Fil-Am Jazz Fest

Like everybody else in the fully-packed venue, I had a good time at the 4th Annual Fil-Am Jazz Festival held at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Sunset Blvd., LA, last Saturday Dec 27.

Saxophonist Jon Iragon’s playing was simply breathtaking. Charmain Clamor certainly deserves all the good press given her. Mon David (now pronounced DAY-vid) and the other Fil-Am performers gave world class performances.

But did I hear Filipino Jazz last night? The jazz was excellent; the playing and the music superb, no doubt about it. (The lyrics became stilted and preachy at times, though.)

But even with the “jazzipino” label being bandied about, I still have to hear jazz where you can perceive and feel Filipino music and sensibility (not just playing known Filipino music in jazz or using Filipino lyrics). We still have are waiting for our Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes and João Gilberto to create our jazz.

This inappropriately and scruffily dressed jazz fan, seated on the bar to the right of the stage, managed to consume 5 corona extras ($45 including tips). This on top of the $30 entrance ($5 service fee included) and a $15 Charmain Clamor CD, duly autographed. And for this unemployed, dollar to peso converting migrant, it was all worth it.

Charmain Clamor video on YouTube.

A Merry Xmas, At Last

Two storms made a mess of the weather the weeks leading to Christmas, bringing the rains and the cold, and in a conspiracy with evil elves to fashion the Unhappiest Holidays ever, forced this rider to hunker down and sulk indoors for the longest time in memory.

So yesterday, when the clouds started retreating for the sun to reclaim the skies, no haste was wasted to feel the motor running, hit the roads once more, and marvel at the snow-capped mountains of Southern California.

Even with the mercury outdoors reading 13 degrees Celsius, it felt good again.

Born to be Wild

Agila Xmas Party 2008

With the formal acceptance of Boy, Chong, and Craig into the membership, and the presence of our lovely children (and wives), this year’s Christmas Party was arguably the best the Agilas ever had.

The Season’s spirit of joy and sharing was all too evident at the Buenaventura’s Residence at Juna Subdivision last December 13, where the Agila’s families partook in a delicious dinner, exchanged gifts, participated in games, sipped some cold San Miguels, and had some serious old-fashioned fun.

Thank you to the new members who help subsidize the party’s expenses and to Ping and Mercy Buenaventura for hosting us again.

(More pictures, please.)

Bikes at the Long Beach MC Show

Agila Xmas Party on YM Webcam tomorrow

Past and present Davao Agila members who will not be in Davao on Saturday, Dec 13, 2008 5PM (Davao Time) but would like to watch our Christmas Party and interact with other members, please get in touch with me (vulcandvo@gmail.com) so we can set up YM links between ourselves.

Cycle World Motorcycle Show – Long Beach

It was biker overload last Sunday afternoon when I visited the Long Beach Leg of 28th Annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Show.

Unlike the California Motorcycle Week that catered primarily to Harley Davidson bikes, all the major motorcycle manufactures participated in this event.

Current and antique bikes, stock and custom, chopper, cruiser, standard, sport, sport touring, dirt, dual sport, for adults or kids, trikes and atvs – you name it, the bikes were in display.

Aside from bikes, gear (helmets, jackets, boots, etc.) were also displayed and for sale.

Karaoke Singers and Bloggers

… Malaysia’s information minister, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, had issued a public put-down of karaoke singers by likening them to another group of social misfits: bloggers. Both groups, Mr. Zainuddin said, “take pleasure in their own singing but have no influence.”

From a New York Times article “Karaoke Killings”.

The J. Paul Getty Museum

I had a wonderful time at the Getty Museum last Sunday. After being content with pictures and reproductions all these years, seeing the real paintings and sculptures was simply overwhelming.

Except for a parking fee of $10, the visit to the museum was free. We did not have enough time to savor all the exhibits, the garden and the view of LA (and because the daughter set her camera to the lowest resolution), so we are definitely coming back.

And in the spirit of the arts (and in crude attempt to inject a motorcycle twist to this entry), this incorrigible philistine could not help but share this picture of a famous lady in biker attire.