Saxing Around With Keith: The Sax-Kuwentuhan of Ketong

Episode 8: Farewell to the Colossus - A Tribute to Sonny Rollins

This week, we say goodbye to the Saxophone Colossus. Sonny Rollins - the last of the jazz gods - has left the stage. And for anyone who plays the saxophone, this loss cuts deep. In this extended tribute episode, Keith shares how he discovered Sonny late (thanks to Manila's smooth jazz radio scene), what makes his sound so impossible to replicate, and why his legacy goes far beyond the notes he played. **What You'll Hear:** • The Invisible Giant - Why Sonny wasn't on Manila's jazz radio in the '90s • The Battle of the Horns - Buescher vs. Selmer, Otto Link vs. Berg Larsen • Overtone Mastery - The deceptive simplicity of "Alfie's Theme" and "St. Thomas" • The Warrior Spirit - The Opus 40 jump story (he broke his heel and kept playing!) • Fearless Evolution - From bebop to avant-garde without hesitation • The Sabbatical Master - Williamsburg Bridge, India, and the courage to walk away • The 9/11 Concert - Six blocks from Ground Zero, four days later he played • Pulmonary Fibrosis - How the Colossus found grace when he lost his voice • The Piano-Less Trio - Why Sonny didn't need chords to create a world of sound • The Controversial Take - Why Keith prefers Sonny over Coltrane (it's the fun factor) This episode is reverent, personal, educational, and deeply emotional. It's a celebration of a life spent in service to the music. **Mentioned Albums:** - Saxophone Colossus - The Bridge - Way Out West - Our Man in Jazz - East Broadway Run Down - Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert - Next Album If you play saxophone, or if you just love jazz, this one's for you. Rest in power, Sonny Rollins. The echo of your horn on the Williamsburg Bridge will never fade. --- **Contact:** saxingkeith@gmail.com **YouTube:** @JustSaxingWithKeith

Episode 7 - The Manila Blues - Parallel Universes, Hidden Lineages, and the sound that was always yours

Keith discovers the Manila blues scene he never knew existed — even though he was literally in the same neighborhood, sometimes in the same venues, just on the wrong nights. From Binky Lampano and Dean's December at Red Rocks while Keith was at Birdland watching jazz. To 70's Bistro Sundays he never attended. To Martini's at the Mandarin Oriental where he knew more blues than the band. To the Birdland-to-Ozone Disco tragedy that took 162 lives one month after he left the country. Plus: the complete Manila Blues Taxonomy — BINO, BIVO, BIB, TBR, and a fifth category Keith is coining tonight. The four-district map. The family tree. And why your identity doesn't require having been in the room where it happened. The episode ends with the first installment of the Filipino Blues Suite: "Magtanim ay Di Biro" — a Filipino folk song about planting rice, played as Delta blues. Solo. Raw. The way it starts before the band joins in. The blues was always in the soil. We just didn't know what to call it. Tribute to Binky Lampano, Eddie Katindig, and the Filipino blues pioneers who created art in the margins.

Episode 6: Learning Blues in a Vacuum

Keith shares how he learned to play blues saxophone without a teacher, a local scene, or even YouTube. From Ray Charles's "The Right Time" to a bootleg cassette tape featuring Muddy Waters and Big Mama Thornton, Keith traces his blues education from Manila in the 1990s — through years of playing in a vacuum — to his current deep dive into blues saxophone through SaxSchool.online and his transcription project: David "Fathead" Newman's "Hard Times." Along the way, he talks about the honking and growling techniques that define the blues saxophone sound, the challenge of playing blues on alto when most blues is played on tenor, his discoveries of Earl Bostic and Vi Redd, and why he still sings Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" at karaoke — never Elvis's version.

Episode 5: The Multi-Instrumentalist - Gear, Grooves, and the Jam

Keith and Dr. Anton Marquinez continue their conversation with Part 2 - diving deep into Anton's journey as a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, keyboards, saxophone, and the Brazilian cuica drum!), the legendary Iskul Bluekol cover band days, and a full gear shootout comparing Selmer Mark VIs to Yamaha 62 Purple Logos.

Episode 4 - Day Job, Night Gig - How Busy Professionals Make Time for Music

How do you balance the high-stakes world of neurology with the rhythmic demands of jazz? In Part 1 of this special "Sax-Kuwentuhan," Keith sits down with longtime friend, neurologist, and Jazzilog saxophonist Dr. Anton Marquinez. Anton shares his fascinating journey from growing up in the Philippines with Mike Ruivivar to building a medical career in the US—all while teaching himself to play the saxophone after starting out on the guitar. We dive into the mindset required to master a new instrument during medical school and the discipline of maintaining a "night gig" groove while working a demanding "day job." Highlights of this episode include: * The Origin Story: Anton’s childhood friendship with Mike Ruivivar and their shared musical roots. * The Transition: From guitar to sax—the challenges of being a self-taught horn player in the middle of medical training. * The "Day Job, Night Gig" Balance: Real-world advice on making time for music when life gets busy. * The Cuica Demo: A special look (and listen) at the unique Brazilian friction drum that adds a whole new dimension to the rhythm. Whether you're a busy professional trying to find time for your instrument or a gear-head interested in the "Jazzilog" sound, this episode is packed with insights on passion, discipline, and the joy of "saxing around." --- Join the conversation: Just keep on saxing around. #SaxingAroundWithKeith #SaxKuwentuhan #Jazzilog #AntonMarquinez #DayJobNightGig #Saxophone #NeurologyAndMusic #Cuica #BuescherToYamaha