(Twenty-eighth of a series) On a good night, there’s a particular kind of hush that falls over a small jazz room right before a solo begins—the clink of glasses pausing, the low hum of conversation dropping to nothing, every ear angling toward the stage. It’s in that silence that saxophonist Dix Lucero does his clearest...
Tag: jazz
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Portraits in Jazz: Michael Mark Guevarra keeps it real
(Twenty-first of a series) If the end of the pandemic lockdown had a face, it was—at least for me—that of Michael Mark “Pikong” Guevarra. It was April 2022, the first night Tago Jazz Café opened its doors after nearly two years of silence. Setting up on stage that night were guitarist Riki Gonzales and Balooze,...
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Portraits in Jazz: Riki Gonzales returns to the blues
(Twentieth of a series) On a dreary November evening last year, I sent a message to composer-guitarist Riki Gonzales, who was then performing aboard a cruise ship. I asked him to send me a short video clip of wherever he was at that moment, hoping that a glimpse of the world beyond my walls—whether night...
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Portraits in Jazz: Color her Skarlet
(Nineteenth of a series) I’ve known Skarlet Brown longer than almost any other jazz artist featured in this section. That’s probably why it took me so long to tell her story: I was too close, knew too much, and wasn’t quite sure how to frame her wild and magnificent mess. In fact, my first piece...
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Portraits in Jazz: And in walked Chuck Joson
(Eighteenth of a series) There’s always something disarming about young musicians who play jazz like they were born sitting at a baby grand, striking silken chords long before they could say their names. It’s not even about sass either; if anything, these guys are those that tuck themselves in a quiet corner of the bar...
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Portraits in Jazz: Sandra Lim-Viray never says never
(Fifteenth of a series) Back in the day when traffic between Quezon City and Makati did not take a grievous toll on one’s money and sanity, QC-based friends and fans of jazz artists performing southside would, with at least a few hours’ notice, drive over to catch the shows. Notable jazz southies included the classics...
The joy of being JQ: playing with the AMP Big Band at the National Museum. —PHOTOS FROM JQ'S FB PAGE
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Portraits in Jazz: JQ and the will to chill
(Fourteenth of a series) Most everyone has a fan story. One of my own stories happens to be on keyboardist Joey Quirino (JQ to family and friends), who I hit some time ago on Messenger with a YouTube clip of Rickie Lee Jones live in concert, singing the June Christy standard “Something Cool,” which claimed...
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Portraits in Jazz: Dave Harder’s moveable feast
(Thirteenth of a series) Between his sets more than a year ago at our favorite jazz bar in Cubao, Quezon City, bassist Dave Harder and I fell into a conversation about the creative life and how best to live it under imperfect circumstances. We agreed that while the creatives’ wish list was long and often...
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Portraits in Jazz: Isla Antinero tunes up with the best life
(Eleventh of a series) Something about trombonist Jose Aris “Isla” Antinero immediately suggests a solidity of spirit that goes deep beyond the full smile and firm handshake. His is a restful presence; with remarkable economy of movement, he holds the serene, thoughtful gaze of an apsara while waiting for his turn on stage. Off stage,...
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Portraits in Jazz: For Mel Villena, the swing’s the thing
(Tenth of a series) To be around Mel Villena—musical director, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, and raconteur nonpareil—is to check your worries at the door. No day is too dreary that he cannot save the rest of it from crumbling, unmendable, at your feet. At least that’s what it feels like every time he’s at the baton...