Welcome ‘home,’ Kevyn Lettau

Notwithstanding an early evening drizzle, Eastwood City’s fountain area turned festive on Friday as shoppers, diners and jazz fans were treated to great entertainment that merged musical genres.

A week after it opened, the 7th Philippine International Jazz Festival (Pijazzfest) went full-throttle with smooth jazz and Brazilian singer Kevyn Lettau headlining the show. Supporting her were three local acts—The Executives Band, The Brass Munkeys and Paolo Blaquera and the Jazz Fusion Project, plus two foreign artists, pianist Dino Fiumara, and cellist Dave Eggar and his band Deoro.

Blaquera and Fiumara teamed up on John Coltrane’s “Equinox,” followed by two Fiumara originals, “Where the Music Takes Me” and “Jazzboy.” Blaquera performed solo at last year’s Pijazzfest before hooking up with bassist Empi Katindig Martinez and drummer Julius Ian Tolentino to form the Jazz Fusion Project.

Fiumara, a Pittsburgh native who hails from a family of musicians, attributes his inclination and skills to his father who, he says, was an excellent bassist. He has collaborated with jazz luminaries Stanley Turrentine, Herbie Mann and Slide Hampton, among others.

The Executives Band was next.  Founded in 1957 by the late Raul Manglapus, it began as a small group of middle-aged professionals who jammed after work.

Stress-busting hobby

What started as a stress-busting hobby led the band to play professionally. In the 1960s, it appeared in numerous benefit shows and played with famous personalities in the music scene and in government.

TEB embarked on tours around the country, then in Hong Kong, the United States and Europe. The group played with jazz greats Duke Ellington, Gary Burton, Lionel Hampton and Charlie Byrd, and performed for the King of Thailand, the King of Cambodia and US President Bill Clinton.

The band is currently led by Maglapus’ son Francis on drums. The other members include Martin Makalintal on piano, Jings de Guzman on guitar, synthesizers and bass, Jack Lagohoy on bass, Ricky Quiogue on vocals, Butch Silverio on trumpet and flugelhorn, Arnel Zapanta on trumpet, flugelhorn and flute, Padon Patito on trumpet, Danny Zapanta and Ace Bernardo on trombone, Kevin Ryan Dy and Jethro Velasco on alto saxophone, Hector Sanvictores on tenor saxophone and Mike Tan on baritone saxophone.

Its versions of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” and Amy Winehouse hits made for a unique mix of old and new.

Eggar, a product of Harvard University and Julliard School’s Doctoral Program, has performed worldwide as a solo cellist and pianist. He has recorded with artists as diverse as Evanescence, The Who, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Michael Brecker, Josh Groban, David Sanborn, Dianne Reeves and Corinne Bailey Ray. He has received accolades from Time magazine. Last year he released his fourth album, “Kingston Morning.”

Eggar and Deoro, composed of Charlie Palmer on drums and Tom Pirozzi on bass, gave the Eastwood audience a sample of raw talent, combining experimental jazz fusion with eclectic themes. Adding fun and energy to the performance was a tap dance number by one of its members.

The Brass Munkeys, led by John Casey Santos on guitar and vocals, spiced up the evening with high-energy renditions of big-band swing.

Main influences

While its music has been branded as jump swing, blues and boogie, the band regards ’30s to ’40s-era jazz and even British punk rock as its main influences. Energetic renditions of tunes like “Sing, Sing, Sing” (a swing classic popularized by the likes of Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa), the Frank Sinatra hit “Come Fly with Me,” and a playful version of Satchmo’s “On the Sunny Side of the Street” filled the air.

Highlight of the show was Lettau, who opened her set with “You Said,” an upbeat tune from her 1992 album, “Brazil Jazz.”

Then she introduced a track from her 2011 release, “Drawn To You,” an album she fondly described as a “motherless child,” presumably because the album has yet to find a record label. The song, “Let It In,” spoke of hope and emotional recovery.

“Far Away,” a cut from her 2001 album “Little Things,” drew cheers. She segued to “Morning Kisses,” a familiar track from her 1994 record, “Another Season”—which likewise drew warm crowd response.

A very interesting version of “Waters of March” followed, with Lettau doing some scatting before leading to the opening riffs by young and extremely talented guitarist Janno Queyquep.

They were ably supported by Colby de la Calzada on bass, Lawrence Nolan on drums, Mark Lopez on keyboards and May Ann Casal on backup vocals.

A couple of new pieces came next. Lettau’s rendition of “Drawn to You” was a wonderful treat, with her singing while playing the keyboards, something she had never done in public before.

Afterwards, she got the crowd clapping and snapping their fingers to a funky tune called “Six Inches Between My Ears,” about the dangers of harboring negative thoughts.

Soulful blend

A soulful mash-up of Gary Valenciano’s “Sana Maulit Muli,” and her fellow Brazilian Flora Purim’s “Bridges,” heightened the excitement. Lettau got off the stage and mingled with the audience.

The evening came to a climactic conclusion when she sang “Sunlight,” one of the most popular tunes from her 1992 album “Simple Life,” used in several local TV ads. More guitar riffs by Queyquep made for an interesting twist to the song.

“Your Smile,” an encore number from her 1991 self-titled album, capped the show.

Aside from performances in other venues throughout the month-long Pijazzfest, Lettau is expected to hold voice clinics for aspiring jazz vocalists.

Earlier, she warmed her listeners’ hearts by saying it was good to be home.