Outspoken Saxophonist Pete Canzon

By Oggie Medina

Saxophonist and painter Pete Canzon never stops playing music every day. He spends most of the time with his sax working out his music and he paints most days of the week.

“That is my daily life routine,” he candidly says to this columnist.

He adds, “Unless, I get some business errands in between for a break.”

Pete fondly admits he gets into music through the inspiration from his pianist mother when he was still in elementary school. The rest is self-study by dint of hardwork, patience and dedication.

“I am from Manila but my parents are from Quezon. I studied at the University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas,” he says.

He reiterates that he plays music as a “passion and entertainment, not much of money making but a lot of love and understanding to gain.”

He continues: “The Philippines has truly the best musicians. This time we are flourishing and they are all over the place and in other countries as well as building a stronger influence and future.”

In his many years in the music world, he has been in Asia, America and Europe — mostly in a tour with the late OPM icon Freddie Aguilar for 20 years.

He is now 75 years old and his life still dwells in art and music.

He concludes this interview in a serious tone: “When you talk about the creative industry in the Philippines, you mean government- manipulated bureaucracy and political handcrafted projects? It doesn’t color the scene at all. You find the true ones in the street and you speak in easy bars and joints continuously advocating genuine creations.”

Last June 28, Sunday, several artists joined the Trillion March protest, or the White Ribbon Movement rally against corruption to express their sentiments.