Modern Traditions
By Josefa Labay Cagoco
Business World, November 26-27, 2004

     In a one-of-a-kind book, author and jazz musician, RichieQuirino tells a story not told often enough. It is a story he said “will tickle your funny bone” or “will leave you teary-eyed,” most especially it “is a story by Filipino Jazz musicians that will leave you glued from cover to cover.”

Thumbs up: Cara Manglapus, FVR, Freddie Kauffman, RCQ, Francis Manglapus, Denise & Bobby Manosa.

     Mr. Quirino's Pinoy Jazz Traditions, launched on Nov. 13, 2004 at Merk's Bar and Bistro, marked, in the author's opinion, a “momentous event in music journalism” since it is the first book of its nature that chronicles the beginnings of jazz in the Philippines, from its introduction here in 1898, up to the present. The book includes rare photos and interviews with over 70 jazz personalities who have made invaluable contributions to Pinoy jazz.

     Internationally recognized jazz artist Angel Matias Peña, dubbed the Dalai Lama of Pinoy jazz, became one of Mr. Quirino's most important sources. “From Angel came a vast reservoir of accurate information. He was, so to speak, my bridge to the past while I was his bridge to the future.”

     When the author solicited his help, “Without hesitation, I said yes because I would really like to help, to share to everybody whatever little I have,” said Mr. Peña. "[It is] a very good representation of Pinoy jazz."

Richie Quirino with MMDA’s Bayani
Fernando

     In his introduction to the book, Mr. Peñia debunks criticisms of Pinoy jazz. "This book hopes to dispel the notion that Filipino jazz is a copycat of Western jazz. For one thing, the intricate rhythm and modal and exotic tunes of our indigenous Filipino music are so vibrant and rich that it can accommodate the creativity we hear in Pinoy jazz.

"Every jazz musician leaves his thumbprint on the music he plays," he continued, "much as the people of one culture would leave its imprint on the art form of another when cultures come together."

     Indeed, the launch was a time for local j azz artists and enthusiasts to come together and celebrate the Filipino jazz tradition. The legendary Executives Band provided the evening's entertainment.

     Prominent personalities such as former President Fidel Ramos, his wife Amelita Ramos, and daughter Jo Ramos, MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando and his wife, Marikina City mayor Marides Fernando joined the get-together of the jazz aficionados.

Ming & FVR with Jo Ramos and Gina Lopez

     Pianist Nick de Muth, who gave the author the vital connection to Filipino artists in Shanghai, mentioned the glory days. "I go back to the time when every city in Asia had Filipino musicians because basically they were the only people who knew what jazz was about and what Western style of music was about."

     "It's about time Philippine jazz comes in as a golden medal for all Filipinos who just love music," remarked architect and pianist Bobby Manosa.

     Mr. Quirino initially thought of making the book back in 1999 after joining an e-group of jazz enthusiasts. He described the experience as "long and arduous" — looking for people to talk to, contacting old jazz musicians, collecting photos and other relevant information.

In the process, he discovered many artists were willing to make their own little contributions despite personal obstacles like failing health. This, he said, pushed him to finish the project.

Mr. Quirino also related a memorable anecdote that also explains the perspective he chose for the book. One of the jazz stalwarts he talked to was Lito Molina, hailed as the Father of Philippine Jazz (also aBusinessWorld columnist and an editor of Business Day), who, despite deteriorating health, stressed to him the urgency of ensuring the continuity of Pinoy jazz.

"As I was working on the 11^th page of an article on fusion and smooth jazz in the Philippines, I accidentally deleted the file,"a most discouraging accident, he said. "On that evening, I received a text message saying that Lito has passed on. And as the hairs on my arms were standing, I realized in flash that Lito has sent me a goodbye message that early morning and his message was clear: focus on traditions for here lays the foundation."

     Bob Aves, one of the most prominent contemporary jazz movers and who, with wife Grace Nono, promotes indigenous and world music, stressed the need for more discussions on the future of Pinoy jazz.

     "Our main challenge is to pool in our Filipino identity," noted Mr. Aves. To the older generation of jazz artists he said, "Thank you for giving us a good foundation for us to start [with] but... if we ever change jazz, please just support us because we have a commitment to go out there and make ourselves more distinctly Filipino."

The future of Filipino jazz said Mr. Quirino, would be best dealt with in a separate book for he believes that Pinoy Jazz Traditions will not be the last of its kind. "This is not a Bible of Pinoy jazz but perhaps it will be a genesis of many books to come."

     And not just books for already in the works is a 60-minute documentary on Pinoy jazz which he expects to be out by February. He has also finished the next volume on jazz history.

"Jazz or American contemporary music is Uncle Sam's gift to the world. We as Filipinos are fortunate to be a partner of that heritage. Jazz enthusiasts from all over the globe can now appreciate the once-lost art form — Pinoy jazz."
 

A Pinoy History of Jazz
By Nicholas DeMuth
Philippine Graphic, December 6, 2004

     Pinoy Jazz Traditions traces the history not only of jazz, but of all American music, from the days of traditional Dixieland Jazz through the Swing and Bebop eras to the present day. Drummer Richie Quirino has devoted more than four years to this book, which covers jazz in the Philippines, but also the popularity of the music throughout the Asian continent.

     As mentioned in the foreword by the late Lito Molina, there were no jazz schools in the Philippines in the early days. Pinoy musicians picked it up from records and US radio stations. The Filipinos' natural gift for music enabled them to spread the music round a continent whose music culture was exclusively oriental.

     The book is divided into three parts. The first part, "A Taste of Honey," traces how jazz came to the country, how it fascinated musicians like Angel Matias Peña and Tony Joaquin's father, who specialized in playing stride piano and ragtime and introduced them to the country in the 1920s. Many people refer to this period as the golden age of jazz.

  Richie Quirino, Freddie Kauffman &
   Angel Matias Pena

     During these years, US bands played here. Among those captivated by the music was Katie de la Cruz, who sang from the early '30s until several years after the end of World War II.

     There are several photographs covering these early days, including one of a nine-piece band playing in Shanghai in 1924. The star band in Shanghai at that time was led by American trumpet player Buck Clayton, but there were plenty of not-so famous Pinoy bands playing in this music capital of Asia.

     Among the most famous were the Dila Brothers. The best known was Apollo, who played in India and all over Asia including Japan, where he jammed with Louis Armstrong. For several years Louis had a Pinoy drummer called Danny Barcelona.

     A few pages of the book are devoted to Federico Elizalde, a great creative musician who at one time led the band in the famous Savoy Hotel in London. Like other musicians, he settled in Japan and died in Manila in 1979.

     The longest and most interesting musician written about is Angel Matias Peña. He seems to have played everywhere and with every one, including the symphony orchestras. He also had a session on clarinet with the King of Thailand !

  Mon Guevara, Romy Posadas, Richard Merk,
  RCQ & Poncy Quirino

     The book also covers the years following the Liberation and the granting of independence by the Americans. Considerable space is given to Esen "Priscilla" Aristorenas, who had long-lasting fame as the Kolynos toothpaste Girl. Now in her mid-eighties, she gave a short speech at the launching of this book at Merk's Bar & Bistro a couple of weeks ago — still alive, and an exhilarating lady!

     At the end of "A Taste of Honey" are few pages written by Richie Quirino's father, the late historian Carlos Quirino. He visited the home of jazz, New Orleans, where he discovered traces of a Filipino village that used to be inhabited by Pinoy seamen. The article was published in 1980 and reproduced in this book..

     The second part of Pinoy Jazz Traditions could be called the "million peso" section. Fortunately, Filipinos like to take photos of their memorable episodes. The "Pinoy Jazz photo chest" is full of black and white and color pictures from the late '40s to the present day. You can attribute it to Richie's thoroughness that every photo carries the date on which it was taken.

    Cadio, Richard Merk, & Bayani Fernando  
   singing with the Executives Band

     This was a very nostalgic section for me, as I played and was a friend of many of the musicians pictured in this section — Bading Tuason, pianist and bandleader for many successful years at the Hongkong Hilton; Vestre Roxas, trumpet player supreme who, after playing all over Asia, settled in Melbourne as first trumpet with the ABC Broadcasting Band; Dulce Din, who was singing in a club just down the road from the Oasis in Bangkok, where Billy Banks and I were performing; US-based Bobby Enriquez, with the manuscript of a blues song he had composed for Bobby Manosa in 1985; and my dear friend of several years accompanying her on the piano — Richard Merk's mother and first lady of jazz — Annie Brazil.

     It was my friendship and respect for many Pinoy Jazzmen playing in Asia that helped me decide to come and live here. If the "Pinoy Jazz Band chest" was the million-peso section of the book, the one on one interviews section is the million-dollar section!

     Richie interviewed twenty-one contemporary musicians. All but Lito Molina are still playing —Tots Tolentino, Ryan Cayabyab, Eddie K, Romy Posadas, Tony Velarde and Ding Ding Basbas, (it was in this interview that the only typo cropped up. The pub where he played in Kowloon was called Ned Kelly's, not Nat Kelly's).

     This book is a living history of more than living people who lived the fullest lives possible through the most vibrant music of all, jazz. It is a book not only for historians, but for anyone interested in jazz and the people who popularized it throughout Asia, and make us feel good, and proud, of our inheritance.

Krip Yusan, Boy Yuchengco, RCQ & Bob Aves

Articles reprinted here courtesy of the Philippine Graphic and the Business World newspaper. Thanx to Lolit and Merks for the photos appearing with these reviews.