Johnny Alegre

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Johnny Alegre
Johnny Alegre
Born
Juan Bautista Alegre y Hernaez

(1955-06-04) June 4, 1955 (age 67)
NationalityFilipino
Alma materUniversity of the Philippines
SpouseJocelyn Albao Alegre
Parents
RelativesJuan Bautista Alegre y Levantino (grandfather)
Musical career
GenresJazz, World Fusion
Occupation(s)Musician, Guitarist-Composer
Instrument(s)Guitar, Keyboards
Years active1981-present
LabelsCandid, MCA
Websitewww.johnnyalegre.com

Juan Bautista H. Alegre III (born June 4, 1955),[1] known professionally as Johnny Alegre, is a jazz guitarist and composer from Manila, Philippines. He leads the jazz group Johnny Alegre Affinity[2] and the world music group Humanfolk.[3]

Biography[edit]

Career[edit]

Johnny Alegre (center) with bassist Ron McClure (left) and drummer Billy Hart (right). The photo was taken in New York City when they recorded Johnny Alegre 3 for distribution by MCA.

Alegre studied composition at the University of the Philippines College of Music in the latter 1970s. He was a founding member of the U.P. Jazz Ensemble.[4] He participated in workshops by composer Erhard Karkoschka, guitarist Ike Isaacs, and composer Chou Wen-chung.

In May 2002, Alegre formed the Johnny Alegre Affinity with bassist Colby de la Calzada, drummer Koko Bermejo, pianist Elhmir Saison, and saxophonist Tots Tolentino. Their first recorded work, "Stones of Intramuros", written by Alegre, was included in the limited edition Philippine jazz anthology Adobo Jazz: A Portrait of the Filipino as a Jazz Artist (Vol. 1).[5]

The self-titled album Johnny Alegre Affinity was released in the Philippines in mid-2005 by Candid Records Philippines; and was re-released in England the same year by Candid Records (UK)[6] for global distribution as Jazzhound. This was followed by performances at the PizzaExpress Jazz Club in London with guest saxophonist, Dimitri Vassilakis.

During 2006 and 2007, Alegre and Affinity worked on Eastern Skies,[7] an album of original compositions with the Global Studio Orchestra conducted by Gerard Salonga.[8] In 2009 MCA released Johnny Alegre 3, a trio album with Ron McClure (bass) and Billy Hart (drums). Alegre was MCA's first jazz act from the Philippines.[9] In 2014, MCA released a compilation of highlights from Alegre's Candid Records recordings, entitled Stories.[10][11]

In 2008, Alegre recorded Humanfolk, the name of an album and a band formed with percussionist Susie Ibarra, drummer Roberto Juan Rodriguez, Cynthia Alexander, and Malek Lopez. For Humanfolk he wrote "Para Sa Tao" based on the Baybayin letters of the tagalog language.

Alegre is profiled in the books The Great Jazz Guitarists by Scott Yanow[12] and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, Second edition (Volume 7).[13][14]

Family[edit]

Johnny Alegre is the youngest surviving grandchild of the late Sen. Juan Bautista Alegre y Levantino,[15] senator[16] who represented the 6th Senatorial District of the Bicol Region to the 6th and 7th Philippine Legislatures. The family genealogy of Johnny Alegre is descended from Carlist exiles[17] from Spain to the Philippines and intermarried with Filipinos. His paternal grandmother, Amanda ("Aimee") Alegre née Sargent,[18][19] is descended from the early Sargent family of New England.[20][21][22][23][24][25]

Affiliations[edit]

Alegre is a member of FILSCAP, the Jazz Society of the Philippines, and served a term as a consultant of the Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival.

Other than his activities in jazz, World and Philippine music, Alegre was an officer of the now-defunct Wikimedia Philippines, the national chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation in the Philippines; and was the fourth president of the said chapter from July 2014 to June 2015. As part of his social commitment he was a past president of the Rotary Club of Makati Rockwell[26][27] of Rotary International District 3830,[28][29] serving his term in the Rotary Year[30] of 2018–2019, and was conferred a Paul Harris fellowship.[31][32] In 2022, he was voted president of the affiliate Wikimedia user group, Philippine Wikimedia Community User Group or PhilWiki Community (PH-WC).

Discography[edit]

Album Catalog/UPC No. Label Year
Stones of Intramuros (single) Track 9
Adobo Jazz: A Portrait of the Filipino as a Jazz Artist, Vol. 1
IndiRa Records 2002
Johnny Alegre AFFINITY[33] CAN-KC-5001 Candid 2005
Jazzhound (UK release)[34] CCD 79842 Candid 2005
Jazzhound (radio edit, single) Track 4
Environmentally Sound: A Select Anthology of Songs Inspired by the Earth[35]
WWF 2006
Eastern Skies[7] CAN-KC-5006 Candid 2007
Johnny Alegre 3 [36] UPC:00600753200070 MCA 2009
Mammals[37][38] Japan Music Week PH AFFINITY Productions 2010
Humanfolk[39] UPC:00600753330432 MCA 2011
Stories[10][11] UPC:00602537694600 MCA 2014
"ILWY" (vinyl)[40][41] HOURGLASS001 Hourglass 2020
Johnny Alegre AFFINITY (2LP)[42][43] JAA-001-BR Backspacer Records[44] 2022

Collaborations[edit]

Videography[edit]

Johnny Alegre Affinity[edit]

Title Musicians Director Producer Genre Year Venue
Jazz in Time: Commemorative Concert XII[45] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax Fritz Ynfante Upsilon Sigma Phi jazz concert 2003 U.P. Theater
Jazzhound official music video[46] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax Fritz Ynfante (concert footage)
Wilfred Galila (video montage)
Mowelfund
PH AFFINITY Productions
music video 2005 Mowelfund
3rd Manila Jazz Festival[47] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Simon Tan, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax Angela Poblador Jewelmer International Corporation jazz concert 2005 Greenbelt Theater
Pinoy Jazz: The Story of Jazz in the Philippines[48] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax Collis Davis Richie Quirino,[49] Collis Davis documentary 2006 U.P. Theater
Fête de la Musique 2011[50] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, electric bass ♦ Mar Dizon, drums Franz Lawrence Tan Fête de la Musique[51] jazz concert 2011 The Fort BGC, Taguig
Tiendesitas Super Jazz Weekend[52] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Yuna Reguerra, electric bass ♦ Wendell Garcia, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, keyboards Dondi Santos Tiendesitas jazz concert 2014 Tiendesitas
Beacon Call[53] Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Joey Quirino, piano ♦ Ria Villena-Osorio, orchestration ♦ Gerard Salonga, conductor MCA Music Philippines PH AFFINITY Productions sampler 2014 MCA Music Philippines
Manila Jazz[54] Interviews with Johnny Alegre, Tots Tolentino, Elhmir Saison, Mar Dizon, (seen: Colby dela Calzada) Richard Villamor Richard Villamor documentary 2013 Greater Manila Area

Humanfolk[edit]

Title Musicians Director Producer Category Year Venue
Para Sa Tao[55] Abby Clutario, vocals, keyboards & Chapman Stick ♦ Johnny Alegre, acoustic guitar ♦ Cynthia Alexander, bass ♦ Malek Lopez, electronics Daphne Oliveros PH AFFINITY Productions music video 2011 Greater Manila Area
Hexagram II[56] Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars & percussion ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums ♦ Frances Escapé, percussion Perth Salva PH AFFINITY Productions live in the studio 2013 Perthman Studios, San Juan, Manila
Himig Ng Pasko[57] Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars & percussion ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums JM Quiblat PH AFFINITY Productions music video 2014 Infinitif Studios
Naglalarong Ilaw[58] Kris Gorra Dancel, vocals & rhythm guitar ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars ♦ Abby Clutario, keyboards & harmonies ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums ♦ Deej Rodriguez, percussion Phillip Miguel Luis & Lycylle Bianca Tse Cawaling PH AFFINITY Productions music video 2015 Infinitif Studios
Indiemand[59][60] Johnny Alegre, guitars ♦ Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Deej Rodriguez, percussion Pamela Carbonell The Filipino Channel[61] music video 2019 Pasig City Wildlife Reserve

Awards[edit]

Year Award
1974 Don Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature, One-Act Play (English) Division, 2nd Place[62]
1982 Foremost Exponent of Jazz awarded by the Philippine Ministry of Tourism at the 1st Cebu Jazz Festival
2006 Award Of Excellence for Exemplary Musicianship by WWF Philippines for his musical support of the "For A Living Planet" advocacy.
2010 Plaque of Appreciation for his musical support of the Climate Change advocacy from a combined Oxfam and Dakila initiative.
2012 Awit Awards,[63] Best World Music Recording, Humanfolk, Philippine Association of the Record Industry
2013 Icon Award, 8th Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival[64]
Best Performer Award, Kansai Music Conference[65]
2014 Aliw Awards, Best Instrumentalist[66][67][68]
Living the Credo Award, Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association
2016 Outstanding Professional Award, Superbrands Philippines Council[69]
2019 Inspiring Leadership Award, Rotary International[70] District 3830[29]
Paul Harris Fellow,[71][72] The Rotary Foundation[73]

Paternal line[edit]

Images[edit]

References[edit]

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External links[edit]