Jazz Vocalist Anna Maria Flechero Reconnects with Her Filipino American Roots
Afro-Filipina Anna Maria Flechero performs at the 2nd Annual S.F. Filipino American Jazz Festival at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on August 8.
El Sobrante, CA, August 06, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Jazz Vocalist and songwriter Anna Maria Flechero’s first CD, Journey Into The Fourteenth Hour (2004) has been described by Jazz Review as “an articulate and serious expression of vocal jazz at its finest” while her second, Within the Fourteenth Hour (2008) has garnered praise from publications including Jazz Police.com (“Anna Maria’s incomparable voice creates a voyage from start to finish.”)
With these types of accolades it is no wonder that Carlos Zialcita, Filipino American member of the group Little Brown Brother and Executive Director of the Filipino American Jazz Festival invited Afro-Filipina Anna Maria Flechero to be one of their featured artists for this year’s concert at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum in San Francisco on August 8th.
Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Anna Maria Flechero is the daughter of a Philippine-born father and African-American mother from Little Rock, Arkansas. While in the US. Military, her father changed his name to “Fletchercin an effort to become "more American." He was not accepted by his family in the Philippines and to some degree from his peers in the United States because he married her mother. In the late 1940’s, interracial marriage was not as acceptable as it is today. Eventually, Anna Maria’s parents separated and though her father was still in her life to some degree, she was raised by her maternal grandmother and essentially separated from that side of her heritage.
Then, in 2008, Carlos Zialcita, co-founder of the Filipino American Jazz Festival contacted Anna Maria, which marked the beginning of her reconnecting with and learning about the Filipino experience in America.
“My mother had Big dreams of making it musically and my father was the funniest man,” Anna Maria recalls. “He had such a great sense of humor and a lot of war stories to tell. He also shared his love for my mother and his sorrow that our lives were as they were. He wanted to teach my brother and me how to speak Tagalog and to know our heritage and culture.” Anna Maria definitely will have an opportunity to tell her Filipina American story through her music on stage August 8th.
About the San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival
The roots of Pinoy jazz in the Bay Area can be traced to early Filipino immigrants who settled in and around the Fillmore District and in Manilatown on Kearny Street next to Chinatown. Pioneers like Flip Nuñez and Rudy Tenio created a legacy which many artists have since followed. Today, Pinoy jazz is gaining wider recognition as artists like Charmaine Clamor earned a spot on the national charts and saxophonist Jon Irabagon won the 2008 Thelonius Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition—the first time a Filipino American has been awarded this honor. The San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival promotes, preserves, and celebrates Filipino American history, art, and culture. It focuses on the unique history and legacy of jazz as performed by Bay Area Filipino American jazz artists. www.sfpinoyjazzfest.com.
About the 2nd Annual San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival
The San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival presents an exciting weekend of Pinoy jazz and an extraordinary line-up of artists to headline their 2nd annual event. Showcased at the evening concert at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum, on Saturday August 8th are the award-winning vocalists, Mon David and Anna Maria Flechero; Grammy-nominated bandleader, composer and flutist John Calloway; and pianist, Tateng Katindig, known as “the Oscar Peterson of the Philippines.” Showtime is at 5pm. Tickets are available at the YBCA Box Office at 415-978-2787 or at www.ybca.org. Performing with Anna Maria Flechero will be Terry Rodriguez, piano; Tim Landis, guitar; Rustee Allen, bass; and Rusty Key Records’ own Larry Vann, drums.
Performing at the 16th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens on Saturday, August 8th will be the Parangal Dance Company, pianist/composer Socorro “Kit” de Castro and vocalist/songwriter Raquel. On Sunday, August 9th the San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival presents vocalist Ann Marie Santos with the Art Khu Trio and Abe Lagrimas, Jr. drummer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. Comedian and community activist Al Manalo will be the Master of Ceremonies for both days. These performances are at 1PM and the admission is free.
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With these types of accolades it is no wonder that Carlos Zialcita, Filipino American member of the group Little Brown Brother and Executive Director of the Filipino American Jazz Festival invited Afro-Filipina Anna Maria Flechero to be one of their featured artists for this year’s concert at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum in San Francisco on August 8th.
Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Anna Maria Flechero is the daughter of a Philippine-born father and African-American mother from Little Rock, Arkansas. While in the US. Military, her father changed his name to “Fletchercin an effort to become "more American." He was not accepted by his family in the Philippines and to some degree from his peers in the United States because he married her mother. In the late 1940’s, interracial marriage was not as acceptable as it is today. Eventually, Anna Maria’s parents separated and though her father was still in her life to some degree, she was raised by her maternal grandmother and essentially separated from that side of her heritage.
Then, in 2008, Carlos Zialcita, co-founder of the Filipino American Jazz Festival contacted Anna Maria, which marked the beginning of her reconnecting with and learning about the Filipino experience in America.
“My mother had Big dreams of making it musically and my father was the funniest man,” Anna Maria recalls. “He had such a great sense of humor and a lot of war stories to tell. He also shared his love for my mother and his sorrow that our lives were as they were. He wanted to teach my brother and me how to speak Tagalog and to know our heritage and culture.” Anna Maria definitely will have an opportunity to tell her Filipina American story through her music on stage August 8th.
About the San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival
The roots of Pinoy jazz in the Bay Area can be traced to early Filipino immigrants who settled in and around the Fillmore District and in Manilatown on Kearny Street next to Chinatown. Pioneers like Flip Nuñez and Rudy Tenio created a legacy which many artists have since followed. Today, Pinoy jazz is gaining wider recognition as artists like Charmaine Clamor earned a spot on the national charts and saxophonist Jon Irabagon won the 2008 Thelonius Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition—the first time a Filipino American has been awarded this honor. The San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival promotes, preserves, and celebrates Filipino American history, art, and culture. It focuses on the unique history and legacy of jazz as performed by Bay Area Filipino American jazz artists. www.sfpinoyjazzfest.com.
About the 2nd Annual San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival
The San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival presents an exciting weekend of Pinoy jazz and an extraordinary line-up of artists to headline their 2nd annual event. Showcased at the evening concert at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum, on Saturday August 8th are the award-winning vocalists, Mon David and Anna Maria Flechero; Grammy-nominated bandleader, composer and flutist John Calloway; and pianist, Tateng Katindig, known as “the Oscar Peterson of the Philippines.” Showtime is at 5pm. Tickets are available at the YBCA Box Office at 415-978-2787 or at www.ybca.org. Performing with Anna Maria Flechero will be Terry Rodriguez, piano; Tim Landis, guitar; Rustee Allen, bass; and Rusty Key Records’ own Larry Vann, drums.
Performing at the 16th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens on Saturday, August 8th will be the Parangal Dance Company, pianist/composer Socorro “Kit” de Castro and vocalist/songwriter Raquel. On Sunday, August 9th the San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival presents vocalist Ann Marie Santos with the Art Khu Trio and Abe Lagrimas, Jr. drummer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. Comedian and community activist Al Manalo will be the Master of Ceremonies for both days. These performances are at 1PM and the admission is free.
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Contact
Anna Maria Flechero, Jazz Vocalist
Ayanna Nsenga
510-222-0883
annamariaflechero.com
Ayanna Nsenga
510-222-0883
annamariaflechero.com
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