This lawyer sings jazz

MANILA, Philippines - When he’s not in court defending high-profile clients or in his law firm logging in precious legal hours for research, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio flexes his vocal muscles and reverts to his first love, singing.

Singing has been his passion ever since he was in college at San Sebastian, where he took up AB English Literature. He formed a band, U-10, with 10 members. By the time they were in law school, they clinched a professional singing stint at Concourse Lounge of the old Manila Garden Hotel (now Dusit).

However, after he hurdled the bar and became a lawyer in 1993, Ferdie totally gave up singing. His first love took a backseat to his more profitable legal profession. “I realized there was no money in singing, that’s why I didn’t pursue it,” he shares.

Ferdie worked at becoming a top-notch defense lawyer, subsequently gaining prominent clients through the years. To date, his roster of past and present clients include Col. Cezar O. Mancao, principal witness against Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the Dacer-Corbito murder case.

At present, Ferdie is the legal counsel to Gov. Armand Sanchez of Batangas, Gov. Joel Reyes of Palawan, Rep. Jing Paras of Negros Occidental, Gov. Antonio Kho of Masbate and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

Being a lawyer is apparently his biggest accomplishment, yet, Ferdie was inevitably lured back to singing. In 2007, when his parents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the Manila Polo Club, they requested him to sing again.

Quite reluctantly, Ferdie went to his U-10 groupmate and fellow lawyer Butch Saulog, who remains an active keyboardist in the jazz music scene. “For old time’s sake, we formed a band for that particular event and I was the vocalist,” Ferdie grants. “I relented to my parents’ wishes.”

Ferdie met jazz singer Richard Merk last year, who invited him to jam in the Wednesday Jazz Festival at Merk’s Bar and Bistro in Greenbelt, Makati City. “That made me rehash my vocal skills and revive my long-dormant singing career,” Ferdie says.

He got together a five-piece band composed of guitarist Ricky Gonzales, one of the founders of Parliament Syndicate. They are joined by a drummer, keyboardist and bass guitarist.

Recently, Ferdie was offered by Richard to sing in the Tuesday happy hours at Merk’s, which the former does pro-bono. His repertoire includes jazz standards from the ‘40s to the ‘60s.

He credits Richard for keeping jazz alive in this country, as well as for discovering and training new jazz talents.

Catch Ferdie perform every Tuesday, happy hours from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Merk’s Bar and Bistro, Greenbelt 3, Makati City.