HUMANFOLK began as a concept album of guitarist-composer Johnny Alegre with the multi-instrumentalist Cynthia Alexander and the electronica exponent Malek Lopez, along with visiting New York City–based participating artists; namely drummer Roberto Juan Rodriguez and percussionist Susie Ibarra. The pioneering effort marked the convergence in a contemporary Philippine setting of multiple musical idioms (jazz, rock, electronic music, kulintang, agung and indigenous percussion, with Iberian and folk music influences). The group's name is a deliberate conjoining of the words "human" and "folk", akin to "menfolk" and "womenfolk", without prejudice to gender and frequently set in all caps to distinguish it from a dictionary term, that evolved afterwards into a concept band.
History
The group started as a studio project between jazz and world music musicians in the summer of 2008. The introduction of Alegre, Rodriguez and Ibarra at the United States Embassy in Manila spurred a series of musical and social interactions. The impetus culminated in recordings of a "Humanfolk Suite", a world music cycle composed by Alegre.
Towards October 2008, the threesome of Alegre, Alexander, and Lopez performed a live semi-improvised score for a short, silent film by Sasha Palomares, entitled Une Femme Andalouse, which was awarded the KODAK Best 16mm Experimental Film in that year by the Kodak Filmschool Competition. They were subsequently invited to perform at the 4th Philippine International Jazz & Arts Festival in February 2009, and a live collaborative performance with the Australian didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton in January 2010, that also introduced vocalist-keyboardist Abby Clutario as a new principal member of the group. These appearances and many others that followed led to the release by MCA Music (Universal Music Group) of Humanfolk's eponymous album in May 2011.
In 2012, Humanfolk was conferred an Awit Award for the song "Para Sa Tao", as Best World Music Recording by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI). Upon the exodus of two founding members, Cynthia Alexander (for the United States) and Malek Lopez (for Singapore), Alegre and Clutario continued as Humanfolk's principal members in a configuration described as Mark II, which was introduced in 2013 before international audiences in Singapore's Mosaic Music Festival and Malaysia's Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival. In the Philippines, the group performed at the 2nd CCP International Jazz Festival in September 2013, and recorded the promotional EP, Ephipany. In January 2015, the group performed in India at the Saarang International Cultural Festival organized by IIT Madras. Towards the end of 2015, the group was joined by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Kris Gorra Dancel; and session percussionist Deej Rodriguez. This expanded group, described as Mark III, recorded the year-end extended play Naglalarong Ilaw, an independent release.
As a fitting counterpoint to HUMANFOLK's performance in November 2010 when they were launched at the Ayala Museum — the music of HUMANFOLK was once again presented in a 2-hour Ayala Museum retrospective concert in November 2023, entitled "Indigenous Legacies" hosted by the Filipinas Heritage Library.
Personnel Eponymous 1st album Johnny Alegre – guitars, bungkaka, piano, tambourine, vocals Cynthia Alexander – guitars, bass, agung, vocals, bungkaka, tongatong Malek Lopez – computer, sound design, keyboards Roberto Juan Rodriguez – drum kit, cajón, bongos Susie Ibarra – kulintang, kulintang a kayo, drum kit, vocals and handclaps Abby Clutario – vocals, keyboards, Chapman Stick
Mark II Johnny Alegre – guitars, percussion, vocals Abby Clutario – vocals, keyboards, Chapman Stick Yuna Reguerra (1) – bass Rodney Vidanes (2) – bass Paolo Manuel (1) – drums Zach Lucero (2) – drums
Mark III Johnny Alegre – guitars, percussion, vocals Kris Gorra Dancel – vocals, rhythm guitar, Abby Clutario – vocals, keyboards, Chapman Stick Rodney Vidanes – bass Zach Lucero – drums Malek Lopez – computer, sound design, keyboards Deej Rodriguez – percussion
Mark IV Johnny Alegre – guitars, percussion, vocals Kris Gorra Dancel – vocals, rhythm guitar, Abby Clutario – vocals, keyboards, Chapman Stick Tusa Montes – kulintang, sarunai, percussion
Mark V Johnny Alegre – guitars, percussion, vocals Abby Clutario – vocals, keyboards Tusa Montes – Maguindanao percussion Mlou Matute – Kalinga-Apayao percussion Yan Bagay Cruz – bass Paolo Manuel – drums Eric Tubon – electronic percussion
Discography
YearTitleLabelType2011Humanfolk MCA Universal Studio album2011"Para sa Tao" (radio edit) MCA Universal Single2014Epiphany Independently released Extended play2015Naglalarong Ilaw Independently released Extended play
Videography Title Musicians Director Producer Category Year Country Para Sa Tao Abby Clutario, vocals, keyboards & Chapman Stick ♦ Johnny Alegre, acoustic guitar ♦ Cynthia Alexander, bass ♦ Malek Lopez, electronics Daphne Oliveros PH AFFINITY Productions music video 2011 Philippines Hexagram II 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 Philippines Himig Ng Pasko Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars & percussion ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums JM Quiblat PH AFFINITY Productions music video 2014 Philippines Naglalarong Ilaw 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 Philippines Indiemand Johnny Alegre, guitars ♦ Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Deej Rodriguez, percussion Pamela Carbonell The Filipino Channel music video 2019 Philippines
Awards Year Award giving body Venue Category Nominated work Results201225th Awit AwardsGloriettaBest World Music RecordingPara Sa Tao201225th Awit AwardsGloriettaBest Jazz RecordingPara Sa Tao
References
External links
Humanfolk on All About Jazz Humanfolk on ReverbNation Johnny Alegre with Danongan Kalanduyan