Being an avid music fan, need not be complicated in terms of listening and playing them. When you are a music disciple, there is no genre better over the other.
Meet Pete Canzon an exemplary Saxophonist for more than 5 decades. “I was born and raised in Cubao, Quezon City. Studied in Quezon City High School where Joey Smith was a classmate”, says Pete. His mother, a pianist, influenced him in his younger days. He would grew up with the music of the Beatles, Dave Clark 5, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Bob Dylan and jazz icons like Parker & Hawkins.
A self taught saxophonist, Pete had groups in the early 70's like Xenelasia Jazz Band, Genesis Jazz Group whose members Edgar Avenir, Jun Viray, Jaime Fabregas, Carlitos Calaguian & Bong Sotto. “Our group went to Malaysia and Singapore. In Singapore, I joined the Union Brown Band and went to Osaka Japan for 3 years, then went to New York & perform at Lush Life in Bleaker St., Greenwich Village, uptown then off to Washington D.C.”, remembers Pete.
Pete also performed and jammed with early Pinoy Rock bands in the 70’s. “I frequent Olongapo City that time with Anakbayan with Edmon Fortuno, Sampaguita, Gary Perez, Resty Fabunan, Heber Bartolome, Wally Gonzales, Lolita Carbon and many more”, reminisces Pete. He played with Freddie Aguilar for 20 years.
A veteran of many concerts and gigs, Pete’s most memorable was his performance with Stan Getz in Blues Alley in Georgetown U.S.A. Locally, he has shown his wares with local legends in Jazz with the late Jacqui Magno and Rico Puno. He also enjoyed jamming Lito Molina, Richard Merk, Raymond Lauchenco, Mitch Valdez, Ronnie Lazaro, Bong Sotto and others.
It was an ultimate irony, that, what he wanted to do most almost did him in. Last year, Pete had a close call with a freak accident while performing live on air via radio performance. “During broadcast, the studio caught fire and I was trapped inside the booth! I was in the ICU for 5 days due to serious smoke inhalation”, reveals Pete.
Notwithstanding his brush with the angel of death, Pete continued with his passion and in month’s time, he is up and about and went on with his usual stance in music. Currently, his band The Pete Canzon Group consists of the best sessionist in the music scene nowadays with Norman Ferrer on keyboards, Robert James Torres on guitar, Dennis Glenn Fabunan on bass & Powee Canzon on drums. “My original drummer is Nelson Gonzales who is now busy renovating Tago Jazz Cafe. At the moment the group performs Tuesdays at Good Guys Steak & Jazz & Saturdays at Fernandina 88 Suites Hotel at 1572 Bar Restaurant”, shares Pete.
Pete have recorded and uploaded many original music to date and it is still accessible at Jamendo and Youtube. Although he intends to do an album for his legacy this year & next, this time for radio broadcast. When not blowing in his saxophone, he busies himself painting, sketching and sculpturing.
He wants to impart his talent to budding musicians and leave his legacy as such. His tip to aspiring musicians? “Listen to your heart and make your own style and approach in any genre you are in”, imparts Pete.
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