Big music trade show in Anaheim draws Filipino DJs, bands, fans

Filipino DJs demo their scratching skills at the Mixars NAMM booth. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

ANAHEIM, California — Typically, more than a hundred thousand music enthusiasts, music store merchants, instrument manufacturers, musical artists and other music-related exhibitors throng to the annual music industry trade show which was held again this year at the Anaheim Convention Center and nearby hotels last Jan. 19-22, 2017.

Among this year’s National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show were a number of Filipino DJs, musicians/entertainers, and a new exhibitor of custom hand made electric bass guitars from Manila, Jon G. De la Cruz.

Filipino well-wishers eager to see De la Cruz’s products surrounded his Elegee Custom Guitars” booth. As a skilled luthier (maker of stringed instruments) De a Cruz is only able to produce a few bass guitars a month, but already he had sold some of his custom creations to well known bass players at the NAMM

Jon G. Dela Cruz (red hat) is surrounded by supporters as he brings his Philippine handmade bass guitars to the NAMM show for the first time and connects with the music industry. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

show. He is very proud of his quality instruments completely made in the Philippines. Apparently, the only other Filipino to have a NAMM booth previously (in the 1980s) was Ramon Jacinto aka “RJ” who also produced RJ Guitars and is still an active businessman in the Philippines.

Many Filipino musicians and entertainers also make the NAMM Show an annual spring ritual to reunite. Among them this year were George Rossi and Pat Devera, who back in the 1970s, were in the popular Los Angeles garage bands Barkada and Windfield Summit. These bands used to play at Filipino and Asian American youth and college dances. Both Rossi and Devera today continue to entertain at weddings,

San Francisco area, DJ Deeandroid, aka Diane Medina, gets her daughters started early in the business. Her group Scratchpad aims to preserve hiphop culture and encourage the next generation of artists. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

senior facilities and company parties. They were at the NAMM Show looking for instruments, lighting equipment and electronics. They also caught up with musician brothers Richard and Robert Manzanares who played in another garage band called Bittersweet many years ago.

DJ Icy Ice and several other Filipino American DJs showcased their turntable skills on the Saturday night “DJ Mix & Greet” at Dave and Busters Restaurant in nearby Orange, California. Also showing their DJ skills and demoing on the NAMM exhibit floor at the Mixars booth were other Filipino DJs including Mr. Vibe and DJs FlipFlop and Patrick “PTrix” Arriola.

Pat DeVera and George Rossi try out ukuleles and guitars at the Ibanez NAMM booth (no relation to the writer). INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

Seen checking the equipment at the Mixars booth with her two daughters was DJ Deeandroid, aka Diane Medina, who rolls with the all-female DeeJay Crew Peaches in the San Francisco Bay Area. Medina is a co-founder of Skratchpad Worldwide. Its mission: To help preserve Hip Hop culture, elevate the art of deejaying, and connect music, culture and people.

Medina’s advice to young women interested in a DJ career: “Practice a lot; it takes a lot of time and patience and dedication to build skills and I would recommend learning the foundations — how to mix, beat match, scratch — not just collecting MP3s.” She also firmly believes in collecting vinyl.

As musicians, entertainers, DJs or instrument makers, Filipinos are using the NAMM Show to their advantage to showcase, learn, represent and connect within the music industry as professionals.