concert, and needless to say I made it in time for the technical rehearsal - straight from the pier to the coliseum. An hour of coffee to catch up with home, breathe, and transport instruments and equipment would be enough - for the moment, that is. A dream come true that was - handling guitars and supporting keyboard parts simultaneously - really fires me up on all cylinders.



Surprise, surprise -  its weekend (again!). Off to the Mambukal mountain resort for a whole day Christmas party with the field office. 
One party off my tick list. More to go.
Upon descent, Its great to see energy levels still up, as much would be needed for the next day’s long drive to the airport, and get set for an evening at The Araneta Coliseum. 

Honestly, I missed Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin and Tony Macalpine for this.

Well, yeah! Sting at the Araneta Coliseum!

 7902536648     GA                     PHP1,030.00      PHP50.00     December 9, 2012 8:00 PM      STING  BACK TO BASS TOUR*

Being a cheapo got me general admission tickets and strained my eyes trying to figure out what he and the band were up to on stage, but who cares? The voice, the music, the hip swaying, the bass thumping -  was springing from the live, breathing third of The Police force. With the monster line up tearing up song after song, hotdog at hand, I joined some 12,000 strong in screaming "Heee- Yoooo- Hoooo". 

Thanks, Mr. Gordon.

  


One free day left before the evening flight and what’s better than setting foot on the roots by which we breathe? An evening of great music is perfectly complemented by Philippine History immortalized in stones the following day. Intramuros, the next stop, is the next item ticked off in my wish list. A side trip to the oldest Chinatown, Binondo, felt like hustling in the midst of a Hongkong December.

Who knows where to next? 

Nostalgia Powers

One day, we'll have to confront the fact that we do not really love the toys, publications, fashion, apparel, TV shows, radio jingles, music, food, advertisements  of yore.

What we yearn are the carefree days of the past, staring at us straight in our eyes . It reminds us of a time when assignments, examinations, sitcom plots, summers, visits to the dentist, and Monday school programs worried us to death. At a blink, we look around and we find a the real world unforgiving and humanity corrupted. It was always easier. Perhaps, it has always been.

When time allows, retrace the path why you love a specific icon from the past and identify the reason why Loafers are cool, why  <insert your decade here>s music is the best, or how Nintendo rocks, or why invest on a box set of 1st season TV shows, why Action Comics # 1 cost way higher than your house, why Harem Scarem/ Hall and Oates/ The Doobie Brothers / Neil Sedaka /<insert favorite act here> is waaaay better than <insert current act here>.

Other factors aside, we come face to face with a child that is no more. We desperately try to pull the memories back which are only relevant to  us and the few with whom we have shared the same memories, sadly.

A look at the crowded streets tell of a brooding and dangerous times we now face. It was different once -  safer, cleaner and where civility was still the guide of all things.

Aaaaaand its gone.

Which Fun?

Heroism  is taking the microphone and belting 4th octave F#s.

Nationalism is winning your bet on a sports match where the winner is the same nationality as yours.

National Interest refers to highly popular but greatly irresponsible persons wringing their dirty laundry on TV while the mediocre masses pretend to take logical sides  and quote hand me down pseudo intellectual statements.

Spirituality is the best talisman invoked whenever incompetent and immature decisions are made.

Freedom is the ability to choose without any coercion between mediocrity and ignorance.

Advancement is non confrontation of the truth and seeking refuge in the queues of the embassies, no questions asked.

National pride comes from the ability to name-drop at an instant individual achievers and tag oneself to said achievements without any exertion of effort.

Welcome to Philippines, 2012. It's not that fun, really. Please. 

I Have 16 Dreams

Recently, dreams have occupied and slowly staged mini coups in my brain, in tolerable frequencies.

Nope, these are not the ones that occur during sleep more like nightmares turned inside out.

Not the ones that leave us with glassy eyes, much like fairy tale princesses waiting in vain.

I am not also referring to the ones synonymous with slave driving goals, thinly disguised as dreams reachable -  the types that require life and limb to attain. Say, getting a degree in law or finishing one's comprehensive papers or whatnot without losing one's sanity.

I'm talking of top of mind dreams - ones that don't have eternal value, really - but  would not hurt to have either.

These are 16 things that, when given 5 seconds , I can instantly enumerate without even thinking.

1.  A house with a clean, comfy kitchen - pantry and utensils lined up for good cooking and conversation. There are mixed books on one side neatly tucked. Trash is segregated, and pots and pans shelved.
2. Separate work areas for digital recording and art works.
3. Travel minus the guilt of knowing I'd have to get back to a totally different work environment.
4. A good afternoon nap that exceeds 5  minutes.
5. A Macbook Pro.
6. Getting good at programming.
7. Excellent driving skills.
8. Sting calling me to fly over and add guitar tracks to his current work.
9. Chocolate bars that don't fatten and lead to diabetes.
10. The ability to talk to inanimate objects.
11. Be Tony Stark for one day. Or, wait is it really Stark or is it Robert Downey, Jr.? I am stumped. 
12. To draft policies and laws for the city for a day - and have the power to implement it strictly, obliterating violators to particles.
13. Meet Steve Howe of Yes and ask him any question that would make an impression.
14. The uncanny ability to file my office documents faster than a speeding bullet.  
15. Great pearly white teeth.
16. Good posture.

Dream on, baby. Here's YES from the Talk Tour, (yes, that's YESWEST-Rabin-Yes, for those who insist) with ENDLESS DREAM. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the clip above, and do not earn money with the video. The clip belongs to the rightful owners, and is shared for enjoyment purposes only.

TianoBM2012

It's Just Talk

I'll be straight forward with this.

I find it funny and absurd to observe how people dislike the discomforts of honest communication.  Yes, it can be masked by a talkative, ranting front of a persona, but it can never be faked. We can talk all we want without saying anything.

Real communication involves skilled conversation. It is rich experience with both parties learning from each other by the exchange of ideas. It demands honesty, which nurtures mutual trust in the process.

It also implies the pulling down of defenses at a level  where both parties meet halfway.

If music be the language of the soul, an introvert snob musician is an oxymoron.  How can one be the audience's resonating voice, when one can't even communicate?

While a painter splashes random colors on the canvas to evoke emotions and provide catharsis, why the lamb's silence and incoherent 'spaced-out' statements during a normal conversation?

There must be something incongruous with a dynamic and highly motivational speaker who can not clearly confront and deal with what happens within the organization. Enough said.

Social networking hits big, because it feeds the anonymity and irresponsibility in us. We click and remain invisible. We watch and remain irresponsible.

Armed with ignorant bliss, we act as judges and click the dislike button for the few well meaning souls who simply  share what they have to the world. When pressed for a logical reason, we resort to ad hominem arguments and simply walk out.

We love to hide behind the walls called protocol, we enjoy the sterility of clean hands and call it delegation. We do not want to hear the piercing unadulterated truth uncovered by real conversation. It stings, it is uncomfortable, it takes time, it derails us from our planned schedules, we do not want it.

Conversation demands work, just like a lot of things. The more one digs deeper, deeper meaning is unearthed.  Unless , we all love to live the lie and would want to keep the truth buried until kingdom come.

 TianoBM2012

  

MEANWHILE, here's Pat Metheny with the track of the same title, '(It's Just) Talk' from the album 'Still Life (Talking)'. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the clip above, and do not earn money with the video. The clip belongs to the rightful owners, and is shared for enjoyment purposes only.

Yes? Yes. Yes!

The Yes of yore, Yes that was, and Yes to be came together in 1991 for this ambitious production known as Union. ABWH (that's Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe) joins with YESWEST ver. 90125 (Tony Kaye, Chris Squire, Trevor Rabin, Alan White). 

Various reviews (mostly negative) were all about, from the net to printed publications, spewing death-match argument whoever was essentially YES, and far better: Trevor vs. Steve, Tony vs. Rick, Bill vs. Alan, Chris against Chris and Anderson against himself. After all that YES vs. YES, the band could have renamed itself as NO.

Yet, this clip taken from the last leg of the tour in 1991 shows such professionalism that the juggernaut outfit proves itself. Though styles sometimes rub against each other, it bristles beautifully - like sparks and gunpowder after some serious shelling. This version of Yours is No Disgrace charges like ELPs Aquatarkuses in steroids. Let the naysayers say nay, I say aye!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the clip above, and do not earn money with the video. The clip belongs to the rightful owners, and is shared for enjoyment purposes only.

Aaaah, Sunday!

Yes, Sunday.

The average Sunday from where I am.

Engelbert Humperdink and Tom Jones are the canonized saints of the airwaves, from the public transports to stores.

Silver Pozzoli and 80s Italo-Disco help conjure memories of Atari game consoles, bad mullets and the playground demonstrations of the annual school Sportsfests/ Intramurals.

A faint party hint creeps as bass frequencies seep through the window glass, courtesy of generous neighbors who think they bear great responsibility of providing the soundtrack for the remaining half of the weekend. That would be hours of jologs rap or Taylor Swift.

Different denominations convene in one single jeep, identified by their respective icons - whether a Bible, a rosary, a libretto, or a hijab -  all submissively meditating to the music of Cliff Richard or the Beatles.

Minds run wild searching for the best place for family lunch.

The beach is the next best alternative to church. You know, Sabbath means rest, and the beach is relaxing, ergo the Beach = Sabbath. (There goes the connection, the Beach Boys are indeed as dark as Black Sabbath can get). Of course, with beer, broiled pork liempo or fish, crushed ice - lots of it.

The malls, don't forget the malls. If you hate sand on your shorts, you can always head to the safe arms of the comfy malls and get lost with a hundred others who do not also know why they have to be there with their last 100 Php. A cone of ice cream will do, or you may spare jeepney fare and splurge the remaining Pesoses for cheap fancy coffee and enjoy the fake bossa nova wafting in the speakers. Watch the girls. Watch the guys. Smell first the coffee. Cross your legs, and act haciendero.

Amidst all of that and more, this remains my best Sunday.

Its my first Sunday without assignment as a church musician, with the liberty of choosing which service to attend.

Now isn't that neat? No guitars to tote, no uniforms, no soundchecks. Just my Bible and me. I attend a service, I smile, I shake hands, belt a big laugh without having to rush where I left my guitar. It can't get any better than this.

So! To the shower, and with gusto:

"Every day I wake up, And I start to break up, lonely is the man without loooooooove". Brrr.

If It's Too Good, Then It Must Be

The 3rd Bacolod Jazz Festival, L'Fisher Chalet Roofdeck, February 18, 2012

It's called the saturation point - that certain point when an input no longer has an obvious effect on the subject. For instance, one can only dilute so much sugar to reach a certain sweetness, after which it can no longer increase the level of sweetness. Say, sweeter than sweet is a misnomer, much like bluer than blue.

How much can an average pair of ears really take in before everything dissolves into a mishmash and is dismissed as meaningless bleeps and blurts of noise?

At first glance, the line up on paper was too good to be true: West Negros University Jazz Band, Akasha, Johnny Alegre and Absolute Zero, Kiss the Bride, Abe Lagrimas Jr., Johaness Radianto, Hard Hat Area, and performances from solo artists such as Mar Dizon, and Henry Katindig in one evening. February 18th, 2012 - the 3rd Bacolod Jazz Festival, turns to be the evening where every serious fan from various points of origin discovers how big an event can be. 

It sounds too good to be true.

West Negros University Jazz Band under the leadership of Michael John Tambasen opened the festival at sundown, without any jitters and in full bravura. The members are all under band scholarship and ironically, none of them are music majors.  Technically, the WNUJB is a civic military parade band, and its recent evolution into jazz has got to be one of the best things to witness. Tambasen Is a veteran of the cruise ship circuit, and has more than served as inspiration for the college students.  Three guitar players and three vocalists all take turns in a set that surprised and impressed the crowd, covering the fusion of Luc Ponty and Metheny to the juggernaut big band sound of Henry Mancini. These are kids, all below 25, playing music written before they were even born. While others are busy perfecting guitar spins and piercing their bodies, these students are immersing themselves on Zawinul and Pastorius. (click here for a separate article of WNUJB)

Johnny Alegre's Absolute Zero featuring Mia Tengco on vocals followed, with a set list that highlighted the rock side of the blues. Playing fluid and confident, Alegre led the musical trek wielding his lone axe of choice, a Stratocaster.  A meaty cover of Joni Mitchell's Help Me with an introspective take on The Nearness of You on the same set surely gave a preview of how wide the palette would be at that evening. Anchored by bass  wunderkind Yuna Reguera and drummer Paolo Manuel, Alegre plays over with harmonies and solos on a tastefully overdriven tone with just a tad of delay for space.

Abe Lagrimas, Jr. and Johannes Radianto were up next, with Mar Dizon (drums), Henry Katindig (keyboards), and Dave Harder (bass).  It was one of those great dream teams in jazz, boasting of internationally acclaimed artists. Lagrimas on ukelele and drums is a Filipino multi-instrumentalist based in the US, while guitarist Radianto hails from Indonesia. The interplay was a crash course on taste and technique: Lagrimas' ukele at  times sounding like a gut string, even approaching proximity with Earl Klugh's touch and tone while Radianto on solid body jazz guitar boasts of precision and Berklee approved complexity. The dizzying bebop lines were complemented by the band's dynamics. Think of it like being run down by a bull and you stand up smiling asking "That was great. What was that?". And speaking of dynamics, Lagrimas'  tribute to the late king of Pop, a solo take on Michael Jackson's Human Nature moved with so much groove that it was impossible not to be moved. 

The third band is no stranger to the City of Smiles, as they have promoted their album, Stories (click here for the album review) the previous year (which I sorely missed). Kiss the Bride is another team worthy to be jazz' dream team as it is a roster of Philippine Jazz' best.  Mike Guevara filled in for saxophonist Vince Lahorra, and as KTB played their originals, it was obviously a notch above the studio takes. With keyboardist Tony Razon's written material, solos were long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to highlight the interesting parts. Bacolod's own Kingsley De Los Santos (bass), Uly Avante (percussions), Cecile Santiago Rodgers (keyboards) and Otep Concepcion (drums) provide the backdrop, while Joey Puyat (guitars), Razon and Guevara converse.

Minutes away from midnight and it is clear - this is too good, but again, it is happening. It is another jazz experience that defies, and much more is expected with one more band to go.

Enter Hard Hat Area. Much anticipated (for reasons musical and otherwise), the group never disappoints. The Guevara- led horn section lays down sick spurts in bursts of staccato, while Bea Lao (drums) and again, Reguera (bass) provide a rock solid backbone - literally. Nikki Cabardo supplies the vintage grease oozing with Rhodes and B3 patches. Their arrangements sound like a renegade runaway brass band, at times touching the beautifully absurd and twisted world of RASP (Radioactive Sago Project).  One moment, it is a (mis)match of Coldplay and Tower of Power, and at a wink morphs into a grandiose orchestra.  Human Nature gets its second reading for the night, this time, the Hard Hat Way.

It is early morning and The 3rd Bacolod Jazz Festival again filled aural cravings, and undoubtedly, converted even the agnostics to the gospel according to jazz and its power that were.

For one, it was a rare ladies' night. Not the Kool and the Gang classic, but literally, the ladies of jazz have arrived. Where the past two festivals were graced by the beauties and voices of Kat Agarrado and Mishka Adams, that night the ladies took the stage, donning instruments. Lucy Santibañez of the WNJB on violin, Yuna Reguerra on bass with Absolute Zero and Hard Hat Area, Bea Lao on drums with the Hard Hat Area, Cecille Santiago Rodgers on keyboards with Kiss the Bride, and even a surprise appearance from Bacolod-based Louise Joachimowski on keyboards and vocals, all swinging a full turn from the singing duties. The ladies added their unique voices to the rich sonic tapestries of their respective bands.

Saxophonist Raul Banzon hosted the evening, as he had since the festival's inception.   Donning his horn, he calls for the jam. From the crowd rose Louise Joachimowski , who joined Banzon  on solo keyboards and vocals, a perfect cooling down as she channels singer/songwriters in the vein of Tori Amos . Banzon obliges with an elegant outro solo on soprano sax. WNUJB returns on stage, with a reprise of Luc Ponty's Rhythms of Hope and Metheny's Have You Heard. While young guitarist Gelo De Oro wallows in the zone, seeing the masters simply enjoying downstage was priceless. Some were closing their eyes, intently appreciating and giving respect to what the kids had to offer. Sans egos, age, bands, bull, and as they would say - It's all about the music, mon.  Now, this, is really good. 

 

Tiano BM 2012

Blogger's Note: Much thanks to the Bob Coscolluela and the Jazz Society of Negros, PIJazz for the event. Photos by Bob Coscolluela and Jojo Montinola.

STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

A review of Kiss the Bride’s STORIES

STORIES, the latest release from Kiss The Bride, is jazz at its smoothest - like your summer's tall glass of smoothie in the midday sun. You take a defiant stance against the bright, scorching yellow sphere and with vengeance and gusto - drink down your glass of coolness as an act of victory.

No, STORIES do not sound anything like the title above, which clearly alludes to the classic Monk album. This is a cruise through twelve cuts of hip songwriting courtesy of songwriter/ keyboardist , Tony Razon. Smooth and cruising aren't exactly exclusive to sleek cars and urban nights, and sooner - would surely raise eyebrows from purist jazz camps. Kiss the Bride's album is clearly at home with the Spyro Gyra/ Larry Carlton/David Benoit territory. Lest these statements lead you to a stereotypical conclusion: STORIES brim with mature songwriting and playing.

Masters are separated from the novice by one word: restraint. Though Kiss The Bride features excellent musicians (Keyboardist/ songwriter Tony Razon, percussionist Uly Avante, keyboardist Cecile Santiago Rodgers, bassist Kingsley de los Santos, drummer Otep Concepcion, Saxophonist Vince Lahorra and guitarist Joey Puyat), their playing is marked with so much discipline and restraint .

Every solo and melody are curtly placed and tastefully played. No meandering solos, no "hey-dig-my-chops-and-reharmonized-approach" moments here, folks. As Rodgers, Concepcion, Avante and de Los Santos set the panoramic backdrop in grooves and rhythms, Razon, Puyat and Lahorra provide the characters' dialogues in this virtual storybook. Puyat is the perfect foil for the sharp and accurate lines of Lahorra and Razon. While Razon's piano is elegant and Lahorra's lines are confident and fluid, Puyat provides the earthy "rawk" moments when called for. Whether treading the latin vistas (Gypsy on My Mind, High on You, Secret of San Simon), the smooth jazz highway (Steppin' Out with my Baby, Serenade for Eden, Murphy's Day Off), wide soundscapes (Grey Sweater Days), late night swing (Theme for My Bride) or potential themes (the deliciously tempo twisting Moments), Kiss The Bride's mature playing offer a seamless travel through their stories.

Perhaps it is one of those rare jazz treasures that follow a concept album format. STORIES is elegantly packaged. Tinnie Esguera provides the beautiful liners which capture the songs in words. In fact, according to Razon, Esguera drew inspiration from almost two hours worth of interview. Cecile Santiago Rodgers' excellent photos are also featured on the album cover and inner sleeves. STORIES surely is more than the album title, it is a total experience.

Some things just simply stand on its own, and STORIES come across as such - no frills, no drama and is best taken straight, no chaser. 

Tiano, BM 2012

 

Blogger's note:  Stories is available online at CDbaby.com. Click here for a direct link.   

It is also available in select Odyssey and Astrovision/Astroplus outlets in Metro Manila.

In Bacolod City, Stories is available at Miren Desserts Cafe, Art District Lopue's Mandalagan (see promo left). Now, ain't that sweet?

Windows vs. Windows

I stop and gaze outside. My sight passes through the window beside me, and it is my portal to a greater world outside, a world breathing with a breath that most surely comes from a source.

Our micro worlds surrounded by dreams, aspirations, presumptions and even fears and are translated into things tangibles such as houses, money, guitars, balls, reports, assets, booze, blues and who knows what else that has overridden us a lot of times . We may have thought we were much bigger than the life outside.

Zildjian is a name that only rings among drummers, and a few. "Newly hatched blue face" will receive blank stares from us but will give a knee jerk to breeders and cockfighters. A Grumbacher surely sounds like a member of the Third Reich, but mere mention of it turn painters' heads anytime. 

The point is, we are almost always get caught, sunk, and buried underneath a pile of words and figures and trivia and everything in terabytes, much of which, are relatively relevant only to the recipient.

I look again and see the glorious sun, washing the streets in its remaining three hours or so, before we humans call it a day. That good old sun does not even care if it is relevant or not, it just simply is. One moment, we ride atop the so called popularity via number of likes, follows and comments.  Next moment, the windows beckon us into a more real world - a harsh world, a dying imperfect earth, but nevertheless beautiful, because it is REAL.

No, you can't minimize these windows, or click-drag them - or even resize them at the flick of a finger. But I'd have them anytime.

Hi. My Name is Jerry.

2012's here and I haven't really had much time to update. But that does not mean I'm through with this site. 

For the four followers of this blog, (that's a mighty large deal of followers) I'm planning to do a series, updated monthly on a certain "Republic A", an imaginary Republic I'll be building one post at a time. It's an absurd utopia that reeks of me. 

And, a full feature on the 3rd Bacolod Jazz Festival is also coming up, with album reviews to go. 

It has been a long while and I guess the juggling of personalities is finally taking it's toll: facilitating a small group, playing instruments, organizing my first guitar clinic, endless meetings, taking the role of a researcher in the name of public service, judging inter-office searches in the name of public service (again), making guest speeches in the name of public service (and then again), surveying in the name of public service (oh, brother), preaching/teaching (whew, finally), buckling up for the administration of the 2012 examination in the name of public service (there it goes again), and a countless slew of oddities I hope to finish, well, before 12-21-12.

Meanwhile, I still am not into fan pics. I don't post pictures of me with 'leggit' guys whom I don't really have at least 10 minutes of decent conversation with. But then, here's le me with shots from various occasions.

Tots Tolentino on Tenor Sax, BJF 2011

The late great Edgar "KOYANG" Avenir, BJF 2011

Mia Tengco of ABSOLUTE ZERO before taking stage. BJF 2012

Jazz Society of Negros main man, Bob Coscolluela, The Wizard Joey Puyat, and KTB Keyboardist/ composer Tony Razon. Sound Check, BJF 2012

Earthlings, I present to you the next guitar wunderkind Gelo De Oro. BJF 2012

a lesson on headroom, drummers and what else with Joey Puyat, Sound Check BJF, 2012

The Raul Banzon on EWI  joins Nancy Brew on stage. BJF 2011

"This smile means we're tearing your heads later". And they literally did. Dane Alderson (bassist) and Glenn Cannon (guitarist) of the Australian power fusion quartet, LOGIC? with Ronald Amoroso (drums), Butch Inson (bass) and keyboardist Michael Tambasen

Gotcha. 


Now that you've reached this far, you've realized it was just one of those self indulgent social-networking-type posts full of fan pics without really saying anything, isn't it? Hahahahaha!


To your left is an epic palm face, dudes, for your convenience. Please.



But, yes, the guys I'm with above? They know me by my first name.  In fact they often call me "Eric", "Jerry", or something.