This year, the Philippine Youth Symphonic Band’s annual concert, “Discovering Jazz with the PYSB,” is set once more to prove that more than its vision of “livelihood through music,” loving what it does enhances the quality of its art.
This is evident in the band’s youthful enthusiasm toward yet a new musical form, jazz, which it will perform on Nov. 9 at Whitespace in Makati City.
Difficult genre
Jazz can be a difficult music genre, especially for a generation that grew up on synthesized and computer-generated music. Many years ago, when contemporary jazz became a trend, Ryan Cayabyab observed that this sound seemed to be half a breath off a “true note.”
It might be said, too, that the present generation’s music lacks the intricate and melodious progressions of earlier compositions, whether classical or pop.
Unlike more traditional and classical genres, jazz speaks a language all its own like blue and swung notes, syncopations and, trickiest of all, on-the-spot improvisations by solo instrumentalists or vocalists while keeping pace with the rest of the band.
“It requires mojo and discipline… both!” says Irene Marcos Araneta, chair of Young Musicians Development Organization, the foundation that supports the band. She points out that jazz, with all its nuances, can be truly learned only through apprenticeship, constant practice and training of the ear.
Tess Salientes
Tess Salientes, perhaps one of the most scintillating jazz pianists to be seen in a long time in Manila, taught the swing, rhythm and blues improvisations at the last PYSB summer camp, a rigorous annual training camp held for serious young musicians. It was at this camp that today’s noteworthy musicians like flutist Tony Maigue refined their music and dedication to their craft.
Returning to the Philippines a few years ago after 30 years in the United States, Salientes was one of Chit Arambulo’s star students who had won first prize in the Philippine Yamaha Electone Festival in 1974.
Arambulo earmarked Salientes as a jazz musician, encouraging her to further her studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston where she graduated magna cum laude.
Salientes got married and became a top real estate agent, momentarily setting aside her music, but not altogether forgetting it. Shortly after her return to Manila, the embers of music were once more set afire.
Roger Herrera
She went on to form a band which named Joyful Jazz, thus defining how she felt when playing her music. On bass was the revered Roger Herrera, who came out of retirement, sharing with Salientes the music genre he loved best.
Over the years, Herrerra had not only worked with the best musicians and composers and played in most of the concerts in the country, he even fashioned his own bass guitar. It was the rhythm section of Joyful Jazz that accompanied the PYSB musicians during gigs.
Passing
Early this year, Herrera passed away, leaving scores of unperformed pieces meant for the band. Included in the Nov. 9 repertoire are several of these pieces.
Then, just as suddenly, Salientes, too, passed away a few months ago at the height of a thriving music career, jamming and performing with the likes of opera singers Rachel Gerodias and Andrew Fernandez, and rock legends Pepe Smith and Wally Gonzalez. The passing of Herrera and Salientes left a truncated but lingering taste of jazz in their young wards.
Roger Llado
Fortunately another jazz mentor remains in Roger Llado, a trumpet-player, band leader and Herrera’s contemporary, who had played in Japan for many years. Recently he donated his three chestfuls of jazz arrangements, each score costing roughly $100.
The dedication of music director Romy San José has kept the PYSB in tow with his discipline.
The repertoire for Nov. 9 is, as Araneta says, “a jazz starter kit for kids and memory lane for lolo. Dizzy Gillespie shuffles, Count Basie swing, Latin rhythms, jazz fusion of Chick Corea, blues and standards sung by Bituin [Escalante].”
PYSB concerts in previous years that featured classics, kundiman and Filipino children’s songs, Broadway tunes, always proved to be the season’s musical highlight. It was not because of the novelty of seeing talented, young musicians embracing and enjoying the music they make, but more importantly, due to the meticulous dig at perfection they display in whatever genre they play. It is this quality that makes their undertaking truly joyful, jazz or otherwise.
“Discovering Jazz with the PYSB” is on Nov. 9, 5 p.m., at Whitespace, Pasong Tamo Ext. Makati. For ticket inquiries, call Marissa (+63927-3910762) or Myra (+63922-8291078).