By Beng Ragon

Now is the season to indulge the senses and enrich the soul as we experience fine music, artworks, films and cuisines with the celebration of the "French Spring in Manila." The three-month festivities kicked off late March with a variety of awe-inspiring activities that highlight 60 years of good Philippine and French relations.

One of the most celebrated cultural events in the country, this year’s "French Spring in Manila" carried the theme, "Five Senses," showcasing the colorful and interesting facets of Pinoy and French heritage. A heightened appreciation for culture and the arts was seen through a wide spectrum of activities – from art, photo and perfume exhibits, wine and food, fashion show and circus, to French filmfest and musical concerts.

Among the many exciting highlights of the festival, musical events are the most anticipated and well attended. It’s because music brings fans and artists together in one intimate gathering that calls for peace, love and solidarity around the world.

Thus, more people look forward to "French Spring’s" free concerts, the "Manila Jazz Festival" and "Fête de la Musique." They are hardly missed by music aficionados who just want to let loose, sing their hearts out or witness a rich display of artistry on stage.

It was quite surprising to see hundreds of spectators, teens and oldies included, filling the expanse of the Grand Sunset Pavilion of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel. Everyone in the audience, a mix of different colors and personalities, shared each other’s enthusiasm for jazz, the genre perceived by many as highly sophisticated and hardly grasped by the average listeners.

Yet that evening proved the contrary as people, regardless if they know jazz by heart or not, poured in like free wine as the night peaked with electrifying jazz pieces that set the stage ablaze. Overwhelmed by the thickening crowd, host of the night Lourd de Veyra, vocalist of Radio Active Sago, exclaims, "Who says that there is no jazz audience here in the Philippines?"

A total of 15 bands performed in what was a grand rendezvous of the finest musicians in the jazz scene. Six hours of engaging performances were rendered by a wide array of jazz acts which included Tots Tolentino and the BAT Project, Mike Guevarra and Saxophoro, Mar Dizon and Wowie Posadas of the Jazz Volunteers, Waway Saway and the Kadugo Band featuring Camille, Radioactive Sago Project, Michael Young and the Possibilities with Cynthia Alexander, UP Jazz Ensemble, UST Jazz Band, Sino Sikat?, Brass Munkeys, legendary trumpet and vibraphone player Popoy Valmonte and the Jewelmer Jazz Band.

Artists showed intensity, depth and emotion in their performances that allowed people to connect with the music and somehow made them understand what jazz is all about. "You can get crazy with jazz, dance to it and let loose," teases Lourd.

True enough, the staging of the Manila jazzfest, now on its fifth year, gave more people the opportunity to enjoy jazz and develop genuine interest in this genre. At the same time, it has created an avenue for jazz artists to reach out to a bigger audience by making jazz accessible to the masses.

Another much awaited musical concert which culminated the celebration of the "French Spring in Manila" was the "Fête de la Musique." It marked its rebirth on June 23, with hundreds of bands performing simultaneously in 10 stages mounted in the different areas of Malate.

The all-night street party gathered interesting musical acts, offering a full range of genres – rock, alternative, world, jazz, blues, reggae, ska, acoustic, electronica and hip-hop. This year saw the explosion of the country’s most exciting and best Pinoy acts as they graced the Universal Stage in Plaza Rajah Sulayman, Roxas Boulevard (featuring Cynthia Alexander, Radio Active Sago Project, Updharmadown, Stonefree, Orange and Lemons, Kadangyan, etc.); World Music, Jazz, Blues, Reggae and Electronica Stage in Ma. Orosa cor. Nakpil Sts. (featuring Pinikpikan, Drip, Sino Sikat? Johnny Alegre Affinity, Coffee Break Island, Paramita, etc.); Rock Stage in Remedios Circle (featuring The Wuds, Kapatid, Chicosci, Badburn, Greyhoundz, etc.); and the Hip Hop Stage in Adriatico cor. Nakpil Sts. (featuring Chilitees, Mobbstarr, Jay Flava, Artstrong, etc.).

"Fête de la Musique" was first staged in Manila in 1994 and became a major happening, attracting around 10,000 music lovers yearly. It has toured around the metro, gracing the grounds of Malate, Fort Bonifacio, El Pueblo and Eastwood.