Music review: Jazz queen Annie Brazil amazes with birthday concert

The Philippine queen of jazz, Annie Brazil celebrated her turning 80 last October 6 with a concert on the night before at the Solaire Resort and Casino's Grand Ballroom.

On hand was a stellar roster of musical illuminati: American singer-actress Renee Olstead, Ms. Brazil's children, Richard Merck and Rachel Anne Wolfe, jazz veterans Emcy Corteza, Jeannie Tiongco and Jacqui Magno, Isabella Ledesma (daughter of Kuh Ledesma), and Jay Durias of South Border.

Starting the evening off was personal mentor/idol Emcy Corteza. She kicked off her set with "Moon River." Hampered though she was with a  keyboard stuttering with technical glitches, she soldiered on through the song's chord changes and floated through the evocative melody and lyrics like the master musician she is.

After a couple of minutes working on "technical difficulties," Emcy and the technical crew simply transferred her to another keyboard, where she proceeded with "Bridges." Again, another masterful tour de force. She drew a collective sigh from the audience with Basil Valdes' "Panagini," which was followed by two more sentimental faves, "Inseparable" and "Tuliro.”

Personally, I would've preferred the scatting, bopping Emcy, to the tame, pogi Emcy, but restraint and maturity are, after all, the hallmarks of mastery. Emcy's decision to put the audience's satisfaction before her own merits wholehearted applause.

She finished her set with a soulful reading of Ivan Lins's "Love Dance." Though she's as capable of improvisatory musical acrobatics as any graduate of the Berklee College of Music program, she shines brightest when singing a heartfelt ballad with artless, soulful sincerity. This is why I idolize Emcy Corteza.

Next onstage was another maestra, Jeannie Tiongco-Katindig, who was joined by drummer Mar Dizon, pianist Elhmir Saison, and bassist Colby dela Calzada—all of whom would prove to be in fine form throughout the night. On a mildly uptempo "I Remember April," Jeannie displayed the masterful phrasing for which she is known, and renowned saxophone player Tots Tolentino blew the roof off with 21st century post-bop. Jeannie and the band then did "The Lady Is A Tramp" and "Shaker Song."

After this, she turned the mic over to Richard Merck, who proceeded to wow the audience with one of his best performances in recent memory. He led off with one of his current tunes, "You Are The Sunshine of My Life," which proved that musical talent can be inherited. The son of the queen of jazz was the crown prince on this tune, and Tots essayed another mindblowing sax solo. Outstanding on this tune, too, was pianist Elhmir Saison.

Richard then blew us away with a jazzified "Hindi Kita Malimot." Elmhir Saison sealed himself place among the musicians of the jazz pantheon with a killer piano solo on both this song and “Our Day Will Come.”

Rachel Anne Wolfe followed them with her wonderful rendition of "Iisa Pa Lamang." Not quite as satisfying, though, was her take on "My Foolish Heart." This careworn ballad is another song that can survive any but the roughest treatment with its beauty largely intact, but still...perhaps I've been spoiled by stellar readings heard before. She then sang a passable "One Note Samba," which again featured a white hot Tots Tolentino.

South Border's Jay Durias then took the stage. At first glance, Durias might seem an unlikely fit in so rarified a jazz setting, but afficionados of his 90's work know of his impressive jazz piano-playing chops. On his own "Love of My Life" and his rendition of “Rainbow,” he showed that he can play some mean piano, even sans South Border compatriots, bassist Tata Balane and drummer Paul Benitez.

Of course, no “jazz-pired” Durias appearance is complete without his obra maestra, "Kahit Kailan," which was infused with fresh, beautiful chord voicings. Sans Brix Ferraris, though, the impossibly high head-tone note leading to the requisite Sanborn-esque sax solo was absent, but Durias sang so beautifully with his melliflous falsetto and impeccable phrasing that we hardly missed them.

Isabella Ledesma followed with a couple of songs: "Fly Me To The Moon" and "Rain On My Parade." Glee fans would no doubt have eaten it up, but it was perhaps a touch too "Broadgay" for our curmudgeony tastes.

Next up was Renee Olstead, who first sang "At Last" as a duet with Isabella. That a redhead-turned-blonde born in 1989 in Texas can sing with such blues ferocity as to evoke Etta James herself is stupefying and ultimately, supremely satisfying. That she can then turn around and do a credible take on a standard jazz ballad such as "Someone To Watch Over Me" is incredible.

She was so cute, she reminded me of a puppy. I was smitten by the adorable chanteuse at this point, but any remaining naysayers were doubtless won over by her next song, Louie Ocampo's "Tell Me." Ms Olstead is just so winning, so endearing, and oh-so-lovable, that the little-known rule that only people named "Joey" (Albert, Generoso) can sing "Tell Me" was lifted just for her. Every Filipino in attendance just ate it up, myself included.

Olstead ended her set with the David Foster song, "A Love That Will Last." Again, supremely satisfying.

The evening, however, still belonged to the birthday girl. Annie Brazil took to the stage with piano maestro Romy Posadas and the rest of the band. I must remark on the queen's felicitous pairing with pianist Romy Posadas: we can think of no Pinoy pianist who could've done a better job. Their phrasing was in sync the whole night.

Tita Annie wowed the crowd with her first song, "'S Wonderful," and sustained admiration onwards. I will always love and hold in the highest regard the previous artists, but when the queen of jazz sang, I forgot everyone else.

On "What Are You Doing With The Rest of Your Life," Tita Annie, to our ears, not only evoked Billie Holiday, but rivalled her. And when Tita Annie swings, no one swings harder. "Moon River," "You Make Me Feel So Young" ("I'm turning 69 tomorrow. Such a lovely number," Tita Annie joked), and "Lullabye of Birdland" evidenced this.

She then dueted with Renee Olstead on Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," turning the sentimental favorite into a blue jazz elegy of epic proportions.

Tita Annie's children joined her on "It Had To Be You." The song was a swinging family affair; the children paid tribute to their mother through song while the queen imparted further parental wisdom by showing them both how it's done. Richard Merck, in particular, performed better with his mother that night than I've heard him sing in years. Jacqui Magno then joined Tita Annie onstage for "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," which swung like nobody's business.

After Rachel Anne Wolfe sang a heartfelt tribute to her mother, Tita Annie sang  "You Are Always In My Heart" and "I'll Be Seeing You" before all the singers joined her onstage to close with a rousing romp of a rendition of "All Of Me."

To conclude, Annie Brazil is a goddess who shines brighter at 80 than any 20-something starry-eyed hopeful—and may she have many more birthdays swinging and jazzing it up.