Back On Music Stage
Jazz music in the Philippines nowadays is no more famous and majority of Filipino music lovers have no appreciation of it except to oldies and young adults who has inborn inclination to this type of music like Sir Boy Katindig; but some teenagers and even young adults who has no inclination to it would not prefer rock songs, pop songs and ballad love songs.
The famous Philippine jazz icon is back again in the Philippine music stage after 30 years of being away from the music scene, that is Sir Boy Katindig or Roland “Boy” Katindig in real life in his strive to revive or discover new talents that has aspiration or inclination to jazz genre music among modern Filipinos young or adult.
In 1984 at the height of his jazz career, he left the Philippines and packed his way toward Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and then into Los Angeles United States in a hope for a better career in the field of music genre he is ace or expert upon of for the growing latest trend then at the peak of his music career is Punk Rock and New Wave type of music and the Philippine radio station which used to play jazz music that then, slowly reformatting into non-jazz radio station; the Philippine radio jazz station then WK-FM was slowly reformatting into non jazz station or was reformatted.
“I didn’t like what was happening then. Punk rock and new wave had become the “in” thing. Radio, my only medium for new songs, was changing – the jazz station WK-FM was reformatted. The Manila Hotel, where I was playing, was being boycotted as result of the rallies leading to the People Power revolution. My father who was already in the States, suggested that I go there and see if I would click with a different audience…”
Moreover, the place where he plays his jazz expertise, Manila Hotel, according to him was boycotted due to subsequent rallies that have led to the famous Philippine revolution, the People Power Revolution.
His father which is Romy Katindig who is also a great musician like his son Roland “Boy” Katindig, urged him and suggested Sir Boy Katindig to leave the Philippines despite his arising popularity due to government crisis happening there in the Philippines then. Sir Romy Katindig was then in the United States. Sir Romy Katindig is one of the famous musician in the Philippines back then and founded the Katindig Brothers.
At Malaysia, Sir Bor Katindig wrote more new masterpieces. In Kuala Lumpur or while he is in Malaysia, he got what he dream of –Success.
“..I initially tried my luck in Malaysia, where I wrote more new songs..It was a dream come true..”
He was first initially offered at the hotel where he and his company were performing, a lounge duo gig, wherein the owner of the hotel in Malaysia were impressed and then offered him what he deserved, a own band or a band of his own and put him on all the clubs of the owner of the hotel he was performing with.
He and some musicians that were organized by the owner of the hotel as band, named their band “The Waves”; and then he got an offer to be a musical director for all some of the top KL Bands or Kuala Lumpur Bands. He work then for two years and went to United States in 1986 at the prodding again of his father Sir Romy Katindig which according to him that his dad is indeed always the one who push him to his own success; and owe it to his father’s prodding.
Meanwhile, when he got to United States, according to him, he formed his own band again.
Steve Reid – for Rippingtons percussions
Mike Baker and Stanley Smith – who used to work with famous world singer who currently pass away, Whitney Houston; both play drums.
Mark Van Wagenigen and Smitty Smith – both play bass
Allen Hinds – play guitar.
According to him through his journey as a jazz musician on Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and Los Angeles city United States, he learns to be humble and focused.
“Staying humble and focused are just some of the values I have learned on my journey, both as musician and as a person. Being a musician is about life, not just about music. It’s also all about having relationships, having a family. One has to strike a balance .I also had to learn about the music business”
His first album during his stay at the United States was entitled “In Time”
“In 1993,I produced the album, ’In Time’, in which I played alongside Abraham Laboriel, Russ Freeman, Brandon Fields, Brenda Eager (of Luther Vandross) and Gerald Albright. But it was Michael Paulo that I did major collaboration with”
In regards to jazz music in the Philippines, he said it is no longer as famous as that time of its peak during 1980s; and according to him, he would like to revive it by holding a nationwide jazz songwriting competition.
“It is no longer as it was during our time. It was at its peak in the 1980s, when you suddenly see David Benoit in the audience; or Ronnie Laws walks in while you are playing; or the whole band of Al Jarreau jams at Vineyard. Back in the day, there were long queues at the venue during weekends. There was a time when Manila was a virtual jazz mecca. Now, we have practically been overtaken by our Asian neighbors like Indonesia where they hold the Java Jazz Fest annually. I believe it is because they love their own and the government supports musicians….I’d like to help by holding a nationwide jazz songwriting competition…”
Through the nationwide jazz songwriting competition that he will hold in the Philippines, he could discover new talents that he will take or include or his bands.
“With this competition, once we discover new talents, I can take them under my wing, promote them, sign them out up to a recording contract, maybe even have them guest in my own album..”
If one wants to join, according to Sir Boy Katindig one has to submit one’s one original composition and a cover of their original jazz piece.
“They have to submit one original composition and a cover of an original jazz piece aside from a record deal, they will also get to do gigs with me..”
Sir Boy Katindig and his team we’re planning to promote their nationwide jazz songwriting competition through road shows and campus tours.
“We’re planning to promote this nationwide, maybe do a road show or campus tours .Hopefully, this will snowball into something big. My dream is for young talents to shine, and not just end up as front acts for established performers. This is my way of encouraging the youth to tune into jazz and hopefully develop a passion for it..”
Furthermore, as he says, in order to develop one’s career, one has be a businessman; that one should know what one sells and one what one do not sells in their audience.
“I learned to accept that economics plays an important role in shaping one’s career. One needs to be a businessman and adjust. It is also about knowing what will sell with your audience..”
