With cut-throat competition among bossa nova female artists since last year, male counterparts were bound to crop up soon enough. So when and where are they? Now and just one. Vicor Music’s recording act, Joaqui, has released solo debut CD titled “The Jazzanova Project” with covers of 11 familiar pop tunes and one original sung with jazzy vocal technique against mostly bossa nova musical arrangement.

In the track list are “Englishman In New York” (promotional song); “There Will Never Be Another You” (popularized locally in the 70’s via Tagalog adaptation, “Ikaw Pa Rin,” by Tito Mina); “Let’s Stay Together;” “Feels So Good;” “Never Let Her Slip Away;” “Do That To Me One More Time;” “Oh Lori;” “Hurt;” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” (duet with R&B Princess Kyla); “The Last Time;” and “Take 5.” “Bored With You,” lone original, was penned by Nyoy Volante.

Joaqui’s sound is far cry from four years ago when he was still part of vocal group 17:28. From R&B, the 23 year old has moved on to jazz by immersing himself into works of such artists as Thelonius Monk, Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis.

His most accessible musical influences-----Harry Connick, Jr, Michael Buble, and Jamie Cullum---- that trickled into “The Jazzanova Project” make Joaqui’s music appealing even to mainstream audience that has embraced the three international crossover artists in recent years. “My being ‘jazz singer’ is more experiential than technical,” says he. “I like and listen to jazz music but don’t think I deserve to be called one-----at least not yet. It will take years of listening and singing to jazz before I credibly imbibe essence of the genre. Meantime I will do my stuff whatever it is.”

He means vocal improvisations only when needed, some scatting, and singing in just the right key. There is no over-reaching in “Jazzanova;” just relaxed, sexy crooning reminiscent of lolls at the beach in flip-flops while sipping margarita or champagne.
Or this parallelism: Coat and tie paired with jeans and sneakers. Cool.

The bossa nova association for Joaqui sprung from several performances with local bossa nova progenitor (at least for this generation), Sitti. It was in one such that Vicor Music big wig, Steven Tan, “discovered” him. “He (Steven) asked me to come to Vicor the next day. Since I haven’t recorded a demo, I sung live and impromptu in his office with a guitarist Steven pulled out from a recording session,” says Joaqui.

Apart from music, Joaqui is into television hosting (“Breakfast Club” on Studio 23 till 2006, “One Cubed” on ABS-CBN), modeling (Analogsoul) and theater acting (“Joseph The Dreamer,” “Pinocchio,” “St Louis Loves Dem Filipinos”). He, too, is budding songwriter having contributed to albums of 17:28 and Ascencion. For the last, Joaqui wrote “Lipad” which was nominated in Awit Awards in the Best Jazz Recording Category.   

Joaqui is a Film student at the University of the Philippines and member of the UP Rowing Team.