02 Aug 2020 | 05:29am IST
Paying tribute to C Alvares and Alfred Rose with a virtual live concert
Sunday evenings has a new musical destination online at Goan Fiesta, on Soul Fry community, a Facebook page, featuring the best of Konkani singers and musicians. This Sunday is even more special as Konkani stage stalwarts Late C. Alvares and Late Alfred Rose will be remembered as noted Goan singers will belt out their classics live
One binding force, no matter how dire the situation, is music and if it is Konkani music for Goans, nothing else makes a difference. Goans connect globally over music and when the same is available on an international platform, it is sure to be a raging hit. Goan Fiesta, a live virtual music concert on Soul Fry Community’s Facebook page has been bringing the best of Goan performers on a single platform every Sunday. From the likes of
Kenny Zuzarte, Sonia Shirsat, O’luv, Cielda Pereira, Nephie Rod, Juje Fernandes and Tina Costa, all have received great love and appreciation from lovers of Konkani music in real time.
This Sunday, the program will pay tribute to
the legends of Konkani Music, C. Alvares and Alfred Rose at 8pm. The singers for the live concert include Naisa Lotlekar, Mark Revlon, Benzer Fernandes and Elaine Pinto, Willy Goes and will be hosted by Ageema. A few of the songs that one will get to listen to of these original great geniuses will be
Alfred Rose’s ‘Celina’, ‘Mandovi’, ‘Birmotti’ and ‘Konkani visronk nam’ and C Alvares’ ‘Kumpar’, ‘Ghellim mhuntat misak’, ‘Kator’ and ‘Hanv ek muzu’.
The man behind this initiative to connect thousands of Goans over music is
Meldan D'Cunha, chef and owner of Soul Fry, Bandra.
The restaurant which will be turning 25 year old restaurant in September is known for its karaoke and has the nuances of everything Goan right from the artwork up on its walls by Mario Miranda and Billytoons to the Goan items on display, the aromas of Sorpotel and Vindaloo wafting from the kitchen and the constant linger of Konkani music.
“We started the first live concert on our Facebook page at the end of May with English music and the following week with Konkani music. We do a live test performance for the artists to help them optimize their performance giving importance to vocals, costumes, make-up, backdrop, and music. It is great to see the viewership increasing with each passing day. ‘Shine on Duo’ received over 63,000 views for their performance and people share the videos. People from the Goan Daispora in Canada, Australia, UAE, UK, etc. wish to sing request a slot on the sessions and we oblige. This was the time when music was needed the most. People are frustrated of being indoors during this pandemic and Goans can connect to Konkani music more than food,” says Meldan, who receives more than 80 home delivery orders just from IC Colony in Borovali on Sunday evenings.
The artists are selected by a team comprising of Saby Fernandes, who has hosted karaoke nights at Soul Fry for a number of years, Tina Costa and Kenny. “We have singers who are already lined up till September. They have to give us a list of songs so that there are no reptitions in the set. There is great natural talent in Goa and these singers are not limited to the State itself. They can be anywhere in the world as long as they sing Konkani songs,” adds Meldan.
Naisa Lotlekar, a Goencho Avaz winner who will be performing for the evening, says, “I am quite stoked to be performing live on a platform like this especially along with well-known artists of Goa. I am sure it’s going to be fun.” Naisa has done a lot of live videos on Instagram but this will be her first on Facebook. Since winning Goencho Avaz, Herald Group’s All Goa Konkani singing competition, she did many musical concerts in Goa, and also got the privilege of singing with Lorna, the Nightingale of Goa. “At 18, I got my first film, ‘Benddkar’ as the lead actress for the Mangalorean Konkani film, alongside Varsha Usgaonkar and Prince Jacob. At 19, I discovered the writer in me and started writing my own songs. I just released my first original song, written, composed and sung by me. It’s a Marathi song ‘Kaal Kasala’ which was released a week ago on my YouTube channel. I got over 2000 views in just five days,” says Naisa excitedly.
Willy Goes is a known name in the circle of Konkani music and he will be reaching out to a wider audience with his performance online. “I am happy to pay a humble tribute to the legendary tiartist C Alvares. I am his die-hard fan. His contribution to the tiatr stage is immense. I will be singing three of his songs, ‘Kator’, ‘Geleam mhuntta misak’ and ‘Hanv ek muzu’. I thank the team of Soul Fry’ for giving me this opportunity,” says Willy.
Mark Revlon, a Goan artist with a few original songs to his name is also awaiting to experience performing for a virtual audience. The host of the evening live concert, Ageema, will also sing one song.
Growing up as a child artist on the tiatr stage since the age of three years, Benzer Fernandes is now a professional tiatrist with his own fan following. He has also ventured into writing and composing his own songs and viewers will get a taste of the same at the Goan Fiesta. “I will be singing three duets along with Elaine Pinto, C Alvares’ ‘Kumpar’, Alfred Rose and Rita Rose’s ‘Hanv Konknni Zannav’ and my own song, ‘I Love You’ which was originally sung with Antonette de Maina,” says Benzer who previously released his original songs, ‘Mogachi Sopnam’ sung along with Elaine Pinto and ‘O Moga’ which he sung with Bushka.
