Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I’ve never been the biggest fan of love songs — they’ve always struck me as sappy and maudlin, but I do indulge in the soulful, melancholic oldies from time to time. One of my favourites include Ella Fitzgerald’s “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye,” a haunting ballad about the pain of parting ways with a lover.
In celebration of the most romantic day of the year, the multi-award-winning Filipino jazz singer, Charito, is teaming up with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra for a special performance. The concert will feature romantic jazz classics by renowned composers such as George Gershwin and Frank Sinatra, but also songs such as “Sakura Sakura,” a Japanese folk song celebrating the luscious cherry blossoms in springtime.
Charito boasts a diverse, international sound. She built her music career in Japan, but she has performed all over the world in Europe, Asia, Latin America and now Winnipeg. I particularly enjoy her rendition of “When Summer Comes,” an uplifting song about changing seasons that she recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, the song was originally composed in 1981 by Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson, one of Canada’s renowned jazz musicians.
Richard Gillis, the artistic director of the orchestra and a professor at the Desautels faculty of music, said Charito’s vocal style is reminiscent of jazz legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. He also remarked that music in the Philippines has been heavily influenced by both Spanish and American music.
“I think, over the next 50, 60 years, you’re going to have more international people leaving a unique mark, that people will follow. But it’s pretty hard to escape Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday and so many other great vocalists,” he said.
The concert also engages with Winnipeg’s Filipino community while incorporating Charito’s Japanese influences. The show will feature local groups including the Sisler high school jazz band and Rondalla, a traditional Filipino string ensemble. Coincidentally, Charito has a nephew who lives in Winnipeg.
“Winnipeg, Manitoba [has a] large Filipino community, and they’re very involved with music,” Gillis said. “We have several members of the jazz orchestra from the Filipino community. They’re professional musicians and play really well, and we just thought it might be kind of cool to engage some people from different places.
“We try to engage in as many communities as we can in Winnipeg because there’s tremendous musicians right here in our own province, but also just the chance to engage with somebody [like Charito] that has connections in places we don’t have connections in, like Tokyo.”
Lastly, Joan Gillis, the orchestra’s general manager, cheekily suggested even though the concert will take place a day after Valentine’s Day, it could still be a perfect date night out.
Cherry Blossom Dreams will be performed on Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Desautels Concert Hall at U of M. Tickets can be purchased by visiting winnipegjazzorchestra.com. Learn more about Charito at charito.com.
