Pinoy jazz artists earn praise in LA Times

DON HECKMAN, veteran jazz critic of the Los Angeles Times, praised Filipino jaz z artists in his review of the third annual Fil-Am Jazz Festival at the Catalin a Bar & Grill in LA. Charmaine Clamor, founder and chair of JazzPhil-USA, shared the good news. Heck man, a respected authority on Americaâs jazz scene who has been reviewing jazz concerts and albums for many years, wrote, âAlthough singer Charmaine Clamor ha s begun to get some much-deserved attention as an appealing new arrival, many o f the other artists are best known in their native Philippines. But surprise! T he program was a delight, a nonstop string of first-rate performances testifyin g to the high quality of Philippine musical talent as well as to the global rea ch of jazz.â Heckman penned very favorable comments for each artist in the showâs lineup: âPianist Tateng Katindig, Philippine-born but an active Southland player since he moved to Los Angeles in the early '90s, opened the evening with a rhapsodic take on the standard âA Beautiful Friendshipâ before digging into an up-tempo r omp through a group of imaginative variations on âCaravan.â "Far less known in this country, singer Mon David was the winner in 2006 of the first London International Jazz Competition for Vocalists. His set, ranging fr om a stunningly improvisatory reading of âFootprintsâ to the grooving lyricism of âI Remember Youâ was the stuff of world-class vocalizing. At a time of real paucity in top-ranked male jazz singers, David showed the potential for a signi ficant breakout. "The same can be said for guitarist Johnny Alegre, whose pair of original tunes -- âOfferingâ and âBarnabasâ -- managed to invigorate his inventive lines with Pat Metheny-like drive and a sound reminiscent of Gabor Szabo. "Alto saxophonist Julius Tolentino took a different tack, roving across jazz hi story, including the bebop licks of a Charlie Parker-inspired âI Can't Get Star tedâ and the honking, bar-walking-style âJacob's Bounce.â "A pair of pianists followed. Veteran pianist-composer Toti Fuentes, joking wit h the crowd and looking hearty after recovery from cancer, played a gorgeously lyrical rendering of âAlfie.â Victor Noriega's âPandangguhan,â a take on a trad itional Philippine folk song, blended fiery virtuosity with irresistible swing. "The evening's most remarkable set was provided by the versatile Abe Lagrimas. After playing sturdy drums to back the other acts, he took center stage, playin g a harmonically lush version of âThe Nearness of Youâ before demonstrating the ukulele's jazz possibilities with his own swinging âCentipede.â "Clamor, wrapping up the impressive program, offered a pair of numbers celebrat ing the roots of the evening: an incisive transformation of âMy Funny Valentine ,â titled âMy Funny Brown Pinay,â followed by the proudly declamatory âAko Ay P ilipinoâ (I Am a Filipino).â