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Thursday, November 16, 2006

JAZZ BY THE BAY

This is Rajah Soliman Plaza facing Manila Bay. I will most probably attend the jazz concert to be held here this Sunday evening because I love bossa nova and samba; so much so that I even took classes in capoeira in New York City which led to a freak accident causing me to pinch a nerve at the bottom of my spine. I was only in my early twenties then. Thank God for my doctor who gave me only two choices: either I face the possibility of enduring chronic back pains from that moment til the rest of my life, or learn to sleep on the floor without any cushion from that moment forward to allow my body to heal naturally. I opted for the latter and has gone on through the years without suffering from any nagging back pains; I also got to enjoy sleeping with just a mat on the floor.

Anyway, in my attempt to get into and enjoy the jazz scene here in Metro Manila, I had emailed this jazz group, Guarana, to inquire if they still perform at some public venue in Cubao. Eileen Sison responded to advise me that what I had come across was a year old schedule of their concert performances. The band, however, performs regularly in Café Havana in Greenbelt 3. Not much of a Makati enthusiast, I haven’t gone over there to see them, but now I will this Sunday at Baywalk.

Guarana is the leading proponent of both traditional and authentic Bossa Nova and Samba in the Philippines. Eileen is the lead vocalist and band leader. She is also the founder of the Bossa Nova Club of the Philippines and hosts a radio segment called “Understanding Bossa Nova” which airs 5 times a day, Monday thru Saturday on Crossover 105.1 FM. She is also the Founder and Dance Director of Escola de Samba de Manila, a samba school (composed of drummers and dancers) she founded in September 2005 headquartered at Steps Dance Studio in Makati every Saturday.

I am looking forward to meeting her, as well as photographing her entire band as they perform their repertoire of sensuous bossa nova and exhilarating samba. So if you guys aren’t doing anything this Sunday evening, come on over to Baywalk to enjoy the gorgeous sunset and then an evening of cool jazz.

I hope it doesn’t rain, though.

Click here for more about Guarana.

posted by Señor Enrique at 10:40 PM

19 Comments:

 Senorito<- Ako said...

Whew, finished reading the posts that I've missed. :)

Congrats on the D80 ! Excellent choice! I expect better pix though :) NO PRESSURE NO PRESSURE.

November 17, 2006 5:58 AM  

 houseband00 said...

Thanks for the info, Eric! =)

November 17, 2006 6:26 AM  

 Senorito<- Ako said...

Check out books by scott kelby. Photoshop books, Digital "Darkroom" :). It will be a matter of time before you start shooting RAW instead of JPG's.

November 17, 2006 6:33 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

You're welcome, hb00! Really something nice to do this weekend, di ba? Cool jazz ... enjoy!

November 17, 2006 7:51 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

Thanks, S.A ... and for the suggestion as well.

Dapat na ata ako pumunta sa Makati kasi doon malalaking bookstores, eh. I can really use some tips. Puros auto mode pa ako ... hahaha! But I'm taking a workshop in digital photography on Saturdays para lalo ko matutunan at ma-enjoy itong D80.

November 17, 2006 7:54 AM  

 ipanema said...

Even after my herniated disc operation, I was advised to lie flat. It helped.

Anyway, you should go to Cafe Havana, you'll enjoy it. Been there.

If we have a Samba school, are we going to have our version of Brazil's Mardi Gras? That would be nice.

Arriba!

November 17, 2006 8:10 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

Jeeez...that must be painful, Ipanema. Yes, lying on hard surface is helpful to ward off an aching back.

I've been to Cafe Havana in Malate and love their lengua estofada (?), but since I get so discombobulated whenever driving around in Makati, I rarely go over there, but I should get over it 'cause I know I'm missing plenty. The museums alone ...

I think there is only one samba school in the entire archipelago, but that school can join the carnival in Rio, no?

November 17, 2006 8:33 AM  

 Sidney said...

Eric, I understand you want to meet Eileen. She looks gorgeous! :-)

8pm. Not the best time to take pictures. A worthy challenge for your D80 !

I am very glad to see that those kinds of happenings are more and more frequent in Manila.

November 17, 2006 8:40 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

Yes, Sidney, told her that I plan to come up and say hello to her. So you know her, huh? She seems like a dedicated artist in love with Brazilian culture.

BTW, I had also gotten a flash unit for my digicam, a Nikon 600, and will practice using it this Sunday.

We need more music events other than pop and rock here in Metro Manila.

November 17, 2006 9:02 AM  

 carlotta1924 said...

wow! you took up capoeira? i've been thinking of taking that up sometime though it's a bit challenging..

i'm glad to say that i considered bossa nova s one of my fave music before it became overplayed on the airwaves. hehe.

thanks for the info btw! now that's something different to do on a weekend.

November 17, 2006 10:00 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

Capoeira is a great dance/martial art practiced along with the rhythms provided by a berimbao, but those cartwheels are another matter altogether :)

Thanks, Carla ... it should be fun, especially for someone like me who hasn't gone to a jazz concert in some time.

November 17, 2006 11:34 AM  

 Anonymous said...

I wanna go to the Jazz Festival ... They should have put it in December. Haha!

(:

Love the first picture Eric. There's a feeling that I felt but I can't explain what is it.

November 17, 2006 11:36 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

That feeling, Kyels, believe it or not, is that "you're turning Filipino!" ... hahaha!

Don't worry, the music should be agrind especially along the Baywalk area during the month of December!

November 17, 2006 11:56 AM  

 Iskoo said...

malaki na ang ginanda ng manila, lalo na sa baywalk area. dati takot ako maglakd sa roxas blvd pero ngayon oks na oks na dyan tumambay, ang ganda ng Rajah Soliman Plaza, lalo na sa gabi kapag may ilaw dyan sa fountain, sarap tumambay.

November 17, 2006 1:08 PM  

 Sidney said...

No, alas I don't know her... just saw her picture in one of your links... ;-)

November 17, 2006 4:03 PM  

 RAV Jr said...

ung last pic, yan ung aristocrat no?

Dops

November 17, 2006 5:34 PM  

 Señor Enrique said...

Oo, Iskoo. Talaga madami na ding ginanda and Maynila ito lamang nakaraang apat na taon. Lao na ang Baywalk, isa sa pinaka-popular lao na tuwing Sabado at Linggo. Daming tao.




Ah, okay, Sidney. I thought you might have already seen her band perform or something.




Tama, DOPS. Yan ang Aristocrat.

I posted the pics for the benefit of our fellow Pinoys who have been away from the city for a long time and have fond memories of thisplace.

November 17, 2006 5:51 PM  

 abet said...

Eric,

its me again...hahahah..sana wag ka magsawa...actually cant help myself from commenting kasi i am a block away from the Rajah Soliman Plaza and five minutes away from the bay..hehehehe . Festive na ang Baywalk pag gabi what with all the lights and all the restos there...cool a jazz band playing by the bay..nice...enjoy ka po.

November 18, 2006 10:54 AM  

 Señor Enrique said...

Napaka-sweter mo naman, Abet! Ang ganda naman ng iyong tirahan at ang saya pa :) Punta ka mamaya sa concert, ang lapit mo lang pala!

November 19, 2006 7:24 AM  

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Life in Manila as observed by a former New Yorker who with a laptop and camera has reinvented himself as a storyteller. Winner of the PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS: Best Photo Blog in 2007 and three Best Single Post awards in 2008.

 

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