I hope you have as much fun listening to the Paolo Blaquera Trio as I did recording them on a warm Friday night at the Tago Jazz Bar on Main Avenue in Quezon City.

Thanks to my Zoom H1, which I carry everywhere, doing an on-the-spot recording of the trio’s gig was easy.

All I had to do was to plug on the windscreen and screw the tripod to the Zoom H1 and—voila!—I was, in my own way, documenting what may well be pieces of Philippine jazz history.

Among the songs embedded in this entry is the trio’s upbeat rendition of Sunny.

Meanwhile, the group’s take on Spain—more popularly known as Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain—was impressive. After all, how many renditions of what is actually the second movement of Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez begin with the first few bars of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven?

During their second set that night, the trio was faithful to jazz tradition, paying their respects by playing a standard that any barfly or nightfly can recognize as Misty.

Although it played songs more recognizable to jazz listeners—Paolo Blaquera himself admitted that they performed Pat Metheny’s Bright Size Life for the first time that night—the trio also showcased its capabilities as composers.

The trio played an original composition called Blues for Abby, a tune that grows on you much like an attractive acquaintance.

For all their technical and musical dexterity, the trio could enhance its showmanship.

But then again, stage presence or no, it’s always the music that matters.
And whether covers or originals, the Paolo Blaquera Trio has a good thing going.

!–more–