Guitarist Juan B.H. Alegre III, aka Johnny Alegre attended the University of the Philippines College of Music in the latter 1970s, majored in composition and was a founding member of the U.P. Jazz Ensemble (which became the spawning ground for many of Manila's jazz musicians). He studied with the jazz educator Dr. Joseph Howard and pianist Fred Robles. He further participated in creative workshops conducted by musicologist-composer Dr. Erhard Karkoshka, guitarist Ike Isaacs and composer-scholar Chou Wen-chung. Alegre was professionally involved in scores of bar bands and recording projects, spanning more than two decades of Philippine jazz and popular music history and discography; in various capacities as musician, arranger and record producer. In May of 2002, Johnny Alegre formed what became arguably Manila's premier jazz collective, the Johnny Alegre AFFINITY, with bassist Colby de la Calzada, drummer Koko Bermejo, pianist Elhmir Saison and saxophonist Tots Tolentino; initiating a series of musical chairs that continues until the present in various configurations. His group performances span the breadth of Manila's high profile clubs and concert venues as a hard-hitting guitar trio; as an atmospheric quartet; and as a jazz quintet par excellence, sometimes supplemented by the exceptional vocalist (Mishka Adams, Cooky Chua). AFFINITY's first recorded work, “Stones Of Intramuros”, written by Alegre, was introduced via a limited edition Philippine jazz anthology CD, Adobo Jazz Vol.1 (Indira), that caught the attention of the U.K.-based jazz specialty label, Candid Records. Subsequently, the first eponymous album, Johnny Alegre AFFINITY was released in the Philippines in mid-2005, described in the local press as “a blend of musical, technical and communal creativity between the composer and his allies”. The opus was subsequently re-released in the UK as Jazzhound, with a favorable review in the magazine, Jazzwise, and a number of mainstream publications (Nottingham Evening Post, Birmingham Evening Mail, Sunderland Echo, etc) and capped by two sold-out engagements (with guest saxophonist, Dimitri Vassilakis) in London's PizzaExpress Jazz Club. As part of the evolving cultural landscape of creative music in the Asia-Pacific, the musical projects of Johnny Alegre contribute meaningfully towards bringing an emerging and vibrant Philippine jazz milieu to the attention of Southeast Asia and beyond. Johnny Alegre unfolds his music in 2008 with a large and ambitious work, Eastern Skies, set to the symphonic backdrop of the Global Studio Orchestra conducted by Berklee suma cum laude Gerard Salonga with arrangements by Ria-Villena-Osorio. The new album is the long-awaited response to the clamor for even more innovative music from “Manila's jazz superband”. Additional releases slated for the year include what promises to be a global breakthrough effort for a Philippine artist: a U.S. recording of the guitarist-composer joined by Billy Hart (drums) and Ron McClure (bass). Plans are also afoot for a Philippine-release album anthology (live and studio tracks) featuring several incarnations of Johnny Alegre's AFFINITY unit.
Jazzwise Magazine, Peter Quinn, Dec.2005/Jan.2006
“One of the galvanizing forces behind the Manila jazz scene, guitarist Johnny Alegre displays a genuine freshness and spontaneity, driven on by a clear tone and fluent playing. Reminiscent of the funkier side of Grant Green, Alegre and his darting and mercurial lines seem to acknowledge another influence, that of the great Herbie Hancock.”
The Los Angeles Times, Don Heckman, Dec.10, 2007
“Johnny Alegre manages to invigorate his inventive lines with Pat Metheny-like drive and a sound reminiscent of Gabor Szabo.”
Nottingham Evening Post, AJ, Oct.14, 2005
“An extremely pleasing sound from this high-energy Filipino outfit. Leader and guitarist Alegre has a warm, orchestral style of playing and mature finger-style approach.”
The Philippine Star, Juaniyo Arcellana, Jan.21, 2008
“Alegre keeps raising the musical stakes in 'Eastern Skies', a largely successful experiment of his regular band Affinity with the orchestral maneuvers of conductor Gerard Salonga. Such blurring of the cross-genres has been the signature of pertinent artists, and Alegre, whose playing has aged gracefully and well, almost like wind on water, is no stranger to such spiritual conceits. You can hear it at once on the full round tone of the guitar and how it weaves and bobs through the orchestra’s sheets of sound and Affinity’s propulsive yet subtle shadings.”
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