On my first blogiversary…
For me, it was a dream come true. So here goes a big thank-you to my nephew Ian and his Lemon Tart Media, for putting the website together; and to my readers, for being a significant part of it through my first blogyear.
A blog allows you the joyous freedom to write to your heart’s content. It’s a great proposition for those who like to write, or better, feel the need to write, express their views and communicate with a larger audience.
But a blog is nothing without its readers. Thankfully, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with cyberpeople from far and wide. By and by, we will be leaving behind a long trail of digital timestamps….
That’s a far cry from when it all began, forty years ago! I still remember the goose bumps I got on seeing my name in print for the first time. And recently, when I filed my maiden piece here, it felt as if I was holding the crisp issue of that morning’s newspaper in my hands!
The versatility of a website is heartening. As you can see, mine has not only served as an archive for my pre-blog, published writings; it has given my audios of three decades ago a new lease of life. Do check all that out, together with those of my social media posts that now enjoy permanent resident status here.
All in all, I am delighted to have this opportunity to look back and move forward. While I hope my trip down memory lane kindles your very own sweet recollections, I also look forward to your esteemed company along new paths and new tomorrows.
Thanks a million!
Celebrating Braz and Jazz
"Raga Rock" was a much-deserved tribute to Goa-born Braz Gonsalves. Thanks to this presentation by Panjim-based Communicare Trust run by Nalini Elvino de Sousa, Goa got to sing paeans to a Jazzman who keeps a low profile after decades of showmanship in the Indian metros.
At the Kala Academy, on 14 June, I was charmed by the sight of a senior citizen at the entrance, welcoming guests with a gracious smile. Many passed him by, unsuspecting that he was Braz Gonsalves himself. For sure, many jazz aficionados have heard of the man and enjoyed his music; very few would have met him in person.
A few minutes later, the very same man wearing his trademark flat cap stole the show. At 86 years of age, he regaled a packed auditorium with his magical, golden saxophone. He was joined by his good ol’ boys: Louiz Banks (who formed the great Indo-Jazz Ensemble, with Braz); Karl Peters, India’s foremost bass guitarist, and drummer Lester Godinho, not forgetting his own, musically talented wife Yvonne ‘Chic Chocolate’ Vaz, daughter Sharon, son-in-law Darryl Rodrigues, and the youngest – and perhaps the most talented of them all – his grandson Jarryd Rodrigues. “Grandfather meets grandson,” boomed Banks, who also remarked that “the legacy of Braz Gonsalves is in the safe hands of his grandson Jarryd.” They made an amazing duo.
What a spectacular evening of jazz! And the music will play on, if the revelations on stage are anything to go by: Jazz pianist Jason Quadros, Portuguese-born soprano Maria Meireles, Anthony Fernandes (bass) and the ‘cool’ Coffee Cats comprising Ian de Noronha (keyboards, bass and melodica), Neil Fernandes (guitar and vocals), Jeshurun D’Cruz (drums), Jarryd Rodrigues (alto and soprano saxophone), Gretchen Barreto (vocals), Ajoy D’Silva (trumpet), and Lester D’Souza (tenor sax).
The music segment (vocals and instrumentals) was preceded by a musical skit in which sixteen children recreated the story of Braz Gonsalves’ life which began in Neurá-o-Grande, a village my ancestors hail from. And that was an added reason for me to celebrate Braz and Jazz!
