Time to enjoy some jazz

Time once again for the annual Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival (PI Jazzfest). This is surely a most welcome change from all the spectacle and vocal calisthenics that we were treated to last Valentine week. Part of this is a very special evening that will be held at the Rockwell Tent in Makati this Friday, Feb. 22.  This is made possible by the PI Jazzfest’s partnership with ABS-CBN’s Cable and Print Media Group. And what do you know, set to perform along with jazz sax whiz Mindi Abair is Tuck and Patti.

The lovely couple Tuck Andress and Patti Cathcart are seldom in the news or in the pop charts. But just mention the name Tuck and Patti and a flood of memories comes rushing in. Over 30 years worth of music, I must say. Just found out that this is the duo’s 35th year together. Fans giddy about the news have now begun checking up on their favorite Tuck and Patti albums. A Gift of Love is simply the best. What about I Remember You? Which one has In My Life? Is The Love Warriors available here?

Jazz sax whiz Mindi Abair

All recollections are throwbacks to a time when a girl’s ultimate performing goal was to have a boy strumming a guitar by her side, while she is singing As Time Goes By just like Patti. I can name several friends who tried to be Tuck and Patti out here. Some even attained a good degree of success as music artists. But another Tuck and Patti, they never became. Nobody around here did.

There are two reasons why Tuck and Patti are special. One is Patti’s unique voice, soulful and strong and wonderfully devoid of R&B curlicues. The other one is Tuck’s amazing guitar playing. Tuck and Patti recordings are made up entirely of voice and guitar. It is Tuck who plays all those notes and he makes you think he has 12 fingers working a 12-string. Who needs a band when Tuck is around? Then there are their songs. Somehow, these two seem to have a knack for choosing songs that are easy to like. Come to think of it, maybe it is what they do with the songs that makes those so beautiful.

So come Friday, those of you who will head out to the Rockwell Tent will get a great dose of jazz from Mindi and all those well-remembered Tuck and Patti goodies. Maybe these will be Tears of Joy, Time After Time, Takes My Breath Away, Dream, Love Is The Key, Sweet P, Sitting In Limbo, Better Than Anything, In A Sentimental Mood, Up On The Roof and others.

The PI Jazzfest will run until Feb. 27 and is considered this year’s biggest gathering of local and international artists. Take note that the ABS-CBN jazz night will also feature the all female jazz trio Baihana and singer/songwriter Jennifer Blair-Blanco. Check out the web for other scheduled performances.  Tickets are available in all Ticketworld outlets nationwide. 

Speaking of jazz sounds, time now for you to get to know one of China’s most popular stars Karen Mok. The talented singer/actress was the one who carried the torch at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing. She was also in the Hollywood flick Around The World in 80 Days with Jackie Chan. I like her best though as the noodle merchant in the wacky God Of Cookery with comedian Stephen Chow of Kung Fu Hustle fame.

Well, I just found out that Karen is also a jazz artist and a very good one at that. Fondly referred to as Asia’s Jazz Diva, she has previously only recorded in either Mandarin or Cantonese, but good for us, she has recently released her first English album Somewhere I Belong and it is a winner. I love it that the first single release is While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Composed by George Harrison, this is one of the most beautiful but also one of the most, if not the most under-rated of all Beatles recordings. And I am so glad that more people will get to listen to it now that it is a single from Karen’s CD.

Also included are Love For Sale, My Funny Valentine, Wicked Game, Stormy Weather, Sour Times, A Fine Romance, The Man I Love, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Moon Over Bourbon Street and two Chinese compositions, Shanghai Nights and Karen’s own The Face That Launched A Thousand Ships.