Pinoy Blues Jam - New Release Review

I just received a copy of Pinoy Blues Jam,  a recording made at Roadhouse Manila Bay featuring various regional blues bands. First up is Dr. Crowley, a blues rock band on the province of Cavite. Opening with rock n roll classic New Orleans DC brings it with full horn section getting the audience hot and ready. Ngiti has a more tropical feel but retaining a blues feel. Next up is Bleu Rascals featuring Paul Marmey Leobrera on lead guitar and vocal, Spencer Rymonte on bass and vocals and John Jason Garcia on drums and vocals. Opening with A Better Man, BR demonstrate their study of the blues with traditional blues riffs and phrasing. On a ripping version of Couldn't Stand The Weather they further demonstrate the power that they have harnessed. 69 Proof featuring Butch Montejo (lead vocal), Arwin Querubin (bass and vocals), Aldos "Bishop" Ramento (percussion and vocal), Stephen "The Ambassador" Lazam (lead guitar and vocal)and Carlo "Cigar" Manalo (drums). Playing three tracks, Evil Eyes, Killing Time and Till The Night Is Over, 69P demonstrates their ability to innovate the blues putting on quite an interesting set. I particularly enjoy the guitar work and performance on these tracks. Ian Lofamia Band featuring Ian Lofamia (harp and vocals), Arvin Austria (guitar), Ejae Mercado on drums and Oliver Salaysay on bass. A three track set: Play The Blues, Kaibigan and That's What Makes Me A Man shows that ILB has captured the spirit of the blues with slick harp riffs, cool vocals and hot guitar riffs. Sangre Blues Revival features Alcoholex Quebral (lead vocal and harp), Johnblues De Zuniga (lead and rhythm guitars), Burnblebyl Cuenca (bass and backing vocal)and Rexwoodstock Vargas (drums) playing ripping versions of Boom Boom, Got My Mojo Working and Roadhouse Rock. Outstanding harp, guitar and vocal supported by a tight band. Next up Tarantulas features Joonie Centeno (vocal and harp), Popoy Uy (lead and rhythm guitar), King Baldoz (bass) and Japs Reyes on drums. Playing U Turn, Dahan Dahan and Didi shows funk, pop and blues. This band has got to be a lot of fun in concert. The last band is Plug featuring Emy Rodil (vocal), Chester Manalang (guitar), Rusty Magcalas (drums)and John Marin Flores (Bass). Playing Blues Be With You and Slow Burn, Plug closes the set nicely with power style blues rock in the manner of Mountain. This is a real cool set of bands and I hope that we hear more from them.

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Too Much Alcohol - Friends of Adam

FRIENDS OF ADAM IS
Clayton Campania (guitar/vocals)
Ernie Ecreala (bass)
Justin Inocelda (drums)

"My dad told me, 'Nobody wants to hear that music here,'" says Campania. "But I'm going to play what touches me."

Play they do. From "Crossroads" and "Little Wing," the soul of Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers, to a blistering rearrangement of Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil," and their own originals, Friends of Adam speaks to a genre where Guitar Player is a musician and not a computer game

Can three, young Filipino men play the blues? John Heckathorn, editor of "Honolulu Magazine" wrote: "When Campania picks up his guitar, he channels Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan."

John Hart, confidant of the late guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan exclaimed "they are as for real as anything you will see on Sixth Street in Austin, Texas.

The band has recently opened for Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer, AEROSMITH, at The Blaisdell Arena, multi-Grammy-Award winner, Sheryl Crow, at the Waikiki Shell, and 70s pop sensation, Pablo Cruise at the Aloha Tower Waterfront. They also have recently played a show at the world famous Pipeline Cafe with Darby Slick, of Great Society fame, writer of Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane.

The "Honolulu Star Bulletin" stated: "If you like your blues hard and electric, you might look for these guys."
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Tell Mama - The Blue Rats

The Blue Rats are a Manila-based blues band that serves up a menu of straight-up electric blues, old-time R&B and blues-based music. Founded on the tradition of blues improvisation, the Rats mix up their sets, try not to play a song the same way twice and churn out unique versions of the songs they cover. The fact that some of the band's members rotate on any given night assures a fresh sound, provides a hint of danger and moves the musical goalposts up and down the field from one performance to another.

The Rats were founded by in mid-1995 by three friends -- Butch Roxas, a classical guitar professor at the UST Conservatory of Music, Apa Ongpin, a business executive, and Andy Locsin, an architectural design consultant. The current core lineup in rotation consists of Melinda Torre (also of Baihana, vocals), Joey Puyat (Mother Earth and Kiss the Bride, guitar), Kedy Sanchez (Working Stiffs, vocals and guitar), Johnny Besa (The Breed, bass guitar) Vic Borgaily (KO Jones, drums), Bennii Obana (Overdrive and Tempestuous Jones, drums), Roxy Modesto (Radioactive Sago Project, saxophone), Tom Epperson (harmonica) and Andy Locsin (guitar).

Over the years, many talented musicians have been regular members of the band -- something made possible because of the improvisational nature of the music. Even more remarkable is is the range of musicians that have jammed, performed onstage, or done time in the studio with the band -- a virtual who's who of Pinoy blues, rock and jazz: Mike Hanopol and Joey 'Pepe' Smith (Juan de la Cruz), Sampaguita, Jun Lopito (Cociojam, Bodhisattvas), Chikoy Pura and Nitoy Adriano (the Jerks), Dondi Ledesma (Wally Gonzales band), Miyakee de Castro (Sampaguita), Binky Lampano, Edwin Vergara, Tom Colvin, Edmund 'Bosyo' Fortuno, Norman Belardo (Advent Call) and many more.

Sixteen years later, an all time 170 song menu, and ever-evolving roster and an unwavering committment to fly the blues flag, the Rats continue to plug in at venues in and around Manila.
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Hooker - Snakecharmer

Filipino blues band Snakecharmer playing the first Blues festival at the Hobbit House in Manila. Sorry. Thats all I have for now!
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