Bong Penera has enthralled jazz buffs with his Brazilian-influenced brand of Jazz for over 40 years. Whenever or wherever he played piano or acoustic guitar, either as sideman or band leader, or as solo artist, and wherever he sang while he played, images of Sergio Mendes, Tom Jobim, the Gilbertos, Bill Evans, Tania Maria, Keith Jarrett filled the air. He had the Deodato touch when he played the electric piano. It was no wonder then that he called his band “Batucada” (Brazilian Portuguese for the word ‘beat’) it was his intense creed that firstly and finally, it is all about the beat of life.
His most famous original composition, “A Samba Song”, is now, like Jobim’s Girl From Ipanema, a staple and a “must have” in every local performer’s repertoire, be it in Manila or anywhere else. Among others, Tadao Hayashi, Eddie Katindig, Brownbeat, Sitti and Guarana have recorded/performed this…
View original post 354 more words
