Bridge Generation News

(Today’s Bridge Generation – now in their 70s, 80s, and 90s – are a rapidly declining population. Over the years, most members of these American born children of the first wave of Filipino immigrants have passed away.  To remember their contributions to the history of Filipinos in America, a deceased BG individual will be a recurring feature of this blog.  This month features Gabe Baltazar, a superb alto saxophonist who performed with some of the finest jazz musicians in the world.)

Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi “Gabe” Baltazar, Jr. was born in Hilo, Hawaii on November 1, 1929 to Chiyoko Haraga, whose Japanese parents immigrated to Hawaii in 1900, and Gabriel Baltazar, Sr., — a multi-reed instrumentalist who left his native Philippines with a musical group in 1926 to entertain the thousands of sakadas that then constituted the major labor force in Hawaii. The elder Baltazar played with the famed Royal Hawaiian Band for more than 30 years. Only the most accomplished musicians played with the famed Royal Hawaiian Band — a testimonial to his talent. When Gabe was eleven, his father bought him a clarinet, which soon was traded in for an alto saxophone.

World War II brought Gabe additional musical influences.  Big bands such as Artie Shaw, Sam Donahue, and Claude Thornhill, often played at USO sponsored events at Hickam Field and other military installations. Also influencing him were nationally known reed musicians Benny Carter, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Willie Smith, and Johnny Hodges. Gabe listened and learned.  In 1945, he was the first recipient of a musical scholarship at the Punahou School of Music.  By age sixteen he already had been playing professionally for two years. The musician that inspired him the most, however, was bop innovator Charlie Parker who he met in New York City.  Young Gabe asked so many questions of “Bird” that it was no accident that his own playing would closely resemble that of the famed alto sax virtuoso.

When the Korean War broke out in June 1950, Gabe was drafted into the U.S. Army and served four years on the American mainland.  Following military service he moved back to Hawaii and got a job playing for the Royal Hawaiian Band alongside his father for several years. He moved to Los Angeles to attend City College on the G.I. Bill.  Gabe eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in music at Los Angeles State University in 1969 but only after years working in gigs with the Lighthouse All-Stars in Hermosa Beach and other numerous L.A. jazz venues — mostly with Japanese American drummer Paul Togawa who he met in the army. (A personal aside: Paul’s daughter Teri was a close high school pal of my daughter Julie in Seattle.)  Together they cut an album Paul Togawa Quartet Featuring Gabe Baltazar.  At the time, he and Paul were two of a tiny number of Asian American jazz musicians.

In 1960 Gabe’s countless SoCal performances got the attention of famed big band leader Stan Kenton who offered him the lead alto sax chair previously occupied by Lee Konitz, Bud Shank, Art Pepper, and Lennie Niehaus. For the next four years, he gained international recognition as a jazz artist traveling the world with Kenton — recording on seventeen critically acclaimed long playing records.  (Incidentally, his younger brother Norman Baltazar played in the band’s excellent trumpet section.)  He left Kenton in 1965 but briefly reunited with him in 1979 when he flew to Los Angeles to be featured on the Stan Kenton presents Gabe Baltazar LP just before Kenton’s untimely death.  After leaving the Kenton band, Gabe worked with jazz luminaries such as trumpet great Dizzy Gillespie, tenor saxophonist/scat singer James Moody, musical arranger Oliver Nelson, and vibraphonist Terry Gibbs. He also was in demand as a lead alto player in concerts featuring Elvis Pressley, Nat “King” Cole, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson, and Mel Torme.  Between 1965 and 1969 he worked extensively in television studio bands, mostly for NBC, backing up The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Jerry Lewis Show, and The Smothers Brothers Show. In 1969 he returned home to Hawaii  to rejoin, and shortly thereafter, become assistant director of the Royal Hawaiian Band where he remained until his retirement in 1985.

Jazz performances were not only Gabe’s musical activity — especially during his retirement years.  He was a long-time member of the Honolulu Symphony.  He  regularly held seminars at local schools, colleges, and universities.  He also performed at special events, such as during President Bill Clinton‘s visit to Hawaii in 1993 and occasional jazz clinics and festivals on the mainland.

I met Gabe in the early 1980s, thanks to my cousins Josie (Tenio) Canion and Rudy Tenio, then living in Los Angeles.  He would often visit them after their move to Northern California, which usually resulted in impromptu jam sessions.  As a no-talent lover of jazz, I considered these jam sessions as not-to-be missed events and loved every minute listening and watching.  He also made time to cut several recordings with Rudy and Josie.  In 1986 I again savored Gabe’s musicianship at a Honolulu night club as he led a jazz quartet consisting of local young talents he mentored.  My last visit with him was in 2006 at the FANHS National Conference in Honolulu.  Gabe passed away on June 12, 2022 at his home in Waialua on Northshore Oahu after an extended illness.  He was 92.  He may be gone but his music will always remain in my jazz collection of records, CDs, and tapes.  Thank you, Gabe, for providing me with many hours of wonderful music.  (Acknowledgements: wikipedia, WBGO-TV, and the blogger’s private collections.)

Here and There:

Bohol Circle past president Bob Balandra was among the dignitaries celebrating the official opening of the Bohol Circle Immigrant Park in Alameda CA on January 21.   Never at a loss for words, the loquacious Bob said, ” I couldn’t believe I was with so many big shots.”………….. Stockton native Dr. Jose Fidel, 80, is the past president and oldest member of the local dental society still in full-time practice. He has no intention of retiring but suggested he might cut down his hours in the near future.

Passings:

Andrea (Dacuyan) Gimeno, 89, died on January 27 in Merced CA after a long illness.  The fourth of six children, she grew up on a farm labor camp operated by her parents in Winton CA.  After graduating from San Francisco State University, subsequent employment took her to various sites in the United States, Spain, and England. Andrea was a founding member of the Central Valley Chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society.

Happy March Birthdays:

Bob Balandra, Eleanor (Engkabo) Paular, Pas Fidel, David Galanida, Evelyn (Guillermo) Agdoma,  Manuel Luna, Rich Tenaza, Ed Ventura

Pinakbet — News Across America

 Filipino American Historical Tidbits:

U.S. Army Sergeant Jose Calugas is the first Filipino American Medal of Honor recipient of World War II for his heroism during a Japanese assault in the battle for Bataan…………. In 1954 Peter Aduja is elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives, the first Filipino to be elected to public office in Hawaii and the United States………… On September 3, 1971: young Filipinos gather in Seattle for the First Filipino Peoples Far West Convention. Subsequent conventions are held in Stockton (1972), San Francisco (1973), and Los Angeles (1974).

Did You Know:

In October more than forty authors from the U.S. and as far away as the Philippines, France, and the United Kingdom exhibited their writings at the Sixth Filipino American International Book Festival at the San Francisco Main Library.  Guided by Filipino American Center director Abraham Ignacio, attendees also toured the Center — the only American library with a dedicated Filipino section………… On January 14 R’Bonney Gabriel of Houston TX was crowned Miss Universe 2022 — the ninth American to win the pageant but only the first of Filipino descent.  Her win was largely based on her answer to the question, “If you win Miss Universe, how would you demonstrate this as an empowering and progressive organization?” A confident Gabriel answered: “I would use it to be a transformational leader. As a very passionate (fashion) designer, I have been sewing for 13 years. I use fashion as a force for good. In my industry, I’m cutting down on pollution through recycling materials when I make my clothing. I teach sewing classes to women who have survived human trafficking and domestic violence.”

Musings

(From) White Supremacy in America, (to) It Has Always Been About People of Color, (to) Equitable Justice for People of Color, (to) Multi-racial Democracy Weakened, (to) Political/Gun Violence) Part XXXIII:

For readers of this column, it should now be crystal clear that mass shootings in America have become normalized.  Not only are People of Color impacted, but other marginalized peoples as well. Why?  To begin with, America by far has most guns in the world.  In a 2018 Small Arms Survey, the U.S. is estimated to have 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, while the next highest country, Yemen, is at 52.8 firearms per 100 residents, and Canada is listed at 34.7!  Moreover, mass shootings in the U.S. for the last three years have exceeded 600 — almost two a day on average! Where there are more firearms, there are more mass shootings! (To be continued in upcoming columns.)