Friday, August 9, 2019

Meet Jazzwel Black, the Magician



He is a magician and as far as he knows, he is the only puppeteer in town.

My namesake, a UAE-based Filipino magician, Norman Macalinao said in an interview with the Gulf News, “I just love making people happy. I can make people happy through magic. Every time I see the reaction of people, it means a lot to me.” Magical, isn’t it?

There is a thing called “Black Magic” which is a demonic kind but the surname of this well-known local magician residing in Barangay Tuban in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro is Black. His stage name is Jazzwel Black. He not only a magician but also a party host, vocalist, clown, ventriloquist, rolled into one. Black has been all over the town and some nearby municipalities performing in various events and private functions that has made him a local celebrity of sorts.

He even performed in the indigenous cultural communities of Taobuid when then Councilor now Vice-Mayor Bong Marquez sponsored a children’s party in the boondocks for the Mangyan kids, almost gratis et amore. Wearing a make-up of a clown, he appeared before the kids and they initially ran away shouting, “Bukaw! Bukaw!” (NB: “Bukaw” is “Aswang” in Tagalog). Well, as the saying goes, the show did go on. They loved him and his antics as the show went own for it was a first hand experience for them.

Jazzwel Black is Charlie Concepcion Black in real life and from Dinalupihan, Bataan whose grandfather was a black American. He started as an animal trainer at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in a joint called Subic Safari and later studied magic tricks by himself. In 1998 he did his first performances in magic. Because of life’s hardship in Olongapo, he and his wife, Claudette (nee De la Cruz) who was born and raised in Sablayan, went back to this central town in Occidental Mindoro for a new life and a greener pasture.

Having hard time in farm works and banking on his skills and talents in performing magical shows back in Zambales, he polished his craft like a diamond. From being a clown he became the first puppeteer in the whole province. According to him, “Kahirapan ang nagtulak sa akin na pumasok sa industriya. Walang nagturo sa akin ng pagma-madyik. Pinag-aralan ko ito mula sa panunuod sa iba,” says the magician who idolized and loved to watch the performances of Lance Burton on tapes. Burton is an American stage magician who performed in more than 15,000 shows in Las Vegas and retired in 2010. 

If you want to meet Jazzwel Black in person along with his puppets Cholo, Dodoy and Tonton, including Janny, the monkey doing some acrobats, you may visit his Facebook account provided at the bottom of this page or contact them at CP# 09506641200 and 09271656896.

Just like Normando Macalinao, Jazzwel Black greatly loves making people, especially the kids, happy. Black said that his inspirations are his children and the children in his every show. He further added, “Inspirasyon ko rin ang ngiti at tuwa ng mga bata lalo na ang may kaarawan.” By the way, your Mr. Amazing Performer is a singer too. Black’s magic is not for show but a continuing hard work and dedication. He continues to innovate and enhance his performance and achieve them through life.

Life is like magic. Just as well. It is believing in yourself…

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Photo: Jazzwel Black’s Facebook Account









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