# Johnny Alegre

Juan Bautista H. Alegre III (born June 4, 1955), known professionally as Johnny Alegre, is a jazz guitarist and composer from Manila, Philippines. He leads the jazz group Johnny Alegre Affinity and the world music group Humanfolk.

## Biography
### Career

Alegre studied composition at the University of the Philippines College of Music in the latter 1970s. He was a founding member of the U.P. Jazz Ensemble. He participated in workshops by composer Erhard Karkoschka, guitarist Ike Isaacs, and composer Chou Wen-chung.
In May 2002, Alegre formed the Johnny Alegre Affinity with bassist Colby de la Calzada, drummer Koko Bermejo, pianist Elhmir Saison, and saxophonist Tots Tolentino. Their first recorded work, "Stones of Intramuros", written by Alegre, was included in the limited edition Philippine jazz anthology Adobo Jazz: A Portrait of the Filipino as a Jazz Artist (Vol. 1).
The self-titled album Johnny Alegre Affinity was released in the Philippines in mid-2005 by Candid Records Philippines; and was rereleased in England the same year by Candid Records (UK) for global distribution as Jazzhound. This was followed by performances at the PizzaExpress Jazz Club in London with guest saxophonist, Dimitri Vassilakis.
During 2006 and 2007, Alegre and Affinity worked on Eastern Skies, an album of original compositions with the Global Studio Orchestra conducted by Gerard Salonga. In 2009 MCA released Johnny Alegre 3, a trio album with Ron McClure (bass) and Billy Hart (drums). Alegre was MCA's first jazz act from the Philippines. In 2014, MCA released a compilation of highlights from Alegre's Candid Records recordings, entitled Stories.
In 2008, Alegre recorded Humanfolk, the name of an album and a band formed with percussionist Susie Ibarra, drummer Roberto Juan Rodriguez, Cynthia Alexander, and Malek Lopez. For Humanfolk he wrote "Para Sa Tao" based on the Baybayin letters of the Tagalog language.
Alegre is profiled in the books The Great Jazz Guitarists by Scott Yanow and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, Second edition (Volume 7).
In November 2023, a retrospective of Alegre's urban folk compositions for Humanfolk were featured in a 2-hour recital at the Ayala Museum, hosted by the Filipinas Heritage Library. The recorded music of Johnny Alegre, including his independently produced works, is aggregated by The Orchard, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment.

### Family

Johnny Alegre is the youngest surviving grandchild of the late Senator Juan Bautista Alegre y Levantino, senator who represented the Philippines's 6th senatorial district to the 6th and 7th Philippine Legislatures. The family genealogy of Johnny Alegre is descended from Carlist exiles from Spain to the Philippines and intermarried with Filipinos. His paternal grandmother, Amanda ("Aimee") Alegre née Sargent, is descended from the early Sargent family of New England.

## Other personas

Johnny Alegre is a member of FILSCAP and tenured with the Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival as a consultant. He is an active Wikimedian advocate that includes WikiProject Jazz. As Juan Bautista H. Alegre, he is a Rotary Club past president (Makati Rockwell, Rotary International District 3830), and was conferred a Paul Harris fellowship.

## Discography

| Album | Catalog/UPC No. | Label | Year |
| Stones of Intramuros (single) Track 9 Adobo Jazz: A Portrait of the Filipino as a Jazz Artist, Vol. 1 | | IndiRa | 2002 |
| Johnny Alegre AFFINITY | CAN-KC-5001 | Candid | 2005 |
| Jazzhound (UK release) | CCD 79842 | Candid | 2005 |
| Jazzhound (radio edit, single) Track 4 Environmentally Sound: A Select Anthology of Songs Inspired by the Earth | | WWF | 2006 |
| Eastern Skies | CAN-KC-5006 | Candid | 2007 |
| Johnny Alegre 3 | UPC:00600753200070 | MCA | 2009 |
| Mammals | Japan Music Week | PH AFFINITY Productions | 2010 |
| Humanfolk | UPC:00600753330432 | MCA | 2011 |
| Stories | UPC:00602537694600 | MCA | 2014 |
| "ILWY" (vinyl) | HOURGLASS001 | Hourglass | 2020 |
| Johnny Alegre AFFINITY (2LP) | JAA-001-BR | Backspacer | 2022 |
| Johnny Alegre 3 (2LP) | JA3-001-BR | Backspacer | 2024 |

## Videography
### Johnny Alegre Affinity

| Title | Musicians | Director | Producer | Genre | Year | Venue |
| Jazz in Time: Commemorative Concert XII | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax | Fritz Ynfante | Upsilon Sigma Phi | jazz concert | 2003 | U.P. Theater |
| Jazzhound official music video | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax | Fritz Ynfante (concert footage) Wilfred Galila (video montage) | Mowelfund PH AFFINITY Productions | music video | 2005 | Mowelfund |
| 3rd Manila Jazz Festival | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Simon Tan, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax | Angela Poblador | Jewelmer International Corporation | jazz concert | 2005 | Greenbelt Theater |
| Pinoy Jazz: The Story of Jazz in the Philippines | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, piano ♦ Tots Tolentino, alto sax | Collis Davis | Richie Quirino, Collis Davis | documentary | 2006 | U.P. Theater |
| Fête de la Musique 2011 | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, electric bass ♦ Mar Dizon, drums | Franz Lawrence Tan | Fête de la Musique | jazz concert | 2011 | The Fort BGC, Taguig |
| Tiendesitas Super Jazz Weekend | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Yuna Reguerra, electric bass ♦ Wendell Garcia, drums ♦ Elhmir Saison, keyboards | Dondi Santos | Tiendesitas | jazz concert | 2014 | Tiendesitas |
| Beacon Call | Johnny Alegre, guitar ♦ Colby dela Calzada, contrabass ♦ Koko Bermejo, drums ♦ Joey Quirino, piano ♦ Ria Villena-Osorio, orchestration ♦ Gerard Salonga, conductor | MCA Music Philippines | PH AFFINITY Productions | sampler | 2014 | MCA Music Philippines |
| Manila Jazz | Interviews with Johnny Alegre, Tots Tolentino, Elhmir Saison, Mar Dizon, (seen: Colby dela Calzada) | Richard Villamor | Richard Villamor | documentary | 2013 | Greater Manila Area |

### Humanfolk

| Title | Musicians | Director | Producer | Category | Year | Venue |
| Para Sa Tao | Abby Clutario, vocals, keyboards & Chapman Stick ♦ Johnny Alegre, acoustic guitar ♦ Cynthia Alexander, bass ♦ Malek Lopez, electronics | Daphne Oliveros | PH AFFINITY Productions | music video | 2011 | Greater Manila Area |
| Hexagram II | Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars & percussion ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums ♦ Frances Escapé, percussion | Perth Salva | PH AFFINITY Productions | live in the studio | 2013 | Perthman Studios, San Juan, Manila |
| Himig Ng Pasko | Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars & percussion ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums | JM Quiblat | PH AFFINITY Productions | music video | 2014 | Infinitif Studios |
| Naglalarong Ilaw | Kris Gorra Dancel, vocals & rhythm guitar ♦ Johnny Alegre, guitars ♦ Abby Clutario, keyboards & harmonies ♦ Rodney Vidanes, bass ♦ Zach Lucero, drums ♦ Deej Rodriguez, percussion | Phillip Miguel Luis & Lycylle Bianca Tse Cawaling | PH AFFINITY Productions | music video | 2015 | Infinitif Studios |
| Indiemand | Johnny Alegre, guitars ♦ Abby Clutario, keyboards & vocals ♦ Deej Rodriguez, percussion | Pamela Carbonell | The Filipino Channel | music video | 2019 | Pasig City Wildlife Reserve |

## Awards

| Year | Award |
| 1974 | Don Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature, One-Act Play (English) Division, 2nd Place |
| 1982 | Foremost Exponent of Jazz awarded by the Philippine Ministry of Tourism at the 1st Cebu Jazz Festival |
| 2006 | Award Of Excellence for Exemplary Musicianship by WWF Philippines for his musical support of the "For A Living Planet" advocacy. |
| 2010 | Plaque of Appreciation for his musical support of the Climate Change advocacy from a combined Oxfam and Dakila initiative. |
| 2012 | Awit Awards, Best World Music Recording, Humanfolk, Philippine Association of the Record Industry |
| 2013 | Icon Award, 8th Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival |
| 2013 | Best Performer Award, Kansai Music Conference |
| 2014 | Aliw Awards, Best Instrumentalist |
| 2014 | Living the Credo Award, Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association |
| 2016 | Outstanding Professional Award, Superbrands Philippines Council |
| 2019 | Inspiring Leadership Award, Rotary International District 3830 |
| 2019 | Paul Harris Fellow, The Rotary Foundation |

## Paternal line

Ancestors of Johnny Alegre :

## Images

* Historical emblem of the Alegre family of Villarroya de los Pinares
* Johnny Alegre at his mother's corporate retirement, with the Zobel family
* Johnny Alegre at the 2015 Wikimedia Conference in Berlin
* Johnny Alegre at the 2014 Waray Wikipedia, 11th Sunrise Festival
* Johnny Alegre's maiden HUMANFOLK project
* Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales and Johnny Alegre pose for a photo in Wikimania 2023, Singapore