Blueskrieg: The Fellowship of the String

The blues scene is alive and well in Manila, as evinced by the burgeoning crowds and familiar faces at such haunts as Conspiracy Bar, Mag:Net, 70s Bistro and Handlebar.

On a typical blues night, expect some searing vocals, a deluge of stinging, overdriven guitar solos and the haunting strains from an old, rusty blues harp bobbing over a slow shuffle. It’s uncontrived blues at its best – raw, pungent and straight to the point.

It’s those same chilling cries of torment and anguish echoed by the fabled blues legends of yore: Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and by more recent guitar heroes such as B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer.

But while the local blues mafia has pledged its allegiance and reverence to the immortal classics, it has also spurred the growth of a derivative idiom imbued with Pinoy wit and irreverence.

The new blues movement is chronicled in Rebolusyon Rekords’ latest effort called Blueskrieg: Original Pilipino Blues Music. The album features compositions from five relatively-new Pinoy blues bands, namely: Plug (Tumbling Down The Devil’s Game, Byahero, Blooze); Snakecharmer (Zalman Knew, My Slow Draggin’ Week, Suklob); Firebottle (Bakit Nagkaganito, Di Na Lang Sana, Kalbaryo); Dahon (Confronting the Evil, Monster Within Me, Lipad Pilip Lipad); and Kulukati (Sa Gabi Sa Umaga, Selda Katorse, Taga Sa Bato).

The album was conceptualized by Joric Maglanque and Gerry Diwa, both competent blues musicians and prime movers in the current blues scene. Joric, also known in www.philmusic.com’s Guitar Central forum as "deltaslim," is acclaimed as one of the finest slide players in the circuit – and maybe one of the busiest. Aside from his current bands Firebottle and Soul Benders, he also does smaller-scale duo or trio gigs.

Gerry, on the other hand, recently set up his own recording studio (Sound Weavers) and record production outfit (Rebolusyon Rekords).

"Gerry, an old band-mate of mine, used the term Blueskrieg for a blues production gig back in the ‘90s, as part of the Rakrakan concerts he produced," Joric explains. "As I turned him on to the blues-influenced groups mushrooming these days and he saw how vibrant the scene was, the entrepreneur in him kicked in and thought he should produce an album of new Pinoy blues."

He adds, "The main idea is to present new bands with new blues music never heard in years, perhaps since Lampano Alley’s excellent but only album. Blietzkrieg is a German military tactic of surprise attack, usually on many or unexpected fronts.

Blueskrieg is a surprise attack of Pinoy blues from various styles and bands with variegated styles and influences."

"The germ of the idea was planted around March 2006 when I visited Gerry’s new recording studio," Joric expounds. "Initially, he wanted me to record a solo album.

"But I thought it was better to feature more bands first. The Blueskrieg concept was official by middle of 2006."

Well-versed in blues lore and an accomplished guitarist to boot, Joric could rightfully be hailed as the ambassador of the blues. "I’ve purposely opened my life up and extended my social network so that I meet everyone and anyone who can help promote blues," shares the avid guitar fan. "I already have very good networks with the old-timers (musicians and DJs), so I made an effort to reach out to the younger generation. They were reaching out to us anyway. We sort of closed the loop that way and achieved some critical mass to hold blues jams and blues gigs/concerts."

Undoubtedly, the Internet has played a crucial role in reviving the blues movement. "On-line user communities such as Philmusic have played an important role in spreading the gospel of blues and promoting the artists, the gigs, the venues, and our music, like this Blueskrieg CD," Joric stresses. It was this camaraderie that the group harnessed for such noble causes such as last year’s benefit concert series for ex-Labuyo member Egay Imperio.

Compared to the mainstream music market, the current blues wave has yet to reach its peak – but Joric remains optimistic that it’s only a matter of time before a local blues hero emerges. "It happened before when the Juan dela Cruz Band gave us the face of Pinoy blues," he avers. "Jun Lopito emerged a decade later, then NIC, and later Lampano Alley with Binky Lampano and Tom Colvin, and the Blue Rats. From the ’90s onward, there was Perf de Castro, Kakoy Legaspi and Alex "Indian Joe" of Huka. These guys kept carrying and passing the torch."

"Since the ’90s, many other players have been flying under the radar but have kept on. Pinoy blues is definitely alive and well," says the unwitting blues icon. "We don’t manufacture heroes. They’re heroes because they’ve kept the spirit of blues alive in them and endeavor to share it. We will have heroes in the future, but in this day and age, things are getting done more through collaboration and partnerships than by any single person."