Leslie Damaso, Jason Kutz & Michael Koszewski

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Juan Miranda

Kundiman, the traditional folk music of the Philippines, was developed as a means to covertly resist Spanish colonial rule. Sweet melodies and lyrics about love conveyed messages about the desire for freedom. Philippine-born, Mineral Point singer Leslie Damaso will perform alongside pianist Jason Kutz and percussionist Michael Koszewski.

press release:  Wisconsin based singer and pianist Leslie Damaso will present kundiman (Philippine art songs) from their recently released album, May Laya (There is Freedom). Jason Kutz will also perform a suite of his originals. This show will also feature percussionist, Michael Koszewski.

Kundiman (written from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s) emerged as a reaction to the Spanish colonization of the Philippines for 333 years. They are about love, patriotism, war, the lament and longing for an idyllic past or things that may never be reached.

Damaso was born in the Philippines and came to the United States at age eleven. She grew up in Champaign-Urbana and went on to study at Illinois where she received a bachelor of arts degree in vocal performance.

“For people like me who are part of the Filipino diaspora, the question of identity or home is

challenging to define. Though I am an American citizen, how is it that I’m also Filipino? How do I make sense of the effects of war, political corruption, colonization, and religion from the country where I was born?

There are these songs. You encounter people and places that comfort and inspire. And you create this unique collage which makes a home that you never imagined you could have. When something as beautiful comes out of struggle, I want to share it.”

Jason Kutz grew up in rural Kiel, Wisconsin. He studied recording technology and music business at UW-Oshkosh, and received a master’s in piano performance at UW-Madison. He works in Madison as a pianist, composer, teacher, arranger, artist, graphic designer, and sound engineer. He writes and performs in a contemporary classical quartet called Mr. Chair (mrchairmusic.com) and an electric jazz trio, Bad Philosopher. His musical interests lie wholly within and between the classical and jazz worlds. His greatest interest is discovering and blending these borders, and using them as fuel for each musical project. “All music is constructed with the same building blocks, and it's only with small changes in formula that genre and affect differ.”

Price: Student $15, Adults $25