MANILA – Now in its 11th year, the Philippine International Jazz Festival (PIJF) promises to be grander than ever with the inclusion of German pianist and composer Florian Ross, set to perform from February 25 to 28 in Manila. The Cologne-based Ross will be guesting at the PIJF for the very first time and is coming to Manila by invitation of the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the German cultural center.
Joining forces with him are local jazz mainstays Colby Dela Calzada (bass) and Michael Alba (drums). Together, they will perform as the “Fil-German Jazz Trio”. The three have never played as a group before and will be presenting all-new collaborative pieces in three performances. The Trio will play at the Café Hyatt City of Dreams on February 25 and at Palacio de Maynila on February 27 and 28.
“A deep synthesis”
Florian Ross has been at the core of the German jazz scene for more than 20 years playing and writing music described as coming “from a deep synthesis of heart and mind, of feeling and intellect.” On the side, Ross works with photography and design, and is an accomplished sound engineer, having recorded a number of albums both for himself and for others. Ross is also an active educator, teaching jazz courses at the prestigious Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (University for Music and Dance) in Cologne.
Phil Int’l Jazz Festival at 11
With more than 40 sets of performances in 14 venues in and outside the Metro, the PIJF aims to reach new heights this 2016. Aside from having the Filipino-German collaboration of Ross, Dela Calzada and Alba, the festival will also showcase international acts by artists from Norway, India, Israel and the USA.
The festival is organized by the Philippine International Jazz Festival Foundation headed by jazz singer Sandra Lim-Viray. (Goethe Institut-Manila/Eagle News Service)
