TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024
Ajit John
Goa is at the vanguard of the jazz movement in the country. The number of musicians playing the genre of music have to be seen to be believed. They come from all over the world. Now in an interesting development, young Goan musicians, some of them still in their school uniforms are taking up the genre and interested in making a name for themselves in the world of music.
There are quite a few talented young musicians who would surprise you with their talent and their imagination Gavin Ferreira all of 17 is making a mark for himself as a jazz pianist. What is remarkable about Gavin is that he started off as a drummer at 6 but took up the piano just three years ago during the lockdown. He said it was a natural thing to do because both the instruments complemented each other. One kept the beat and the piano gave the harmony. A quick learner, he listens to Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson and Bill Levins. The foundation of any young musician is practice. Due to the demands on his time he can practise an hour a day. He usually plays for an hour or two before he sleeps . a student at a local college in Panjim, he first started listening to jazz when he was playing the drums. His father introduced him to jazz and he took a liking to it. He will be opening the Jazz concert on April 30 and will play with Colin and Tanay. These days he listens to a lot of music by Sungazer and Everything Yes. Perhaps one day he may be playing in stadiums filled with appreciative crowds.
Like him there are many others. Shannon Fernandes is a singer who likes songs in all genres but prefers jazz. She started singing at 7 and now at 13 and will be singing at the jazz concert on April 30 th. She got interested in singing when she first saw people singing at the karaoke bar on a cruise ship. Her father is friends with the noted musician Colin who listened
to her and liked her voice. She will be singing two songs at the festival one of which will be Astrud.
Excellence in one instrument is commendable but to have the talent to play various instruments at a very decent level marks one as special. Mehaila, who is 11, plays the saxophone. She said she liked the sound of jazz, the feel and the way the music goes. She will be performing with Colin on April 30th. What has to be remembered is that she has been playing this instrument for just a year and a half. She used to play the drums, violin, trumpet, flute, mandolin and the guitar. And yes she sings too. She said she received a lot of support from her family. She sings songs in Konkani and English, especially songs from Lorna. She enjoys playing the saxophone and intends to take her love for the instrument further.
Talent can be found anywhere and age is not a bar. Kate Fernandes is only 11 but it has not prevented her from pushing boundaries. Last year she performed at the International Jazz Day celebrations. A violinist, she plays jazz because she likes the way it sounds on the violin and she likes it. She has been learning the instrument from the age of 5 and is currently in grade 5 at London University. She will be performing Perido, a piece given by Colin. For one so young she certainly has her focus saying that jazz would remain an option but there were other things in life she would focus on.
The multi-instrumentalist is a rare individual and Cyrus Raposo is certainly one of them. He plays 12 different instruments. He plays jazz, pop, rock but loves jazz. The improvisation element has him hooked to this genre. He loves the piano and started playing at 4. he started playing jazz by 12 or 13. This love for jazz was due to a relative who was a jazz musician. When he died he left behind several instruments and books of music. He started off by playing the slow songs and as his proficiency improved he moved to the faster pieces. A student at St Xaviers he is presently doing his internship in preparation for possibly a job in a resort the family owns. He will be playing at the jazz concert on the 30 th.
There are several families in Goa which have a strong tradition in music. Jeslyn Rodrigues comes from one such family. All of 17 she is considered a talent on the trumpet. Music runs through her family. Her great grandfather was a maestro. Her grandfather was a jazz drummer and her father played the trumpet. She got that love for the instrument from her father. She has not played jazz but she will now play it. She practices everyday for a maximum of an hour or for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes. She has just answered her 12 th standard exams in the arts stream. She intends to continue playing the instrument while continuing her studies. She has not performed anywhere due to the death of her grandfather.
Drumming is an instrument that excites the crowds and proficiency in it is usually appreciated by everyone. Tanay Saldanha who is 17 is a drummer who will be playing with Colin on the 30 th. His exposure to jazz was developed due to his close relationship with Gavin Ferreira the pianist. As they played together he learned more and enjoyed the music. Like any young musician he practices as much as possible. And yes he plays with Gavin at least once a week. He enjoys the drumming skills of Danny Carey from the band Tool and Neal Peart from Rush. He listens to them and says he learns a lot. He however said he would love to make music his life but would prefer to make it a hobby and keep it alive in his life. And yes he said he intended to play jazz everyday.
The love for jazz can be helped by a third person. Daniella, a jazz singer, started singing at 16 when she joined her fathers band. She was aware of jazz a bit because her brother would listen to it. When she returned from Delhi where she was studying she met Bosco, a person who introduced her to jazz and the various standards. She started liking it , she began to understand the music and fell in love with it. She love Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and yes Diana Kraal. When asked what about jazz that got her hooked she said, “ It is so different from the usual pop song. It gives you the freedom, you can twist and turn it anywhere. You can make the song your own.I will be performing on World Jazz Day and will be performing with Jaison though we have not planned what we intend to do.”
