Jam at Pete's Place - May 24, 2019 - House band (Moonflower)

MAY 24, 2019 - FRIDAY JAM UPDATE & PHOTOS

It was refreshing and exciting to be back to our usual Friday jam after last week’s rare and unexpected cancellation. Not a very often occurrence that the event be aborted as the weekend festivities are very well counted on and looked forward to by everyone including myself. Really had no option but to cancel as I was still under the weather with cough and colds. No point in spreading the virus around.

Last night’s resumption of festivities came back with a vengeance and completely made up for last week’s undoing with awesome musical personalities showing up to jam. Recuperating from his carpal tunnel syndrome that had laid him off for a while, Anton Atengco was back in stride having no signs of slacking and was back in his element playing the guitar in his usual grit and virtuosity.

The heart and soul of the house band, "Mr. Perfect" Tinnie Esguerra was in the house too. He invited along another musician by the name of Powie Canzon. A music room newbie and a drummer, Powie happens to be the son of the great artist/sax player Pete Canzon, a music room frequenter himself. Clearly, musical talent truly runs in their family.

Among the other regular house band guys who showed up were bassist Rick Trinidad, drummer Bubui Colico and percussionist Vincent Garrucho. Brat Pack’s Xtine Mercado and Rj Pineda, who came straight from their gig in Shangri-La, joined us on stage adding more spark to the band. Totally an awesome assemblage of talents performing on stage to the absolute delight of the appreciative crowd around.

At past midnight, the youngsters, spearheaded by the Monotones’ and Carousel Casualties’ Ryan Nacino and Pau Villanueva and their friends came in full force with more of them showing up and having valuable jam time. The young blood took advantage of the house band’s set break to take over the stage and try out everyone around in their roster. They seemed to have increased in number this time with a new guy playing the sax.

We were able to shoot and compile a lot of videos of the evening’s jam mostly from the house band’s effort, whom I sorely missed being more intact. Good jam guys! We do hope we keep this momentum going timely in preparation to our 39th year anniversary happening soon.

Also, my gratitude to all the friends, guests and musicians who dropped by. You know who you are.

As i always say, all's well that ends well...praise be to God!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE! GOD BLESS US ALL!

Jam at Pete's Place - May 10, 2019 - Rapper Vincent Garrucho (Billy Jean)

MAY 10, 2019 - FRIDAY JAM UPDATE & PHOTOS

Last night turned out to be special with a favorable headcount of musicians and guests showing up to party. I got down to the room early to set up and to get the place spiffy before the action starts. It wasn’t long after the guests had multiplied that we started playing. The jam was a collaboration of the youthful Monotones and the veteran House band musicians along with a couple of talented musician guests who showed up and participated. The music was great and progressive from the very first set to the last culminating with a surprise performance of a respected and accomplished thespian doing a set towards the end. The jam finally concluded at exactly 4:25am.

Earlier, balik-music room Marc de Asis was the first to show up. Ryan Nacino, who had recently launched his identity and stage name in the local scene as “NACI” along with the brilliant Carousel Casualties band bulwark Pau Villanueva were the next guys to arrive. Fresh from his high school graduation just recently, Fonz Cabal was back in circulation after some months in absentia from the Friday jams. Joyrides’ Xyrus Judan , prolific house band drummer Bubui Colico and percussionist Vincent Garrucho were also around to join me on stage.

I was so glad to see JR Oca back in the room after the last time he visited decades ago. A music room neophyte back then and now an accomplished and respected musician in the local music industry, his penchant for the arts started back during his regular stint’s in the music room back in the 90’s. Now a star in his own right, JR is currently active and in-demand performing alongside a wide array of famous artists in the industry. He definitely had gone a long way since. More power to JR.

Another awesome surprise was the presence of Toronto based child hood friend and fellow air force brat Thomas “T.A.” Aquino. T.A. is like family and had been a music room pioneer since its conceptualization way back in 1980. Now an ordained Deacon, he had then migrated to Canada and raised a family decades ago. I hope to see more of him in the coming weekends as he will still be in town till the end of the month.

Let me not forget to thank our ultra thoughtful and generous friend Richard Parcia for the pile of boxes of sumptuous pizzas he provided last night for everyone to devour. I probably ate almost a box full of Hawaiian delight and manager’s choice pizzas combined all by myself…haha!

My gratitude likewise to kumpadre and house band vocalist Monchie Henares, to Gab Villanueva, Deanna Aquino, Luisa Distor and Nikki Segundo for their presence as well.

And so another great Friday night spent well. Already looking forward to next week’s festivities. As always, I thank and praise God for the blessing and opportunity.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE! GOD BLESS US ALL!