Young Pinoy bluesmen reap second international triumph
Bleu Rascals, the first Filipino band to play at the Memphis International Blues Competition in 2012, won the grand prize at the Cotai Jazz and Blues Festival which took place at the open field of Venetia Hotel in Macau from October 11 to 13, 2013.
The band went home with the grand prize of HK$ 250,000 (about P 1.39 million), besting 12 finalists shortlisted from over 100 applications sent to the festival organizers early this year.
Manami Morita from the US placed second while China’s Chekov came third on finals night. The other finalists included entries from Spain, India, Portugal and Brazil.
Funding future projects
In an exclusive interview with Yahoo OMG!, vocalist and lead guitarist Paul Marney Leobrera, who had just turned 20, says he’s going to add the prize money to a savings fund that will fund the band’s future projects.
An immediate priority is to release their debut album.
The band has 14 original compositions in the can.
The competition strategy
Paul had a strategy going into the competition.
“We agreed we’re not watching the other bands perform,” he revealed.
He and current bandmates bassist Oliver Salaysay and drummer Jay Garcia opted instead to take a stroll or wait out their turn.
Playing the way they did in Manila
“That way, there wouldn’t be any pressure on us. If we listen to the other finalists, we may be influenced by them. It’s best that we play the way we have played here in Manila,” Paul explained.
“We also told ourselves we’re out there to enjoy. We’re not exactly competing for the money. To go to the Festival all-expenses paid was already a huge win for us,” Paul added.
For emerging on top, Blue Rascals bested the competition when it came to musicality, style, improvisation, technique and audience impact.
Pinoys in Macau provided solid support
In fact, Pinoys working in Macau turned up in droves to cheer their kababayan on—and waited till 2 am for Blue Rascals to play, the last in a five-band showdown.
The band had a lion’s share of the y must have the bigger share of the audience as Filipino expats came out in droves to support their kababayan.
They waited till 2 the following morning when the Bleu Rascals hit the stage as the last contestant in the five-band showdown.
Band to play Oz bluesfest featuring John Mayer, Jack Johnson
Bigger opportunities are in the offing.
Bleu Rascals are set to play Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest in April, 2014. John Mayer, Greg Allman, Elvis Costello and the Imposters and Jack Johnson have already signed on to perform at the festival.
Also in 2014, the band will join the Japan Blues Festival with a possible tour in Japan and then in Europe later next year.
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