“I’ve always believed in the power of music to create bridges connecting people from different parts of the world. Jazz has that special quality to showcase the unique individuality of an artist/musician and at the same time his/her capacity to be a productive, contributing part of a collective unit (whether it’s with a trio, quartet, big band, symphony etc.)”-Mon David, June 20, 2026
“As a musician, Jazz has inspired me to fulfill a dream to help celebrate the collaborative spirit of jazz musicians, who freely share information and work together to create something new. Jazz is about trusting yourself to respond in the moment, encouraging exploration and learning.”
-Charito Vergara, June 20, 2025
Tokyo – Manila Jazz is now on its tenth year, a brainchild of Charito Vergara.
“Since its inception in 2012, the Tokyo-Manila Jazz Arts Festival has been a bridge between two cultures, linking them tightly through the power of music and art. We strive to create a borderless space for diverse communities to come together. Over the years, we have also given free workshops and funded programs for young musicians both in Tokyo and Manila,” Charito Vergara, founder of Tokyo – Manila Jazz, shared as its founder.
A co-executor and a hallmark supporter of Charito Vergara is Mon David, a masterful singer who is at the top tier of jazz artists in LA, since he came from Manila, two decades ago. We have watched him perform through the decades that there is no cliched performance, as he continues to improvise, to compose, to arrange, and to sing in multiple languages, English, Tagalog, Japanese and in his CD: Portugese, Kapampangan and Spanish.
All cylinders of his brain are firing alive, plus the musical instruments that he plays: drums, guitar, and piano. He mentors young jazz artists, teaches lyrics and composition, including his twin grandchildren, ages 8yo, Leo and Nico.
Leo has an ongoing composition project that he is completing with his grandpa, Mon David, which he envisions only professional singers, like Nicole David Yalong, his mom, is worthy to sing it. High quality standards at an early age!
Ever the sage, Mon wrote:”I would describe this [summit] setting as a ‘democratic artistic endeavor’ where everyone has a say and can have their own spot or space (8 bars or 16 or a whole head) at some point to shine and be heard. This exciting art form had its African American roots and is now considered an international musical art form due to the many contributions (languages, traditions, cultures, indigenous instruments, etc.) and participations of our jazz comrades from various parts of the globe!”
Since January 2025, the nation has been unsettling, as the world’s, with folks needing to be reassured of each other’s humanity.
Dolores Scozzessi opened with ‘Ancestry’ by Fred LaMotte, evoking feelings to be present and for us to receive the healing messages.
“Mon came on with the Japanese folk song (Japanese and Tagalog lyrics) and then “Anthropology” whose lyrics were written by Walter Bishop, Jr.,” according to Alvin Reyes, a co-producer.
“Charito did “Blue Skies” and “The Man I Love.” She gratefully acknowledged the organizers of Los Angeles.
“Thanks to Cathy Segal-Garcia and Mon David, Tokyo-Manila-LA, took one big step forward to spread its wings, reach out and spread its appeal, contributing to the role of JAZZ as a unifying force throughout its history,” Charito Vergara wrote in a message to me.
Charito Vergara is a jazz artist, deemed the gold standard amongst female performers, as well as males, who consistently performs, organizes, and mentors others to be phenomenal jazz singers, as herself. A personal favorite of ours is her cd with Michel Legrand, a French artist, composer, arranger, and jazz singer who passed away in 2019.
Cathy Segal-Garcia is a fearless, ‘best person to meet,’ a composer, a mentor, a producer, a detailed organizer, and a great connector of human beings through jazz. She assembled two finest bands, 10 members strong!
Cathy Segal-Garcia is the superwoman with deep roots and connections in the jazz community in LA. Her podcast has featured hundreds of jazz artists during the pandemic 2020 to the present.
She sang her original composition, ‘The Song’ and ‘I’m in the Mood for Love.’
And, her best friend, friend of many, is Cheryl Barnes, equally masterful as a jazz musician who sang ‘You taught my heart to sing’ and ‘Living Room.’ Audience was moved and shouted bravos!
Alvin Reyes has a bucket list dream to sing onstage with Tamir Hendelman, a masterful pianist of at least two decades. Alvin’s persistence is inspiring as he started out as a sound manager and realized he wanted to sing. He sang ‘Ikaw’ by (Domingo/Velarde) and a mash-up of Portrait In Black and White with How Insensitive (he co-arranged the song with Tony Campodonico.)”
Ever supportive is Mon David and Tamir who workshopped songs with him.
Tamir’s duo-playing on the piano with Sam Hirsch was phenomenal as both had fun improvising, creating harmonies and the audience just loved them.
Imagine two great pianists accompanying you onstage. That catapults your confidence to a higher level and helps you discard your self-doubts.
Bravo!
#TokyoManilaLAJazzSummit was a historic event. Consider how Mon David reflects on its genesis and significance:”The annual International Jazz Day (usually in April) with the great Herbie Hancock at the helm is a huge inspiration to many musicians from all over the world. It spreads the idea that jazz can be an instrument to achieve peace, brotherhood and sisterhood, unity amongst people, information about the creations and legacies of some of the greatest musicians and composers who have graced the art scene. In my own experience, wala pong katapusan ang “struggles”, there’s no end to the economic aspect, the efforts to disseminate and inform, building interest, adapting to the current inventions and how much one should cater to it…at marami pang (there’s more) challenges in the midst of the trying times that we are all experiencing…) but the creative drive and passion never ends. It’s an inherent quality in a musician to continue searching, creating, developing, rehearsing, composing, writing, arranging, discovering…what an exciting journey still it is!!!”
Hubby Enrique de la Cruz was more excited than I was of this summit. My asthma was getting the best of me. Yet, it did not hinder me in being moved and to videotape these masterful artists.
I shared the Finale, another Charlie Parker tune, ‘Right Now’s The Time’ with lyrics by Mon David, with a jazz enthusiast Paula Brown, who remarked: “That’s some unbelievable great toe-tappin’ jazz!!!! Thanks for sharing, Prosy!!!”
And from Cathy Segal-Garcia, LA’s superwoman organizer, composer and friends to hundreds of jazz artists, who generously shared her soulful reflections: “Jazz is religious; something to practice that brings you closer to God. The mixtures of cultures in jazz makes sense. We are all human beings, built the same way, with the advantage of having different lives which we can share. In my mind, the creator of this life wants us to be one…a single gorgeous cloth which is made up of different strands of string.
Jazz can teach and lead anyone who notices how to live life. Improvisation, communication, coming together, focus, being in the moment, moving through mistakes, living inside a perfect magical space – together!
These are the things I’ve always strived for, with more and more realization as I grow older. Combing different cultures through jazz. This is a fantastic vehicle, which I will continue to build and utilize, until I die.”
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and view points of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 16 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the U.S., in her pursuit of love fornature and the arts.
