The future of Philippine jazz: The making of Jireh Calo

While many young musicians choose to play pop, acoustic, rock or alternative music, a doe-eyed 19-year-old has chosen to tackle jazz and plays the piano while singing about having "dugong maharlika."



Throughout 2014, Jireh Calo was active in the independent music scene with her band The Jireh Calo Project. Early 2015, she flew to Boston to pursue music studies in one of the best jazz schools in the world—Berklee College of Music—to receiver her first formal musical training.

Calo applied for Berklee online when she was about to finish her International Baccalaureate course at the British School Manila and performed live for panelists in Hong Kong. She then got accepted for the Spring 2014 semester but deferred for a year to prepare the funds she need to pursue Berklee.

"At first I was really sad that I had to wait one whole year but I trusted that God had better plans for me. Looking back now, I truly was meant to stay," said Calo in an interview with GMA News Online.

Pushing back her Berklee studies enabled Calo to explore the local music industry and release her first EP, travel and perform all over the Philippines, and join the 2014 Elements Singer and Songwriting Camp.



Although she misses the Philippines—even having to ride the MRT during rush hour—Calo is "hungry to learn" in Berklee.

"The facilities and resources here are world-class and the opportunities [are] endless, but what makes Berklee truly amazing is the community; the people you meet. I have friends from all over the world, from all walks of life, and from varying musical backgrounds. There's so much to absorb over here," she said.

Her giddiness is understandable: Berklee has been home to some of the world's most notable musicians, from celebrated producer Quincy Jones, jazz singer Diana Krall and singer-songwriter John Mayer to Filipino artists like saxophonist Tots Tolentino, conductor Gerard Salonga and bassist Karel Honasan.

All that jazz

Before jazz came into her life, Calo was into classical and world music. But it was jazz that she fell in love with.

"For me, it was like finding my language. And as I grew more with it, I found different ways of expressing myself. There is so much freedom [in] jazz and yet there is refinement, discipline, and touch," she explained.

"It's an ever-evolving genre constantly re-defined by those who are bold enough to go beyond the norm and try something new. And it goes so well with other genres," Calo added.

Calo's musical influences are fellow listed jazz artists Esperanza Spalding, Gretchen Perlato, Herbie Hancock, and Don Ellis, as well as Indian legend Ravi Shankar, Iranian-American singer Azam Ali and German composer Nils Frahm.

Calo also cited Filipino artists like folk singer Grace Nono and jazz guitarist and musician Bob Aves.

But her list of musical influences wouldn't be complete without one woman: her mom.

"Still, my greatest inspiration in both my music and in life is my mom. I grew up with her music and she remains [my] strongest supporter," she said.

The sound of a Jireh Calo

At the end of 2014, many local music sites and critiques named Calo's six-track EP of the year's best releases. Not bad for a debut.

So how does a young jazz musician make her sound?

Calo said that her songs are "created uniquely, born out of different sources of inspiration."

"Sometimes I start by playing around with a chord progression on the piano, then playing around with the rhythms and try singing a melody over it. Sometimes I’d have already written a poem or something in my journal and I’d take the words and write music for it. Sometimes the words and music are created hand-in-hand, each building upon the other," she said.

Despite these so-called templates, she said that the best way to create music is to be true to yourself.

"The best songs are born out of true emotion and real personal experiences and the music that comes out is a pure expression of that," she said.

The future of Philippine jazz

What's next for Calo? It may be too early to ask, as she still needs to finish her studies at Berklee, but it looks like the young musician knows where she's headed next.

"Right now, I am equipping myself for big goals and dreams. Getting the right education and solidifying my foundation in music is just one important step towards those goals. After completing my music studies here in Boston, I want to return to my country," she said.

An artist who lives by faith and is driven by a "God-given passion," Calo said that her pursuit of music extends beyond her desire to be successful in the industry. She eventually wants to share her talents through an organization, a school, or a movement—or all three—to help empower people.

"I believe music has the power to change the way people live their lives. It has the power to inspire and give hope and it can help people in ways that material things cannot. I wish to share that gift with people who too have the potential to make a difference," she said.
 
Music has been a big part of her young life; it only makes sense she'd want to pay it forward.

"Music brought me to so many places and enabled me to form priceless relationships. It’s incredible," the future of Philippine jazz said. — BM, GMA News