Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

FIL-AM Abe Lagrimas Jr. will always remember his favorite and most memorable Christmas present.

He was four years old and his parents gave him a toy drum set.

He’s been banging on the drums since.

"I just remember I couldn’t stop playing it," said Lagrimas Jr.

Fast-forward 22 years later, the now 26-year-old Lagrimas Jr. has become a renowned musician except he’s not only banging the drums.

He strikes a vibraphone and strums a good ukulele too.

And on a cool December Los Angeles evening, Lagrimas Jr. showed jazz and contemporary music fans what he’s all about.

In front of a packed house filled with finger snapping, head bobbing jazz fans, the versatile multi-instrumentalist showed off his skills during the 5th Annual Filipino-American Jazz Festival at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood.

The crowd gave Lagrimas Jr. a rousing ovation after each set when he played a different instrument.

"This is what jazz is all about," said Lagrimas Jr. "The great thing about jazz is you don’t have to fall to a particular ethnic group to really be able to play jazz or enjoy it. It’s just another style of music people can enjoy."

Considered to be one of the most gifted musical artists to emerge from the state of Hawaii, Lagrimas Jr. hopes to fulfill all of the expectations set forth on him as a musical prodigy.

He’s already accomplished things many artist dream about but he says he’s not done yet.

"My goal is to share my music to as many people in the world as I can," he said. "I don’t speak any different languages but when I tour and perform in front of people from all over the world I can communicate with them through my music. That right there is amazing."