Jed Yuseco's Blog

The Great Oscar Peterson is Dead

Oscar Peterson, whose early talent, speedy fingers and musical genius made him one of the world's best known jazz pianists, has died. He was 82.

Peterson died at his home in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga on Sunday. Peterson's family were with him during his final moments. The cause of death was kidney failure.

During an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Peterson played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. He is also remembered for touring in a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s.

Peterson's impressive collection of awards include all of Canada's highest honors, such as the Order of Canada, as well as a Lifetime Grammy (1997) and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame.

Born on Aug. 15, 1925, in a poor neighborhood southwest of Montreal, Peterson obtained a passion for music from his father. Daniel Peterson, a railway porter and self-taught musician, bestowed his love of music to his five children, offering them a means to escape from poverty.

Oscar Peterson learned to play trumpet and piano at a young age, but after a bout with tuberculosis had to concentrate on the latter.

He became a teen sensation in his native Canada, playing in dance bands and recording in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He got his real break as a surprise guest at Carnegie Hall in 1949, after which he began touring the United States and Europe.

He quickly made a name for himself as a jazz virtuoso, often compared to piano great Art Tatum, his childhood idol, for his speed and technical skill.

He was also influenced by Nat King Cole, whose Nat King Cole Trio album he considered "a complete musical thesaurus for any aspiring Jazz pianist."

Peterson suffered a stroke in 1993 that weakened his left hand, but not his passion or drive for music. Within a year he was back on tour, recording "Side By Side" with Itzhak Perlman.

As he grew older, Peterson kept playing and touring, despite worsening arthritis and difficulties walking.

"A jazz player is an instant composer," Peterson once said in a CBC interview, while conceding jazz did not have the mass appeal of other musical genres. "You have to think about it, it's an intellectual form," he said.

Philippine Human Rights Continues Its Downward Spiral

In 1972, Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law which allowed him to stay in power indefinitely. His term was marred by personal health issues, government mismanagement, political repression, graft and corruption and rampant human rights violations.

In 1986, he was re-elected for the fourth time, in a disputed snap election which resulted in his unceremonious removal from office through peaceful means by the "People Power" EDSA Revolution. The event was an unprecedented event in Philippine history. While the EDSA Revolution is almost universally acknowledged as a great example of democracy at work, the Philippines has largely failed to actualize the possible gains from a fresh change in government.

Among the conditions cited are the overall slow growth of the Philippine economy, especially compared to that of other nearby Southeast Asian countries, the essentially unchanged political atmosphere in the country, the general feeling of worsening living conditions especially among the poor sectors of society, and the continued serious violation by the Philippine security forces of human rights, despite efforts of civilian authorities to control them.

Although the government "generally" respected human rights, some security forces elements—particularly the Philippine National Police—practiced extra-judicial killings, vigilantism, disappearances, torture, and arbitrary arrest and detention in their battle against criminals and terrorists. Prison conditions were harsh, and the slow judicial process as well as corrupt police, judges, and prosecutors impaired due process and the rule of law. Besides criminals and terrorists, human rights activists, left-wing political activists, and Muslims were sometimes the victims of improper police conduct. Violence against women and abuse of children remained serious problems, and some children were pressed into slave labor and prostitution. KARAPATAN, a major human rights alliance in our country, has recorded over 800 cases of extrajudicial killings of activists and another 200 abducted and missing since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took power in 2001 and ordered intensified campaigns to those against her government. 

Only recently, another tragedy has occurred. Last Thursday, April 12, 2007, unidentified gunmen shot Jose Ely Garachico, secretary-general of Karapatan Panay chapter, and kidnapped Nilo Arado, coordinator of the left-wing party Anakpawis, and Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado of Selda. The victims were on their way back to Iloilo City from San Jose, Antique when their vehicle was blocked by suspects in a Mitsubishi L-300 van. Garachico survived the ambush and he is presently recovering in a hospital. Unfortunately, to this time, Arado and Posa-Dominado remain missing.

This government seems intent on silencing anyone who dared speak against it.  As Filipinos, we should not take this sitting down. We should not stop until Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado and her companion are released and until there is justice for every man, woman and child who suffered from political violence under this tyranny of murderers.

God bless the Philippines!

American Justice Prevails Again

Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, Enron Corp. two former top executives, were convicted of conspiracy and fraud by a federal jury for one of the biggest scandals in US history. Jurors found the once wealthy and powerful corporate chiefs repeatedly lied to cover up accounting tricks and business failures that led to the 2001 collapse, wiping out more than $60 billion in market value, almost $2 billion in pension plans and 5,600 jobs.

Sentencing is set on Sept. 11, 2006. The charges against Lay carry a maximum penalty in prison for 45 years for the corporate trial and 120 years in the personal banking trial. The charges against Skilling carry a maximum penalty of 185 years in prison.

The conspiracy conviction was a major victory for the government, serving as a bookend to an era that saw prosecutors win convictions against top executives from World Com, Inc, Adelphia Communications Corp. and Martha Stewart.

Just goes to show that in the United States, no matter who you are as long as you have committed a criminal offense, the long arm of the law will catch up with you sooner or later. How I wish the same can be said of the Philippines, where unfortunately, justice is only reserved for those in the upper echelon. Can't blame the plight of the poor as they often have to resort to rendering justice by themselves or through the aid of the NPA, especially in the remote areas of the provinces where the rebels' swift justice is still prevalent.

Everyone knows the Marcoses' looted our country's wealth by leaps and bounds. Has justice been served? Hell no! And to make matters worse, there is speculation that the government is in deep talks with Imelda for a compromise resolution to this matter. Naman! Sila na ang nagnakaw, tapos ang gobyerno pa ang nakikipag areglo sa mga criminal! Plleeeaaassseee!!!!

The Gospel of Judas

The Gospel of Judas is an ancient document which has been lost for more than 1,700 years. In Egyptian coptic text, it portrays Judas not as a sinister betrayer but as Jesus' confidant, chosen to be told spiritual secrets that other apostels were not.

The gospel was found sometime in the 1970s when a farmer stumbled upon a limestone box in a remote burial cave in middle Egypt. Inside the box was a leather-bound codex - a volume of papyrus documents whose pages turned out to be the Gospel of Judas. The journey of this document spins like a Indiana Jones adventure. First comes the discovery in a cave, then thievery and smuggling.

Eventually, the document reappeared in the 1980s and it was turned over to the Maecenas Foundation for Ancient Art headed by Mario Roberty. His foundation sold the rights to exhibit and publish the manuscript to the National Geographic Society for $1 million. A Swiss foundation understook restoration, and translators were set to work with funding from America's Waitt Institute and the National Geographic.

Responding to this discovery, Pope Benedict XVI used his Holy Thursday homily at the Vatican to recount the Biblical portrayal of Jesus by Judas, calling the apostle a double-crosser for whom "money was more important than communion with Jesus, more important than God and his love".

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lost gospel

Congrats to Mon David!

Mon David, a veteran multi-talented artist from the Philippines, recently won the prestigous London International Jazz Competition (LIJC) vocalist award for 2006. The event was held at Chelsea's splendid Cadogan Hall last March 22, 2006 and featured over a hundred competitors from 25 nations.

David is one of our country's top rate singers, as well as songwriter, musician and record producer. He has exposed himself in various types of songs, whether it be pop, rock, ballad, broadway or classical. His baritone voice enables him to render jazz pieces with a great amount of soul. His most recent album, "Life and Times", contains 15 tracks of jazz tunes and ballads that reflects the crooner's adept songwriters skills.

To Mon, congratulations! And oh yes....keep on jazzing :)

From Bad to Worse...

In February, 1986, Filipinos shocked the world by ousting a dictator without bloodshed, an event that signalled a new chapter in our nation's history.

Sad to say, 20 years after the uprising, there remains disappointment and frustration at where the country is headed. Filipinos continue to wait for things to change as corruption and patronage continues to exist. No government has been able to make reforms vital to encourage investment, increase tax collection and narrow the gap between the wealthy and the underprivileged.

Unemployment has forced millions of Filipinos to seek greener pastures abroad. Our economy, which was one of the most promising in Asia decades ago, is now among the poorest. And even if democracy has been restored with Marcos' ouster, the institutions that were his instruments during his tenure have not been dismantled.

People power left a legacy of shortcut democracy, the easy abandonment of legal processes in favor of removing unpopular leaders by mass protests. The year 2001 saw the ouster of ex-President Estrada after the collapse of his impeachment trial for corruption stirred the people to revolt.

President Arroyo's critics are now agitating for her removal using the same techniques used before. Yet, even if the conditions for another uprising are ripe, Filipinos have grown weary of people power as they have seen that changing political leadership without guarantees does not lead to long standing changes.

If Filipinos truly desire reform, solidarity is the solution. We need to sacrifice for the sake of our beloved country and learn some selflessness.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Another Tragedy ....

With the Ultra stampede still fresh in our minds, another tragedy has struck our poor country early Friday morning as heavy rains caused a major landslide in Southern Leyte, with the death toll expected to be in the thousands.

Massive search and rescue operations have been ongoing for the past days, with international assistance in this endeavor coming from the Americans, Malaysians and Taiwanese, to name a few. Although we remain optimistic that some lives could still be saved; unfortunately, this faint glimmer of hope slowly ebbs away as the days progress. We can only pray that the bodies of the deceased be recovered and given decent burial proceedings.

For the only Asian country that is predominantly Catholic and God-fearing, it is  understandable why certain Filipinos would think that God has deserted them. Year after year, the nation has continued to bury its own grave, as graft and corruption, plus political bickerings have grown worse. The  gap between the rich and the poor has widened, with the middle class nowhere to be seen.  The recent success of both boxer Manny Pacquiao and our SEA athletes lifted the spirits of our countrymen to a new high; however, these are short-lived and soon, we will be back in survival mode.

The year 2006 has barely began and we are already plagued by these terrible accidents. It is in these uncertain times that constant prayer is most needed. Even if we are beset with all these problems, we should never lose faith in Him, for He is all good and all knowing. He has a purpose in this world.

Amen.

Tragedy at the ULTRA

ABS-CBN's very popular game show "Wowowee" was turning a year old and their celebration was to be held at Pasig's ULTRA Arena last Saturday. Thousands of Filipinos from all walks of life had already camped outside the edifice since Thursday. They came in droves, both near and far, each aspiring to cash in on the show's various prizes.

What transpired that early Saturday was uneventful. For reasons yet to be explained, a stampede occurred, killing more than 70 people, mostly the elderly. Assistance came too late, as ambulances and other medical personnel got delayed entering the premises due to poor crowd control. To make matters worse, those who were present when the tragedy happened failed to deliver immediate medical aid to the victims.

The Arroyo government has started an investigation to this matter; however, as always, I really don't expect them to come up with any solution. Surely, it is hard to pinpoint who is accountable for this tragedy. But one this is certain ... driven by poverty, thousands of Filipinos showed up in Ultra with the desire to gain some financial windfall without batting an eyelash. "Wowowee" has become a top-rated show due to its popularity with the masses; unfortunately, its theme of getting cash and other awards from various sponsors and TFC subscribers then giving these to its fans leaves much to be desired. Even with its good intentions, it is just despicable to think that it has transformed the low-income family groups to beg.

The entertainment industry needs to come up with more quality shows that would highlight the Filipinos' best traits, instead of exposing its flaws. We Filipinos are known the world over for being hard workers with a seal of intelligence far better than other Asian neighbors. And even though our government and our politicians have betrayed us, we have survived and held our head up high.

Manny Pacquiao, a National Hero

It was billed "The Battle" and staged at the 15,000 seater Thomas Mack Arena located inside the University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus. The Philippines' Manny Pacquiao was a slight favorite on the betting odds to defeat Mexico's Erik Morales in their rematch, the latter won their initial contest via a decision. Expectations were high on both camps prior to the match and the arena was filled with Mexican and Filipino fans of both protagonists. Their first meeting was a non-stop, slam bang affair and the rematch was expected to be equally entertaining.

From the start of the match, the Mexican slightly dominated and was in fact ahead of the judges'  score card up to the fifth round as he was able to effectively counter punch his way to avoid Pacquiao's offensive onslaughts. However, as the sixth round commenced, the tide swayed to the Filipino's side as it was obvious that Morales was feeling the effects of Pacquiao's punches to the head and body. The Mexican's legs had become rubbery and his punches seemed to have no effect to the Filipino. His seconds had to constantly massage his legs at intermissions and you can see desperation at the eyes of Morales. Meanwhile, Pacquiao's confidence grew more as the match wore on. He won every round thereafter and in the tenth, the referee mercifully ended the match after Morales went down the second time.

It was a masterful performance by Pacquiao and he truly deserves to be a national hero. In times when the nation continues to suffer from economic and political hardship, his victory has lifted the hopes and spirit of every Filipino that somehow there will be a light at the end of the rainbow.

Never back down from all the hassles of life. God rewards those who help themselves.

1st Philippine International Jazzfest

For two days (Jan. 21-22, 2006), the Philippines will host its first ever International Jazz Festival. The featured shows will be held at the amphitheater of the Casino Filipino, while there will also be simultaneous concerts at the  Harbor Square of the CCP Complex.

The international cast will be spearheaded by American jazz songstress Kevyn Lettau and her Crescendo group. Kevyn might not be popular here in the States, but in Japan and the Philippines, she is considered a superstar. Also staging a comeback to Manila is my hero of the 70's, Eumir Deodato. When you speak of jazz fusion, Eumir is one of its pioneers, blending jazz with rock and classical music.  A welcome treat is the presence of Fil-Am singing sensation, Charmaine Clamor. Based in California, she is one of the founding members of JazzPhil-USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of Fil-Am jazz artists in the States.

The local talents scheduled to perform include Verni Varga, Richard Merk, Lynn Sherman, Isha, Cookie Chua, Cynthia Alexander, Jacqui Magno, Johny Alegre Affinity Band, and many more.

A milestone in Philippine jazz history, it is my hope that this ain't just a one-time event. Let this be the beginning of many more festivals to come. And who knows, if this turns out to be a success, we might be able to lure more notable jazz artists to visit our shores in the near future.

Is jazz finally back in Pinas? As I quote my friend, Boy Katindig, when I informed him of this .... "nabuhay ang mga boys sa Pinas" :)

The official website: http://www.drivehq.com/web/pijazzfest.