Jazz like that

Last week we asked four young jazz musicians/enthusiasts about how they first got into the genre. This week, those same people — amazing bassist Karel Honasan (of Yosha), drummer extraordinaire Mikah Azurin (of Helen and Quail Quartet, among other bands), IT professional/ guitarist/ Miles Davis fan Allan Tabilog and supertalented saxophonist Roxy Modesto (who plays with Corporate Lo-Fi, as well as the UP Jazz Ensemble, Nyko Maca, Radioactive Sago Project, the AMP Big Band, etc.) — share some listening recommendations and some thoughts on the Philippine jazz scene.

YOUNG STAR: What albums/artists would you recommend to the beginner?

KAREL: All Ella Fitzgerald albums, all Alain Caron albums, Frank McComb’s “Love Stories,” all Marcus Miller albums. Esperanza Spalding is also a good listen!

MIKAH: For the basics: 1950s Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans (the pianist, not the sax player). Bear in mind that what jazz sounds like today is not necessarily what jazz used to sound like.

ALLAN: The first artists I listened to and appreciated were the classic big bands like Duke Ellington’s and vocalists Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald (after whom I named my daughter). And then at some point I got hold of recordings by John Coltrane (saxophonist) and Miles Davis (trumpet) — and I got hooked! Coltrane’s hard bop and heavy “sheets of sound” improvisations really appealed to me. Miles was like the Picasso of the jazz world in that throughout his career he went through a few very fruitful, creative periods. And because I am basically a rocker at heart, Miles’ “jazz rock” period of the late ’60s to early ’80s is my favorite. Those quartets/quintets he formed with Chick Corea/ Wayne Shorter/ John McLaughlin/ Dave Holland/ Tony Williams and their endless, open, and sometimes free-form jams are the most awesome ever recorded. These collaborations also later on led to other groups and memorable recordings (e.g. Weather Report with Shorter, Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, and The Tony Williams Lifetime).

ROXY: Well, everybody’s preference is different, so whichever way you progress as a listener will always vary. But in terms of jazz listening, I was eased into it through listening to jazz singers — it was a fascination with the English language in the lyrics and the changes in the music which got me hooked on swing ; singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Aretha Franklin built a foundation of knowing groove. It was only when I started saxophone that I turned to listening to more jazz instrumentalists, like John Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Stan Getz. Specific albums? Goodness it’s hard to wind them all down! But for a beginner in saxophone, top five albums I would recommend would be: Cannonball Adderly’s “At The Lighthouse;” Gerry Mulligan’s “Compact Jazz;” John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps;” the Sonny Stitt-Gene Ammons collaboration for “Boss Tenors: Straight Ahead in Chicago 1961;” and the Joshua Redman Quartet’s “Moodswing.”

What can you say about the Philippine jazz scene? Is it thriving? Struggling?

KAREL: The jazz scene here is definitely thriving, but struggling. We need more risk takers who will believe in Pinoy Jazz enough to send us out to represent or just enough to put us in the limelight.

MIKAH: Struggling. There are next to no dedicated audiences. Anyone who plays jazz (the deeper stuff or their own compositions — not “Girl From Ipanema/ Take 5/ Autumn Leaves” for lounge bar crowds) is doing the same thing indie bands are doing. Except that jazz people are tougher about demanding money.

ALLAN: I haven’t been home for about a decade now so I couldn’t say much about the Philippine jazz scene. But I am sure we have many very talented musicians back home although perhaps the music may not appeal to a broad audience. I do remember going to a concert once, that featured vocalist Lynn Sherman accompanied by a big band, and that was one truly awesome gig! Let me know if you know of contemporary Pinoy music — as I’d be very keen to listen.

ROXY: The Philippine jazz scene is small so everybody is really almost like family since it’s such an intimate community. This counts for both performers and audience members alike, since it’s an acquired taste to enjoy jazz — even so, the jazz scene is slowly growing with more people wanting to experiment and listen to home grown talent. And it is appreciated all around.

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Further listening: Check out Karel’s band at www.myspace.com/yoshagroove. Read more about one of Mikah’s bands at myspace.com/helenbanda Learn more about one of Roxy’s many bands at www.myspace.com/corporatelofi.

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Further reading: Pinoy Jazz Traditions (2004 National Book Award winner for Music) and Mabuhay Jazz: Jazz in Postwar Philippines, both by Richie Quirino and published by Anvil Publishing.