Daily TribuneBringing the Philippine International Jazz Festival (PI Jazz for short) back to life after a hiatus of some six years is hard enough, but to near-singlehandedly organize three days of performances by a mix of brilliant artists from overseas and putting them on stage along with a lineup of some country’s brightest luminaries in jazz is no mean feat at all.
Originally formed by Penthouse 7 dancer Boying Geronimo, this Canadian Latin jazz and Salsa band, now led by Geronimo’s son Raphael has recorded award-nominated albums. The band promises to keep PI JazzFest’s “Colors of Jazz” patrons on their feet, doing the salsa at Sofitel Manila tonight.
‘P.I. Jazz Fest’ chairperson Sandra Lim Viray.
Singaporean jazz vocalist/pianist Michelle SgP (Poh) is being introduced by the Singaporean Embassy to Manila jazz aficionados.
Performing at P.I. JazzFest's ‘Colors of Jazz’ at the Sofitel Manila are Italian jazz guitarist Fabio Torchetti and jazz guitarist and composer Johnny Alegre. Alegre leads the jazz group Johnny Alegre Affinity band and the world music group Humanfolk.
Bringing the Philippine International Jazz Festival (PI Jazz for short) back to life after a hiatus of some six years is hard enough, but to near-singlehandedly organize three days of performances by a mix of brilliant artists from overseas and putting them on stage along with a lineup of some country’s brightest luminaries in jazz is no mean feat at all.
But that’s exactly what jazz diva and festival chairperson Sandra Lim-Viray did. “Many of the people who were with us when we first launched the (PI) Jazzfest in 2006 have moved on or have passed away,” relates Sandra, not mentioning that two of the key persons behind the organization, guitarist Edgar Avenir and her husband, drummer Jun Viray — both consummate artists — are no longer around in this realm.
Back in the day, Sandra and Jun Viray, along with Avenir were part of the Bong Piñera Batucada band. In the early 2000s, Avenir, along with the Jazz Fiesta, a band made up of notable Filipino session musicians flew to the Netherlands to perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam.
Some 80,000 music lovers troop to this festival each year to watch such icons as Miles Davies, Count Basie and Amy Winehouse in what is known as the world’s largest indoor music festival with artists performing mainstream jazz, Afro-Cuban, Latin, blues and various other jazz-derivative music across 15 stages.
Blown away by his North Sea Jazz festival experience, Avenir came back home and excitedly presented the idea to the Virays and asked, “What if we create our own Philippine jazz festival?”
Sandra Viray herself had just been invited by Los Angeles based Filipina jazz singer Charmaine Clamor to sing at the annual Filipino-American Jazz Festival in L.A., and, fired up with the jazz scene there, was all gung-ho about the idea.
Thus, along with her husband, Avenir and friends Zenaida Celdran and Chona Ampil, the inaugural Philippine International Jazz Festival was launched in 2006, featuring foreign artists Grammy winner Eumir Deodato and Kevyn Lettau and local jazz stars including Verni Varga, Charmaine Clamor (jetting in from L.A.), Richard Merk, Grace Non and Bob Aves, the UP Jazz Ensemble, Romy Posadas, Henry Katindig, Colby dela Calzada, Misha Adams, Cynthia Alexander, Nyko Maca, swing-reggae band Brownbeat Allstars and such bands as Affinity and The Brass Munkeys.
Viray said putting together the inaugural jazzfest was “hard to do because we were new at it; we didn’t know anything, but things got easier in the succeeding years.”
13-year run
PI JazzFest actually had a terrific 13-year run, with Viray and confreres putting Manila in the international jazz map by bringing such jazz greats from overseas including Hubert Laws and his siblings, Debra and Ronnie Laws, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Eldar Djangirov, Hiromi, Bob James, Dianne Reeves, Diane Schuur, Ivan Lins, David Starck, Anthony Strong, Incognito, Tiernney Sutton, Spyro Gyra, Fourplay, Chuck Loeb, Abe Lagrimas, Nathan East, Jon Irabagon, Barbara Mason, Raul Midonl, Lee Ritenour, Harvey Mason, and Johnny McLaughlin.
Through the years, those international icons in jazz have shared the same PI JazzFest stage with local jazz artists - among the best in the world - like Jeannie Tiongco, Megan Herrera, Richard Merck, Cookie Chua, Jacqui Magno, Myra Ruaro, Mishka Adam, Henry Katindig, Pat Castillo, Tots Tolentino, Colby dela Calzada, Sinosikat, Mel Villena and the AMP Big Band, Joey Puyat, Joey Quirino, Mar Dizon, Johnny Alegre, Humanfolk, Sitti, The Brass Munkeys, Johnny and Rosanna Gaerlan, Viray herself, among many others.
Sadly, two key individuals behind the festival, drummer Jun Viray and Edgar Avenir passed away, and with their demise, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic, PI JazzFest came to a halt after a final show in 2019. went into slumber.
The spark responsible that made Sandra Viray bring the festival back to life after nearly six years came from the Singaporean Embassy. “I was kinda waiting for things to fall into place, for someone, or something to spark the idea of resurrecting PI Jazz and the one that encouraged me was the Singaporean Embassy which was looking for a show venue for Singaporean jazz vocalist and pianist Michelle Poh (also known as Michelle SgP) whom they wanted to bring to Manila,” she said.
Responding to the Singaporean Embassy’s quest for a show venue for Ms. Poh was a clear indication that Viray had finally began to heal from her profound loss of her partner in love and jazz music was felled by a cardiac arrest in 2018.
Infectious
When we spoke with Viray a week ago, we found her excitement at being able to resurrect her baby, PI JazzFest, infectious.
This year’s iteration of PI Jazzfest, dubbed the “Colors of Jazz,” opens today, May 3 at the Sofitel with Michelle SgP doing vocals and playing the piano with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. She will be followed by the P.I. Jazz All Stars comprised of the brightest jazz luminaries in the country including Megan Herrera, Jeannie Tiongco, Emcy Corteza, Henry Katindig, Richard Merk, Colby de la Calzada, Mar Dizon, Dix Lucero. Alvin Cornista, percussionist Ramon Guevarra who had performed with the legendary Cal Tjader here in Manila, and of course, Viray.
Acclaimed Southern Italian band Khaossia will also play today with the show capped by the scintillating Brass Munkeys. “We started with an orchestra and we said, we can’t go from the MSO then wind down with just any band, so therefore, the Brass Munkeys,” said Viray.
The second day, Saturday, May 4 promises to be as hot as the currently scorching weather, with the show venue, still the Sofitel, to be fired up by renowned Puerto Rican, New York-based jazz pianist Edsel Gomez; Sitti; flamenco band Tablao Sur from Spain; Escola de Samba de Manila’; Rumba Calzada from Canada; and Salsa Manila.
Third and closing day of the jazzfest will be “Viva La Fiesta,” to be hosted by Manila House. The private club will waive its exclusivity and welcome non-member patrons to watch the Dandio Trio, Khaossia, and Tablao Sur.
“I’d like to invite everyone to come and enjoy the show at Sofitel’s Sunset Pavillion. Don’t be afraid that its very jazz; its not restricted to a certain genre because you know, jazz is expanding to fuse with other music that we love,” said Viray.
“It’s all just going to be beautiful music and excellent performances and best of all, its spending time with other people who love the same kind of music,” she said.
