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Charmaine Clamor Headlines 3rd Annual Filipino-American Jazz Fesival, Dec. 7-9 at Catalina's |
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Written by Ronaldo Oregano
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Saturday, 24 November 2007 |
 Charmaine Clamor
Charmaine Clamor, Vocals. Lauded by All About Jazz as "one of the finest singers to come around in a long time," Clamor is the creator of Jazzipino - the melding of Filipino music, languages and instruments with the American jazz soul and swing. She is the first Filipina jazz singer to find success on American radio, achieving the rare feat of simultaneously making the top-5 on both JazzWeek’s World (#2 ranking) and Traditional Jazz (#4) charts. Thanks to her musical and cultural trailblazing, Charmaine was recently selected by The Filipino Women's Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the United States.
Johnny Alegre, Guitar. Guitarist Juan B.H. Alegre III, aka Johnny Alegre attended the University of the Philippines College of Music in the latter 1970s, where he studied composition and became a founding member of the U.P. Jazz Ensemble. In May of 2002, Johnny Alegre formed Manila's premier jazz group, the Johnny Alegre Affinity, with bassist Colby de la Calzada, drummer Koko Bermejo, pianist Elhmir Saison and saxophonist Tots Tolentino. Their first recorded work, "Stones Of Intramuros", written by Alegre, was included in the limited edition Philippine jazz anthology CD, Adobo Jazz Vol.1, which caught the attention of the jazz record company, Candid Records. 2007 also marks the New York sessions for yet another album, the breakthrough Johnny Alegre trio, wherein the guitarist-composer is joined by world-renowned American jazz musicians, Billy Hart (drums) and Ron McClure (bass). He is making his U.S. debut at the 3rd Annual Fil-Am Jazz Festival.
Mon David, Vocals. Philippine Star praises Mon David as " one versatile artist whose talent knows no boundaries. Mon is recognized in the industry not only as a singer but as a songwriter, musician, record producer and teacher. " This Candid Records artist is the winner of the 2006 London Jazz Vocal Competition and was awarded by the prestigious Awit Award with the best jazz recording in 2006.  Julius Tolentino
Toti Fuentes, Piano. Toti Fuentes is a legendary Filipino pianist, conductor , arranger and a JazzPhil-USA Lifetime Achievement Awardee. He performed with Sergio Mendes and Brazil 88, Justo Almario, Andy Williams, Bill Cosby, Anita Baker, Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, The Platters, Lettermen, Peabo Bryson and Jeffrey Osborne to name a few.
Tateng Katindig, Piano. Eduardo "Tateng" Katindig is a crowd and critic favorite in the Los Angeles area. He studied piano at age 7. Coming from a family of premier musicians, Tateng is called the "Filipino Oscar Peterson" for his lightning fast playing.
Abe Lagrimas, Jr., Ukulele, Drums. A ukulele, drum, and vibe virtuoso, Abe Lagrimas, Jr. is one of Hawaii's finest artist. Honolulu Magazine calls him "Slick....skilled, sophisticated and polished." He now resides in Los Angeles and a crowd favorite at the previous Fil-Am Jazz Festivals.
Arthur Manuntag, Vocals. Hailed as the Tony Bennett of the Philippines, Arthur is gifted with a powerful, splendid and multi-ranged voice, topped with a masterful stage presence and a good grasp of humor that comes naturally. He won the prestigious Awit Award for Best Male Vocalist in 2006 and his latest album is the top bestseller in 2007.
Victor Noriega, Piano. Victor was born in Vancouver B.C., Canada and raised in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Like many Filipino households, Victor's childhood home was filled with music, from Filipino classics to American jazz standards, all played on the family piano. Victor began his musical career in Seattle, Washington where he studied jazz music under a full scholarship from the University of Washington and began performing with other music students at local jazz venues. After graduation, Victor worked tirelessly to establish himself in Seattle's local jazz scene, quickly gaining recognition as a player to watch. His latest album. Alay, is a tribute to the music of Victor's cross-cultural heritage; Filipino in it's source material and American in its jazz-based deconstruction and re-interpretation. Alay has won critical acclaim across the globe, and in the U.S. Alay was named by Earshot jazz the 2006 Northwest Recording of the Year and Victor was recognized as the 2006 Instrumentalist of the Year.
Julius Tolentino, alto saxophone. Born in Bloomfield, NJ, Julius started studying piano at the age of 7. He continued his musical endeavors, which included clarinet when he was 10. By 13 Julius made the transition to alto saxophone. It was with this instrument that Julius began to explore his love for jazz. Upon graduation Julius moved to New York and has continued his career performing with Philip Harper, Antonio Hart, Vanessa Rubin, Cecil Bridgewater, Charlie Persip, Dion Parsons, Eric Reed, Marcus Printup, Craig Handy, Billy Drummond, Wes Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Kevin Mahogany, Christian McBride, Natalie Cole, Cecil Brooks III, Kioshi Kitagawa, Marleena Shaw, and Cyrus Chestnut. In 1999 Julius joined the highly acclaimed Illinois Jacquet Big Band performing, touring, and recording with the jazz legend for 5 years. Julius was chosen to be a part of a recording (Sharp Nine, "On The Loose") showcasing the young lions on the New York scene released in 2001. His debut recording "Just the Beginning" (Sharp Nine '05) recieved rave reviews and peaked at #8 on the jazz charts. Since then he has toured all over the US, Europe, South America, and the Middle East.
Catalina's Jazz Club is located at 6725 West Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood (one block EAST of Highland Ave.) - Phone: (323) 466-2210. For tickets and more information visit The Jazz Society of the Philippines, U.S.A. Chapter's website: www.jazzphil-usa.com
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 Saturday, 05 July 2008
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