Pinoy blues harmonica musician wins Asia-Pacific tilt

Ian Lofamia. photo from his Facebook page

FILIPINO blues harmonica musician Ian Lofamia topped the 11th Asia-Pacific Harmonica Festival held recently in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

Lofamia—known in the local blues and rock music community for his frenetic performing style—joined 300 other participants from different countries.

He competed in the 10-hole diatonic solo division which consisted of 20 aspirants. “Nasungkit ko po ang first place (I clinched first place),” he told Inquirer Lifestyle.

Lofamia added that his opponents used pre-recorded guitar and piano backing tracks as accompaniment, while he played alone using “pure improvisation.”

Along with a trophy and certificate, he “got lots of branded harmonicas.”

In the Philippines he fronts his own group, the Ian Lofamia Band.