Geektarista

Aya Yuson is a Jazz Musician and guitar player known for his creativity and deep knowledge of music theory. Although he did play mainstream music with the likes of bands like Freeverse and Kulay. Aya is better known and recognized for being the guitarist of the band Wdouji (together with Koko Bermejo on drums, Simon Tan on bass, and Ronald Tomas on Saxophone) with whom they released the album “Ground Zero”. In 2008 he released his Album “Angelsong” and showed everyone that Pinoy Jazz lives on. Very well respected and held in high regard by the who’s who of the guitar community, he has been a teacher to some of the best guitarists and musicians in the country today (with the likes of Janno Queyquep, Kakoy Legaspi, Caren Mangaran, Coco Coo, Lei Bautista, Chino Singson, Tinnie Esguerra, Carlos Tañada, Joey Ayala, and many more). You really can’t talk about the Philippine Jazz scene without talking about Aya. Just like the psychedelic plant “Ayahuasca”…you need to open your mind, take the trip, and be blown away. Geektarista Intro and Outro Music Credits "Pandemica" Gino Aguas https://open.spotify.com/album/6HGGpeKudzn5pIENW8GJG9?si=r1zffs4cSJmjsR3oICYHow Episode Cover Photo CTTO

Kakoy is known to be one of the top guitarists in the whose  played with some of the most popular bands and musicians in the country. He's cut his teeth in the band scene by playing with Mr.Crayon where he's built a reputation as a scorching blues and blues rock guitar player covering tunes from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan. As his experience and playing evolved, it's not a surprise how his talent and musicianship was recognized. He's played with the likes of the Blue Jean Junkies, Barbies Cradle, Peryodiko, Dong Abay and has done numerous session work and even sideman projects for bands like Imago and Sandwich. His musical progression and expanded view of music can clearly be heard in the "progressive" band Salindiwa for the 2006 Album One. Although is musical expression and understanding is known to be quite deep and varied, he is better known to have been a member of RiverMaya (who helped pushed the alternative rock scene in the 90's). He was part of the second evolution of the band with Rico Blanco as lead vocalist. Their music videos time at the time of his stint with the band has won the favorite group video awards for MTV Pilipinas in 2002 and 2003. Kakoy who now plays with Bamboo Mañalac (former frontman of Rivermaya) also makes music with other bands and groups together with teaching guitar. His love for music and expressing himself through his art transcends the need for recognition or fame. Maybe Kaki Shankar is the guitar hero we need. Geektarista Intro and Outro Music Credits "Pandemica" Gino Aguas  https://open.spotify.com/album/6HGGpeKudzn5pIENW8GJG9?si=r1zffs4cSJmjsR3oICYHow

You have seen him play everything from metal, hard shuffling blues tunes, and jazz and has inspired students from all over (from the Philippines to North America). He is a guitar teacher, session guitarist, and side man who has been part of the Philippine guitar scene and has played with the likes of AfterImage, Ely Buendia(etc.) and the band Apartel. Coco is currently working on an instrumental album entitled “Skeleton”, collaborating with musicians such as Janno Kweykep, Dan Gil, Nathan Azarcon, Bea Lao, Rommel Dela Cruz, Reli De Vera, Boyet Aquino, and RJ Pineda, to name a few. He is very articulate , knowledgeable, and experienced as a guitar player. His focus now is really about learning and improving himself and being able sharing his guitar knowledge through his online classes. If you want to breakthrough to the next level of your guitar journey as a beginner or intermediate guitarist, Coco Coo is the guy for you.

Jazz guitar great and multi-instrumentalist Rey Infante keeps the bebop flame alive in a career that has spanned decades. His versatility and wide musical range has allowed him to play in cover bands in the early part of his career in the Philippines, Asia, even Europe as a guitarist, vocalist, and pianist before focusing solely on Jazz. Rey has performed at the World Youth Jazz Festival in 2017 and 2018 and is definitely the name often associated with Bebob in the country. He has performed with famed jazz artists like the famed bebop jazz organist Tony Monaco at the Bacolod Jazzfest in 2018, the grammy award winning latin maestro Edsel Gomez, and blues legend Jimmy Witherspoon. He has also released an album called “Contemplations” with his band The Rey Infante Trio. Playing a right hand guitar even being left handed has not deterred Rey from being recognized as one of the best guitar players of his generation by jazz purists and his peers. In a world that recognizes jazz guitar as a complex form of music, he makes it seem so effortless.

He is known to have been one of the first members of the premiere band SIDE A and is one of the founding members of the band ArtStart known for songs like: Misty Glass Window, Panaginip, and Danielle. Since then he has moved on to playing for Southborder, working on his solo career with Pido and Take One, and has played abroad as the main guitarist for the Motown legend Bobby Taylor (who was most notable for discovering and mentoring The Jackson 5). Pido currently performs as a solo artist and also with his Steely Dan tribute band the Blackcows. You would be familiar with him more as a singer song writer but he is well regarded as a killer guitar player among his peers!

For almost 20 years Cezar (also fondly called Chief or Chiep in the industry) has played with the "Mega Band" of Sharon Cuneta at the height of her career in music and show business as the main guitar player & arranger for The Sharon Cuneta show. Cezar has recorded for most if not ALL of the most popular singers and musicians in the country,  as guitarist and/ or arranger, which comprises an enviable list  that includes the likes of: Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez, Leah Salonga, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Janno GIbbs, Ogie Alcasid, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Lani Misalucha, Ariel Rivera, Sarah Geronimo, Ice Seguerra, Pops Fernandez, Agot Isidro (having produced her “Winds of Change” album as well), Zsa Zsa Padilla, Kuh Ledesma, Randy Santiago, Gino Padilla, Side A, Jaya, Lloyd Umali, Jamie Rivera, Donna Cruz, Roselle Nava, Noel Cabangon, Mon David, Cesar Montano, Tony Maigue, John Lesaca, and he’s arranged songs for the late Ric Segreto’s compositions for his last album before he passed away due to a motorcycle accident. He has also toured as Regine Velasquez’s main guitartist for the past 20 years in her world concert tours of the USA, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, UAE & Asia. He also toured as Lea Salonga’s guitarist in tours of UAE & Hongkong w/ the Hongkong Philharmonic Orchestra He's done session work for foreign acts like: Michael Johnson, David Pomeranz, Christopher Cross, Patti Austin, Angela Bofill, Phil Perry, Pauline Wilson (of seawind), Stephen Bishop, Kenny Rankin & Rex Smith. Some of his works on TV include: The Sharon Cuneta Show, Sharon, Star In A Million, The Singing Bee, Pinoy Pop Superstar, Popstar Kids, It’s Showtime, Party Pilipinas, Sunday All Stars & The Voice Philippines In 2019 he performed as the only Filipino musician in Lea Salonga's: The Story of My Life (Live from Manila album - with the BYU Chamber Orchestra of Utah) where she sang her broadway and disney hits (ranging  from On My Own from Les Miserables, Reflection from the movie Mulan - Let It Go from the movie Frozen, and Defying Gravity from Wicked). He has also been the guitarist for ABS CBN Philharmonic Orchestra (for the last10 Years) and also the Co-Musical Director for THE VOICE Philippines (for the past 6 Years) If you've heard top 40 pop radio hits in the Philippines from the 90's to present, there's a very high likelihood that he was part of it (either through his arranging or playing).

He has played with premiere bands like the HAYP, Second Wind, Apo Hiking Society (as their resident guitarist), and The Dawn (after the passing of their original guitarist Teddy Diaz). He has worked and collaborated with Pinoy Hip Hop pioneer and widely considered to be the most successful Filipino rapper of all time (Francis Magalona) as a member of his band "Hardware Syndrome". His musical involvement with FrancisM included his stint as the musical director for his TV shows. He is known to be a prolific session player as well and was  known to have recorded an outstanding 450 songs in 1 year in the late 90's, He has performed in the hit broadway musicals (Miss Saigon and Rent) and TV shows like: STAR in a Million and Pinoy Dream Academy.    His session works are with the who's who of the Philippine Music Scene with the likes of: Kuh Ledesma, Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, Jaya, Pops Fernandez, Lani Misalucha, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Sharon Cuneta, SIDE A, Jose Marie Chan, Gary Valenciano, Dulce, Yeng Constantino, and Leah Salonga. Noel has worked as a session guitarist for foreign artists: Fra Lippo Lippi, Patty Austin, Mike Francis, John Ford Coley, David Pack, Julia Fordham, and David Pomeranz. As a solo artist he has released 3 albums so far: HAPPY TO BE ALIVE, HALAGA, and UNFOLDING He is currently the resident guitarist for GMA 7 and Loudbox studios.

He studied in the UP Conservatory of Music and has played in numerous bands throughout his storied career covering blues, rock, folk rock and country and jazz.  Kelly is best known as a founding member, lead guitarist, and award winning artist as a member of the "Philippines Premier Band - SIDE A" for 18 years. Side A has achieved phenomenal success and has earned double and triple platinum sales for albums like the "The WHITE Album",  "The BLUE Album" which has spawned hits like "Hold On" - "Tuloy Pa Rin Ako". Their 1995 album by your side won two awit awards "Best Performance for the song "By Your Side" and "Best Jazz Performance with vocals for "True Love Can Always Wait". Side A's 10th anniversary concert at the Cuneta Astrodome which was recorded as a live album called "SIDE A LIVE! THE 10TH Anniversary Concert" went triple platinum. In 2005 Kelly left the band to move to the US and play in a church band with his brother who is a pastor in Seattle. He was also recruited to play in a big church band (Church of the Nazarene) while also playing in a secular band and did gigs from parties in casinos  entertainment for about a year before coming back to he Philippines. Back home he joined Jimmy Bondoc to form the Kelly Badon Project with Kiko Versoza of Freeverse and made an album with the Sabado Boys (comprising of Jimmy Bondoc, Top Suzara, Paolo Santos, Luke Mejares, Mike Chan, and DJ Myke Salomon).  In September of 2020 the original Side A line-up  re-released a recording  of the song "Di Pa Huli" which is a single as part of the CALESA Bar line-ups reunion project SIDE A REDUX: FIRST ALBUM (which consists of new versions of songs from their eponymous 1989 debut album). Joining us today from Manila is our second guest Kelly Badon! Check out SIDE A REDUX FIRST ALBUM: https://www.facebook.com/sideareduxfirstalbum/

One of the guitarists for the 90's rock band "Hayp", which popularized the song "I'll Wait For You" on the airwaves, Butch Victoriano has done session work and recordings with Top 40 artists such as Martin Nievera, Dingdong Avanzado, and Jaya.  He is an award winning artist and founding member of the band "SouthBorder"- whose songs "Ikaw Nga", "Kahit Kailan", "Love of my Life" and "Rainbow" have garnered more than 170 million listens on Spotify. Butch is currently the main guitar player and musical director for the Arnel Pineda band. Knowing that Butch is someone who learned to play Van Halen songs by ear when he was barely a teenager should be more that enough to inspire you to listen to this episode!