Today we’d like to introduce you to Jireh Calo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m a Filipina artist-educator born and raised in Manila, Philippines. I am mostly known as a singer-pianist, composer, arranger and improviser. Aside from making music, I am passionate about music education, being deeply involved with my community, and using the arts to connect and uplift people.
Growing up, the house always alive with sound and song. From what my mother recalls, I started singing almost as soon as I could talk. When I was 6, my mom brought home a baby grand piano and that’s when I started tinkering around the keys, teaching myself by ear and coming up with my own songs. Never having formal lessons as a child, I never really felt the pressure to be or sound like anything; I was free to explore.
That sense of freedom stayed with me as I grew older but it wasn’t until I got into jazz at age 14 that I began to dig in deeper and find my musical direction. At age 17, I made my debut into the Manila music scene after performing with my sister’s band at the 2012 Boy Katindig Jazz Competition. Being the youngest participant in the competition, I caught the attention of jazz pianist Boy Katindig himself and he eventually became one of my first music mentors. His mentorship encouraged me a lot and I started venturing out more on my own. A year later I formed my own jazz-fusion band, The Jireh Calo Project and got to explore my sound more and develop my skills as a bandleader, composer, and arranger.
After a year of being a full-time performing artist, I left the Philippines in January 2015 to pursue my first formal music education at Berklee College of Music. I graduated last year with a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production and am currently a master’s student at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The bumps on the road are part of the journey! I really do believe that struggles can help us grow into the people we’re meant to be if we allow them to teach us. Out of the biggest struggles have come the biggest lessons.
During my last year at Berklee, for example, I had to do a fundraising campaign to raise enough money for my last semester. To do that, I had to share my story and get personal with people. It’s not easy to be vulnerable to people but I had to face that fear in order to overcome it. I released a video on Facebook that went viral in my network, launched a GoFundMe page, organized two concerts at my church, and recorded and released my 2nd EP “Solid Ground” (with the help of producer Tony Molica). Friends back home even organized their own series of fundraising events around Manila on my behalf.
In the end, not only was I able to raise enough funds for school, but I also got to experience the incredible love, generosity, and kindness of the people around me. By letting go of the fear of being open and vulnerable, I learned to share life with people more.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
A personal project that I’ve been working on is digging deeper into my roots and exploring my voice as a global Filipina artist. I’ve been doing a lot of research on indigenous music and culture in the Philippines and connecting with contemporary Filipino scholars and musicians while also studying different world cultures and immersing myself in global jazz. It’s an ongoing process and I’m excited to see where it leads my music and my work as an educator.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To live life to the fullest and to help others do the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jirehcalomusic.com
- Email: bookings@jirehcalomusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jirehcalo/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jirehcalo.official/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/jirehcalo
Image Credit:
Koo Chung, Devin Ferreira
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