The blues challenge

By Tony M. Maghirang

FILIPINO BANDS Bleu Rascals and Brat Pack have got the blues — and a globally competitive strain at that.

They earned the respect of blues fans both here and abroad through their respective appearances at the International Blues Challenge (IBC), held annually in Memphis, USA. More than 200 bands from across the globe vie yearly for top honors at the IBC.

Bleu Rascals / Vincent Garrucho

RASCALS OF THE BLUES
The Bleu Rascals is the very first Filipino band to play at the prestigious yearly summit of aspiring blues players. In fact, the power trio led by guitarist Paul Marney Leobrera was the first Asian participant at the IBC back in 2012.

During the trip to Memphis, Tennessee, The Rascals had a rare lunch-time showcase at the House of Blues. Mr. Leobrera said one waiter told him their show was one of the best attended day-time show he’d seen in years.

Bassist Oliver Salaysay and drummer Jayson Garcia have since replaced the original members of the band and the revamped trio — with guitarist Mr. Leobrera holding center court — continues to reap rousing receptions particularly at its regular Friday gig at the Roadhouse by the Bay near Mall of Asia. Roadhouse has provided a hospitable home to the Bleu Rascals and other rising stars in the local blues scene and its management has extended moral and financial support for the annual participation of Pinoy bluesmen to the IBC.

The Rascals won the Cotai International Jazz and Blues Competition in October 2013, earning a handsome paycheck to go with the victory. This year, the group finally released a well-received debut album which Mr. Leobrera considers to be the pinnacle of the trio’s young career.

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It’s sweet vindication to be at the top of the local blues scene. For Mr. Leobrera, the victory is made even sweeter with the memory of personal struggles he hurdled along the way. As he sings on the new album — Badge of Courage — he was once lost at the crossroads and the blues pushed him to show the world what he’s really got.

In an interview with this writer, Mr. Leobrera said: “I was being bullied at school because I was born with a cleft lip and palette. It was a major challenge I faced up to while growing up.

“But music changed my life. When I first started singing and playing the guitar, I knew my craft would be my way to earn respect and prove myself to all those who ridiculed me in the past.”

Mr. Leobrera plays a mean and critically acclaimed homage to guitar heroes Jimi Hendrix, Steve Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton. He’s a meek fellow out of the limelight, but once he flicks a finger on his favorite guitar, he transports listeners to another time zone when musicality and ingenuity still mattered.

“It was my desire and passion to play the guitar in front of all those who put me down before and prove them all wrong,” he said. “I want them to realize I’m not who they think I am.

“More than that, music has become an outlet for me to express myself — all the sadness, sorrow, and frustrations I kept inside. People who appreciate what I’m doing will feel an emotional connection with me and the band.”

Drummer Garcia spoke of his own challenges. “I studied Nursing just to please my parents. I really love playing music so much such that after school I would go straight to rehearsal or to gigs.

“I got married early and I did odd jobs to support my growing family. But I never stopped playing music on the side, even for free. When I got to play for the Bleu Rascals, I knew this is the life I’ve chosen to pursue. From now on, this is it for me!”

Mr. Garcia’s advice to struggling musicians: Set your goal and never stop dreaming. Everything starts with a dream.

The Bleu Rascals continue to pursue the dream as they are scheduled to perform in Guam this October.

BLUESING JAZZERS
Brat Pack landed among the top 10 finalists at the 30th edition of the International Blues Competition in Memphis in 2014 — the first Pinoy band to achieve the feat, and the first Asian band to reach the IBC Finals.

The band — composed of bassist David De Koenigwarter, vocalist Christine Mercado, drummer Allan Abdulla and keyboardist R J Pineda — plays a fusion of blues and jazz that looks predictable in theory or even too old for the present generation — think Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard — but is actually explosive when handled competently.

Two years ago, the band — then a fledgling jazz trio — was on the verge of dissolution. Founding member Mr. De Koenigwarter remembers, “A few weeks before the Philippine blues elimination round to IBC, (founding member) RJ and I felt we weren’t going anywhere with our music. Our gigs weren’t pushing through. We talked about taking a break.

“We were just completing some unfinished business when we saw this ad on YouTube about the road to Memphis. Right there and then, we felt here was a new opportunity for our partnership to gain momentum again. It was a make or break [opportunity] for the band.”

The YouTube ad featured Bleu Rascal’s Paul Leobrera urging bands to join the Philippine elimination round for the right to represent the country in the IBC. The Brat Pack partners recruited singer Christine Mercado to join the competition.

The revitalized Brat Pack took fifth place at the end of the Philippine elimination. Allan Magturo, Philippine Blues Society officer and seasoned chaperone to Pinoy participants to the Memphis Challenge, said it was a big break for the jazz-leaning Brats since the eventual sixth placer didn’t play the blues.

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Brat Pack faced stiff competition from guitar-driven blues bands at the Philippine elimination. They won the right to represent the country at IBC but the victory brought about a new set of challenges.

While preparing for the IBC, their drummer chose to join an orchestra that was going on tour in Japan on the same dates as the Memphis Challenge. The remaining members recruited Allan Abdulla, a percussionist for another Filipino orchestra, to play drums.

Mr. Abdulla was the only one who responded to the Brat Pack’s text call for a drummer and he showed up for what he initially thought was a one-off session. He proved to be a worthy addition to the Pack and remains a vital cog in the band’s unique jazz-blues fusion.

A bigger challenge loomed, in theory. Two weeks before they flew to the USA, Brat Pack was advised to get a guitarist, not only to beef up their sound but also to fit in with the traditional format of blues bands.

RJ Pineda says they actually found a good guitarist but he was busy with other projects then. “We had no choice. We felt people must have seen something good in our current configuration so IBC will have to deal with our kind of blues.”

Ms. Mercado added: “We also felt we may not have the time to orient a new guitarist on the way we do things as a band. As we are, things just happen and we just go with the flow onstage.”

No lead guitars, then.

With the burden of tradition at the back of their collective mind, Brat Pack went on to find themselves among the finest Asian entries at the IBC in Memphis.

Still the unexpected success hasn’t gone to their heads and De Koenigwarter would rather give credit to the people and places that conspired to open a path for them up the ladder.

“The best part about the success we are having now is the fact that we never expected it at all. We were just a semi pro, hobbyist band performing once in a while at Manila Hotel and a couple of small restaurants with no real goal.

“We owe almost everything to the competition and the Philippine Blues Society and The Blues Asia Network for helping us onto our feet. After our first finals appearance in Memphis, things just exploded and took off from there.”

The smart move to go with the flow also has landed the band a niche in the global blues totem pole and standing ovations wherever they roam.