Skarlet, lesser known as Myra Ruaro to her bosom friends, has a lot to be proud of nowadays. She was a finalist in the recently held IKON search for the best female vocalist to represent the country on the South East Asian level held in Kuala Lumpur last August. Thereafter, she deservedly bagged the best jazz female vocalist for the Awit Awards, something that was long overdue. She is the new Candid Records baby after Mishka Adams and Mon David set the pace. Her Candid release, Powder Room Stories, consists of a power pack of young Pinoy jazz lions that are eager to make their mark in the local music scene.

She has the knack of reinventing herself from the much acclaimed Put3ska, to the Brown Beat All Stars, and now taking the plunge going solo with her Cd album. What is most commendable is that Skarlet has penned the lyrics to nine of the fourteen tunes in her album. The album takes one back in time, to the days of blues and bop, swing and boogie, and haunting ballads that will raise your hair and eyebrows as well. "She's mannered in an Eartha Kitt way doing Ella Fitzgerald-style standards-- all in an Asian Bettie Page package... Mismo. Oozing retro-kitsch glamor in her vintage threads, Skarlet brings a much needed shot of adrenaline to the sit-down-and-nod-politely jazz lounge crowd," writes Eric Caruncho who featured her on the front cover of the Sunday Inquirer Weekly Magazine, the most widely read spread in the Philippines. She definetely has a lot of stories to tell, never ending ones at that!

Click here to visit her personal blog

Leading Philippne saxophone quintet, Saxophoro, performed at a charity show ahead of the scheduled Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia, to benefit flood victims through the Gawad Kalinga foundation. The special benefit show was held at the William Wongco's Cafe Artistik in south Jakarta, with proceeds donated to Gawad Kalinga to provide assistance for flood victims in the Dumpit and Jonglo slum areas of West Jakarta. Featuring a uniquely Filipino style of jazz, Saxophoro, established in the year 2000, is made up of bandleader, Michael Guevarra on soprano and alto, Jan Carlo Salon on tenor, Joey de Guzman on alto and tenor, Paul Tadeo on soprano, alto and tenor, and the only female member of the group, Roxanne Modesto on baritone.

All students of the U.P. College of Music except for Michael who is a faculty member, Saxophoro is renowned for creating provocative and inspiring jazz pieces. The group wants to experience a higher level of performance by reaching foreign audiences. In the Philippines the quintet has graced the 2nd Philippine International Jazz & Arts Festival held February this year, and the French Jewelmer Jazz Festival in 2004 and 2007. Saxophoro contains original pieces written by its leader Michael Guevarra and plans to release their self titled album by years end. The quintet is headed for the Taichung Jazz Festival in Taiwan this October.

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