Much ado about jazz – The Second International Jazz Festival
Top musician Emy Munji’s three-year-old grandchild by Ayen Munji-Laurel sings the blues. Elsewhere around the world, musicians young and old are performing crossover jazz – jazz mixed with pop, classical music, etc.
Jazz is everywhere – starting from New Orleans, Chicago, Tokyo, and of course, the Philippines. Jazz festivals have been going on in Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North America, South America and Asia, including, of course, the Philippines.
Filipino jazz musicians have carved a niche for themselves worldwide. The late jazz pianist Bobby ‘The Wildman’ Enriquez was known far and wide for his energetic performances. Bob Aves, Mon David, Mishka Adams and Johnny Alegre are also shining lights in the international and local jazz scene.
The jazz fever is by no means limited to more mature artists. Students from top universities have latched on to the bandwagon. UP (University of the Philippines) has its own jazz ensemble. UST (University of Sto. Tomas) has its own jazz band.
Munji speaks for Pinoy jazz artists when he says, “Napakayaman natin mga magagandang music, lalo na ng kundiman. Nandiyan ang ‘Anak Dalita.’ Ang sarap mag-improvise!”
Munji’s fellow musician, Michael Puyat of the Anything Goes trio, adds, “Jazz appeals across ages. Nalalabas naming ang nararamdaman namin sa oras na nararamdamin nito. That’s probably why everybody can relate to jazz.”
Undying call
The CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) is heeding this undying call for jazz once more. It is holding the second International Jazz Festival on September 17 to 22. The event is grand in scope, all-encompassing in reach. More than 100 artists and 15 bands from the Philippines, the US, Europe and Asia are expected to perform in various venues of the CCP.
The list of performers reads like a who’s who in jazz. They include the Dutch musicians Buzz Bros Band, drummer Harald Huyssen, Low-Cal, Johnny Alegre, Humanfolk, Indonesia guitarist Wayan Balawan, Italian accordionist, pianist and guitarist Fabio Turchetti, Japanese guitarist Shun Kikuta, Malaysian acoustic guitarist Roger Wang, Royal Hartigan and Blood Drum Spirit (USA), Bob Aves, bossa nova artist Sitti, UP Jazz Ensemble, Emy Munji and his orchestra, the UST Jazz Band, New Musicians Guild and Anything Goes, A.M.P. Big Band, Akasha, MAJAM, Charito, Indonesian group Bandung Blues Project, Brown Fix and Brass Munkeys, Neris Gonzalez and Sandra Lim Viray.
CCP president Raul Sunico says this year’s event is not just for jazz aficionados, for the artists themselves.
Sense of community
“Its main purpose is to create a sense of community among jazz musicians, to foster camaraderie, collaboration.”
The bottom line is, adds, Viray, is that they are promoting “good music in a jazz environment.”
“Jazz has no more borders. It’s world music. It’s a little bit of this, a little bit of that, it’s fusion,” she explains.
And because it is, jazz is now a rallying point through which other musicians can share their talent and spread a feel-good vibe, not just in their own country, but across the world.
It’s a force to reckon with – a power that can no longer be ignored today, and even beyond.
