ahon

explorations of a global Filipina artist

©  2019  Jireh  Calo

by Jireh Calo

©  2014  Jireh  Calo

Metro  Manila

©  2014  Phish  Pena

UNRAVEL  my  cultural  and  ancestral roots
REDEEM the  wealth  of  ancestral  knowledge  passed  on  through  oral  traditions
EXPLORE  what  it  means  to  be  a  global  Filipina  artist,

©  Steve  McCurry

living  and  breathing  her  own  history

“ahon”

©  2019  Jireh  Calo

(n.) the rising out of, ascent; disembarkment

a collection of songs reflecting my journey as
an Filipina artist who, in search for her roots,
realized a deeper understanding of the self
and a deeper connection to the world

“Duyan”  by  Nestor  Leynes

Jireh  Calo -­ vox
Daniel  Volovets -­ classical  guitar
Fares  Ishaq -­ nay

Salidumay
(an  arrangement  of  a  prayer  chant  associated  with  the  Igorot  and  
Kalinga  people  of    the  Cordilleras,  Northern  Philippines)

“Oral traditions are living
expressions of human
existence; constantly
adjusting, every version

©  David  Howard

adapting to the context in
which it is being told.”

Jireh  Calo -­ vox &  piano,  post-­production
Jodie  Michael  -­ drums
Jacob  Jezioro -­ double  bass
Daniel  Volovets -­ classical  guitar
Fares  Ishaq -­ nay

“Salidumay” (see  video  file)
video  by  Jireh  Calo

©  2019  Jireh  Calo

T’boli School  of  Living  Traditions (see  video  file)
video  by  Jireh  Calo

“Before the Dawn”
Jireh Calo - vox & acoustic guitar
Luke Norris - sop. sax

“To

sing means to use the soul voice.

It means to say on the breathe the truth
of one’ s power and one’s need,
To breath soul over the thing
that is ailing or in need of restoration.”

Wild Woman

Jireh Calo - acoustic guitar and vox
Jacob Jezioro - double bass
Jodie Michael - drums
Fares Ishaq - nay

In  seeking  to  know  oneself,  we  learn  to  find  our  voice  and  
find  deeper  connections  with  the  world  around  us.  

“Pag-­aalay”
(Sorrow  to  Gratitude)
An  improvisational  piece  based  on  an  emotional  framework  rather  
than  a  musical  one;;  inspired  by  Don  Ellis’  “Despair  To  Hope”  
(‘New  Ideas’  album,  1961).  

(ALL)

Jireh  Calo -­ vocals
Luke  Norris  -­ soprano  sax
Jacob  Jezioro -­ double  bass
Jodie  Michael  -­ drums
Daniel  Volovets -­ classical  guitar  
Fares  Ishaq -­ nay

Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI)
Marco Pignataro - BGJI Managing Director; CE Adviser
Danilo Perez - BGJI Artistic Director
Jerry Leake – committee member; world rhythms mentor
and everyone in the BGJI family
Sessions Musicians (who helped bring the music to life!):
Jodie Michael – drums
Jacob Jezioro – bass
Fares Ishaq – nay
Luke Norris – soprano saxophone
Daniel Volovets – classical guitar
Liz Teutsch – engineering
Community Partners:
PEER Servants (MA)
Revive Community Church (MA)
Center for Community Transformation (Philippines)
Stairway Foundation (Philippines)
Grace Nono (TAO Foundation)
Devin Ferreira
and all the individuals who’ve been a part of my journey!

Maraming salamat!

Sources
Written Sources:
•
•
•

•
•
•

•

TAO Foundation for Culture and Arts. TAO Foundation
for Culture and Arts: About. 2015
http://www.taofoundationph.org/about.html.
Accessed in November, 2018

Estés, Clarissa Pinkola. “Woman Who Run With The
Wolves.” The Random House Publishing Group, 1992,
1995.
Lapiz, Ed. “Pagpapahiyang: Redeeming Culture and
Oral Sources:
Indigenizing Christianity.”
Nono, Grace. Grace Nono: Printfiles. Grace Nono, 2008Grace Nono
2018.
Danilo Perez
http://www.gracenono.com/gracenono/printfiles.ht
Marco Pignataro
ml. Accessed on November 20, 2018.
T’boli School of Living Traditions
Nono, Grace. “The Shared Voices: Chanted and Spoken
Narratives from the Philippines.” Anvil Pub., 2008
Nono, Grace. “Song of the Babaylan: Living Voices,
Medicines, Spiritualities of Philippine Ritualist-OralistHealers.” Institute of Spirituality in Asia, 2013.
Quirino, Richie. Bob Files: Inner Country. Grace Nono,
2008.http://www.gracenono.com/bobaves/index.ht
ml. Accessed on Nov. 28, 2018

Lumawag

©  2019  Eric  Roxas