Jazz Fans are Clamoring for Charmaine
Rene Villaroman - Asianjournal.com
LOS ANGELES -- FilAm jazz vocalist Charmaine Clamor, who has combined American jazz with indigenous Filipino instruments and the song structure of the traditional kundiman (Filipino torch song) into a fusion called "jazzipino", is set to wow jazz cognoscenti in two back-to-back concerts at Hollywood’s Catalina Bar & Grill on August 31st and September 1st.
Ms. Clamor, who was introduced to L.A. jazz fans in the 2nd Filipino American Jazz Festival held at Catalina Bar last year, will release her second CD by Freeham Records entitled “Flippin’ Out”. One of the songs from this CD, “Minamahal Kita”, has already attained regular airplay on radio station KCRW (L.A.) and music critics from New York to L.A., and from Canada to Australia have predicted that Clamor and “Flippin’ Out” as the next breakthrough jazz and world music artist.
Clamor’s second CD contains songs like “Candy”, “Be My Love”, “I Hadn’t Anyone ‘Til You”, and a riveting rendition of U2’s “With or Without You”, showcases a new world music genre that Ms. Clamor has dubbed “jazzipino”.
“Her music is a perfect bridge of two cultures, done with passion that can be heard in a voice that should be experienced in every jazz venue across the nation, if not the world,” comments John Book in Music for America. “Clamor is an asset to jazz music, and a contributor to the continued traditions of women in jazz,” Book added.
The Los Angeles Times’ Don Heckman said: “When Charmaine Clamor’s warm, luscious contralto slips into a seductive rhythm or purrs through tender lyrics, there’s no doubt that a first-rate jazz talent is present. Her debut album (“Searching for the Soul”) announced the arrival of an impressive new vocal artist.”
Charmaine was born in Subic, in Zambales province, Philippines, and started singing at age three, entertaining passengers in buses traveling to Manila—whether the liked it or not. She was raised in a home filled with beautiful kundiman, the traditional Filipino torch song. She was steeped in Ella Fitzgerald and Mario Lanza-- their songs being played constantly on radio and the turntable--Ms. Clamor was simultaneously immersed in two different but complimentary musical cultures. She loved Filipino music and American music equally, and dreamed of one day blending her two passions.
At 16, she and her family immigrated to the United States, and she graduated valedictorian in high school, and subsequently earned a Master’s degree in physical therapy. But music remained her life’s calling.
“Flippin’ Out”, a groundbreaking albums (out September 1, 2007 at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood, and at Iridium in New York City on September 12th), opens with “My Funny Brown Pinay”, a startling re-invention of the familiar Rodgers & Hart tune, “My Funny Valentine”. Clamor transformed a classic love song into an anthem of native pride. Brought up in a culture that often vainly attempts to mimic its colonial Spanish and American conquerors, she celebrates her brown skin and flat nose, nudging a well-known L.A. writer to jokingly describe Ms. Clamor as “Sarah Vaughn trapped in the body of a supermodel.”
Her timeless performance of “I Hadn’t Anyone ‘til You” is her way of telling her fans that the torch singer they adore isn’t going anywhere. Ms. Clamor is backed by renowned musicians Christian Jacob on piano, Trey Henry on bass, Ray Brinker on drums—and FilAms Julius Tolentino, alto sax, Abe Lagrimas, Jr., ukulele, and Gustavo Garcia, percussion—Richard Ickard, guitar, Zaxariades guitar, percussion, vocals, and Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble.
The centerpiece of “Flippin’ Out” is the Filipino Suite, five tracks in Tagalog and Visayan, that features the kulintang, a percussion ensemble of Philippine tribal drums and gongs that have been played for centuries in the Philippines, and the ukulele, played by Hawaii-based prodigy, Abe Lagrimas, Jr., a featured artist in last year’s Fil-Am Jazzfest.
Charmaine concludes her “Flippin’ Out” CD with the first song she remembers hearing in her childhood home: Mario Lanza’s “Be My Love” in Tagalog and English.
Filipinos are not new to jazz music. This American music genre arrived in the Philippines in late 19th Century and took hold in the 1920’s, during an era of American occupation. Filipinos in and outside of the Philippines would take their love of jazz with them, and while not gaining a headway at the forefront, early Filipino jazz musicians have contributed to jazz’s popularity during the 20th century. During the last 40 years, jazz musicians like Gabe Baltazar, Nohelani Cipriano, Bobby Gonzalez and Matt Catingub have made an impact in this music genre. Even today, in its latest incarnation as “smooth jazz”, Filipinos are slowly gaining acceptance and commercial success, not just in the Philippines but also in America.
LOS ANGELES -- FilAm jazz vocalist Charmaine Clamor, who has combined American jazz with indigenous Filipino instruments and the song structure of the traditional kundiman (Filipino torch song) into a fusion called "jazzipino", is set to wow jazz cognoscenti in two back-to-back concerts at Hollywood’s Catalina Bar & Grill on August 31st and September 1st.
Ms. Clamor, who was introduced to L.A. jazz fans in the 2nd Filipino American Jazz Festival held at Catalina Bar last year, will release her second CD by Freeham Records entitled “Flippin’ Out”. One of the songs from this CD, “Minamahal Kita”, has already attained regular airplay on radio station KCRW (L.A.) and music critics from New York to L.A., and from Canada to Australia have predicted that Clamor and “Flippin’ Out” as the next breakthrough jazz and world music artist.
Clamor’s second CD contains songs like “Candy”, “Be My Love”, “I Hadn’t Anyone ‘Til You”, and a riveting rendition of U2’s “With or Without You”, showcases a new world music genre that Ms. Clamor has dubbed “jazzipino”.
“Her music is a perfect bridge of two cultures, done with passion that can be heard in a voice that should be experienced in every jazz venue across the nation, if not the world,” comments John Book in Music for America. “Clamor is an asset to jazz music, and a contributor to the continued traditions of women in jazz,” Book added.
The Los Angeles Times’ Don Heckman said: “When Charmaine Clamor’s warm, luscious contralto slips into a seductive rhythm or purrs through tender lyrics, there’s no doubt that a first-rate jazz talent is present. Her debut album (“Searching for the Soul”) announced the arrival of an impressive new vocal artist.”
Charmaine was born in Subic, in Zambales province, Philippines, and started singing at age three, entertaining passengers in buses traveling to Manila—whether the liked it or not. She was raised in a home filled with beautiful kundiman, the traditional Filipino torch song. She was steeped in Ella Fitzgerald and Mario Lanza-- their songs being played constantly on radio and the turntable--Ms. Clamor was simultaneously immersed in two different but complimentary musical cultures. She loved Filipino music and American music equally, and dreamed of one day blending her two passions.
At 16, she and her family immigrated to the United States, and she graduated valedictorian in high school, and subsequently earned a Master’s degree in physical therapy. But music remained her life’s calling.
“Flippin’ Out”, a groundbreaking albums (out September 1, 2007 at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood, and at Iridium in New York City on September 12th), opens with “My Funny Brown Pinay”, a startling re-invention of the familiar Rodgers & Hart tune, “My Funny Valentine”. Clamor transformed a classic love song into an anthem of native pride. Brought up in a culture that often vainly attempts to mimic its colonial Spanish and American conquerors, she celebrates her brown skin and flat nose, nudging a well-known L.A. writer to jokingly describe Ms. Clamor as “Sarah Vaughn trapped in the body of a supermodel.”
Her timeless performance of “I Hadn’t Anyone ‘til You” is her way of telling her fans that the torch singer they adore isn’t going anywhere. Ms. Clamor is backed by renowned musicians Christian Jacob on piano, Trey Henry on bass, Ray Brinker on drums—and FilAms Julius Tolentino, alto sax, Abe Lagrimas, Jr., ukulele, and Gustavo Garcia, percussion—Richard Ickard, guitar, Zaxariades guitar, percussion, vocals, and Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble.
The centerpiece of “Flippin’ Out” is the Filipino Suite, five tracks in Tagalog and Visayan, that features the kulintang, a percussion ensemble of Philippine tribal drums and gongs that have been played for centuries in the Philippines, and the ukulele, played by Hawaii-based prodigy, Abe Lagrimas, Jr., a featured artist in last year’s Fil-Am Jazzfest.
Charmaine concludes her “Flippin’ Out” CD with the first song she remembers hearing in her childhood home: Mario Lanza’s “Be My Love” in Tagalog and English.
Filipinos are not new to jazz music. This American music genre arrived in the Philippines in late 19th Century and took hold in the 1920’s, during an era of American occupation. Filipinos in and outside of the Philippines would take their love of jazz with them, and while not gaining a headway at the forefront, early Filipino jazz musicians have contributed to jazz’s popularity during the 20th century. During the last 40 years, jazz musicians like Gabe Baltazar, Nohelani Cipriano, Bobby Gonzalez and Matt Catingub have made an impact in this music genre. Even today, in its latest incarnation as “smooth jazz”, Filipinos are slowly gaining acceptance and commercial success, not just in the Philippines but also in America.
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