Sound Fusion 2011

お久しぶり！That was a long blogging break, I have been busy for the past months but I got to squeeze in this event or concert put together by the Japan Foundation Manila. It was held last November 16, 2011 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium RCBC Plaza. The concert features the groups Trinity, Matsumoto Taiko and Bandang Malaya.

Trinity is composed of Chikudo Takahashi (shamisen), Kei Wada (percussion) and Miki Maruta (koto). Formed in 2006 they released their first album in 2009.

Matsumoto Taiko is a Japanese singer/songwriter over a broad genre ranging from traditional Japanese folk to western jazz.

Bandang Malaya is a local Filipino band whose sound is a mix of ethnic Filipino music with a modern twist. They provided live music for Akeyuku Sora in this year's Manila International Film Festival.

The name of the event or concert is Sound Fusion and it couldn't have been more apt. It was a mix of two cultures: Japanese and Filipino; Old - traditional music and Modern Music; Jazz and Pop... It was an amazing experience that blew my mind. As a musician myself I never expected the mix of traditional Japanese instruments used in western Jazz and Pop and as a Beatles fan the medley was just amazing.

Another big pat on the back to Japan Foundation Manila for organizing this amazing concert. Keep it up and more power to your endeavors.

5th International Silent Film Festival

This year I got the chance to see three of the six films which are my original choices: Nosferatu Germany(1922), Akeyuku Sora *Dawning Sky*Japan(1929) and L'Inferno Itally(1911).

Where to start, Nosferatu as a film itself is just amazing, and of course Marx Schreck's Graf Orlok is just legendary, they even made a fiction and a film about him being a real vampire back in 2000 with The Shadow of the Vampire which is another magnificent film but that is a different story. Goethe Institut flew in Stephan Von Bothmer from Berlin the man who's been doing the score for Nosferatu, a truly amazing musician.

Akeyuku Sora is just a darling of a movie, I finally understand the reason behind the love for melodrama by the Japanese film makers. Bandang Malaya brought in a captivating and unique sound to the whole movie.

Finally L'Inferno, the 100 year old film one of  a few surviving film from the early silent film period *and my oldest film that I've seen to date*. Ever since in 2nd year high school I've been a fan of Dante Alighieri's Divina Comedia. . The film is truly a landmark of film, a very important part of not only film history but of human culture as well. The accompanying music was done by the band Razorback. I was quite impressed on how they brought modern, pulsating, intense hard rock to make the film more interesting, unique and worthwhile. The Italian team clearly had done so much justice to the classic film with a modern day twist.

Sadly I cannot participate for tomorrow's films, I hope my dear readers/followers will be able to attend tomorrow, this is a truly once in a lifetime experience worth of your time and effort.

And now Razorback: