Few people have stood out in the genre of jazz in Goa in
more recent times. However, when one receives a letter from Herbie Hancock
himself, lauding the work that has been undertaken, it’s safe to say that the
music being produced is up to scratch. That, in a few words, can sum up what
Colin D’Cruz has been undertaking for the bulk of his career.
Colin’s most recent accolades come at the hands of
JazzWorldQuest, an online portal dedicated to the global promotion of jazz, which has launched the 2016
edition of its annual showcase
that this year includes musicians from US, Romania, Poland, Greece,
India and the UK. The reasoning behind this being a collection revolves around
the belief of JazzWorldQuest that unique creative dimension and personal sound
cannot be fully revealed listening to just one song. What the Showcase is all
about is to stir curiosity and invite listeners to discover their work.
Speaking on what it means to be a part of such an
internationally acclaimed line-up, Colin says, “I see forty years of performing professionally across
India and around the world finally getting due recognition. I really never
expected a track recorded at my humble home studio in Goa to be shortlisted
among the 15 best global jazz recordings of 2016. Most of the credit has to go
to flautist Prashant Mahale,
guitarist Benoy Rai and pianist Sancho Menezes who really nailed it in session.”
This JazzWorldQuest Showcase features a host of artistes
from across the world, including Joseph Patrick Moore, Florin Raducanu, David
Ellington, Robin Menuett Trio, Colin D’Cruz, Bob Thompson Band, Russ Hewitt,
Bill Mentz, Kenn Smith, Ted Borodofsky and Southern Jazz Kajetan Borowski Trio,
Phos Duo, Gino Foti, Bill Hart and the Mimika Orchestra. The work of the
musicians on offer highlights how they all share a common passion for the
multiple sides and paths of jazz they approach, with dedication not limited to their
nationality, instrument played or age.
However, geographical boundaries do play a role in some
matters, to an extent. At times, coming from a part of the world where jazz is
not the musical norm, it could be harder to prove oneself. Colin points out
that there is a way in which this can be worked around, saying, “Jazz has a niche audience
anywhere in the world, and it’s always a struggle balancing what is commercial
and what is art. In India,
it can be far more challenging when music and entertainment revolve around
Bollywood. Right through the last four decades, I did manage to strike a reasonable
balance, somehow sneaking in my first love, jazz, between all the ‘jhatkas and fatkas’ of Bollywood ‘item songs’. No matter what the genre of
music, there was always an element of jazz in whatever and wherever I played.
In fact, I even recorded a Konkani jazz album that has been getting a huge
number of global downloads from people besides Goans. It’s time one of those
tracks made it to a global shortlist like my indo-jazz fusion track ‘Seven’
currently has.”
And geography need not be a constricting factor, Colin
points out: “The
internet is the most amazing thing to happen in recent times. We now belong to
a connected world. The moment I upload my music to the internet, I know I have
a global audience. To be short-listed
from millions of tunes being uploaded from all over the world each year is
something beyond any of my dreams. This
is something all local musicians should realise. Look beyond your borders, the
world has become your stage today, thanks to the internet. “
JazzWorldQuest
Showcase 2016 can be downloaded at www.jazzworldquest.com. The download also
includes a booklet with links to each artiste’s websites, where one can find
details about their career, music samples and videos.
