India: Big band comes to Goa

PANAJI: Ronnie Monsorate is a man of many talents. Pianist, singer, bandleader and arranger, in the limelight or behind the scenes, the portly, bespectacled Monsorate can step into any or all these roles and perform them like only he can. He comes from one of Goa's, and India's, most successful families of jazz; his father Peter Monsorate, originally from Majorda, was the brightest trumpeting star that ever shone over this country, and was called the Harry James of India. Thus, it is no surprise that five of his sons, Ronnie among them, now form the Monsorate Brothers. What is a surprise, of course, is that the magnificent Big Band's concert this Saturday will be its first on their home turf.

Apart from playing only their second gig together in nearly 30 years (the first was this May near Amsterdam), the band showcases a unique sub-genre of jazz that was popular in the 1930s and is nearly defunct now-The Big Band. Ronnie, a Duke Ellington of sorts with a Louis Armstrong-esque vocal box and who was trained by the legendary Anthony Gonsalves, leads the pack; his brothers Joe and Bosco play the trumpet, Blasco the trombone, and Rex the drums. Curiously, their two other brothers, Octavious and Clareto, were also musicians in the 80s before switching careers and moving abroad. After their father's early death, Ronnie, then 16, took charge of his brothers and guided them. Bass guitarist Steve Frances and saxophone player Shyam Raaj usually accompany the Brothers during live shows.

The Monsorates, who normally perform individually, rose during the vibrant hotel jazz and jam scene in the 1970s, alongside now-iconic names such as Braz Gonsalves, Dennis Rosario, Charlie Shephard and others.

In 1978, the year of the first Jazz Yatra, Joseph and Bosco were part of the big band formed by US trumpeter Clark Terry. However, as was the norm then, the Monsorates diversified from jazz and teamed up for world tours with a series of film industry veterans such as R D Burman, Lata Mangeshkar, Illayaraja and Bappi Lahiri, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kishore Kumar, and much later, contemporary stars like A R Rahman and Adnan Sami. "Back then, a lot of Bollywood's background musicians were Goans, and there was far more money to be earned in the film industry than in nightclubs, where we initially played," says Ronnie, recalling his formative years.

Through their Bollywood years, the Brothers remained faithful flag-bearers of the Big Band genre, though due to their individual commitments they hardly got the time to play as a unit. Big Band is a kind of jazz musical ensemble which was popular during the Swing Era; it usually consists of reed, wind, rhythm and vocal sections. While smaller bands that play conventional jazz music usually improvise and spontaneously create the music, Big Band music is heavily 'arranged', or prepared beforehand and notated on sheet music. Typically, improvisation or solos are played only when the arranger calls for them. Interestingly, this Saturday, the Monsorates insisted that they should play the role of the backup musicians while Goa's upcoming singers take centrestage. "Goa has tremendous musical talent and it needs to be promoted," Ronnie added.

The versatile Ronnie, now 59 and involved in several gospel music projects, is also widely credited for orchestrating and arranging Goan superstar Lorna Cordeiro's return to the music world after nearly quarter of a century of self-imposed exile; he directed her highly-acclaimed comeback album, 'Hello Lorna'. Incidentally, the 'Rain or Shine, Konkani Rocks' banner under which Saturday's concert is being held, had its first concert in July last year, which Lorna, accompanied two of the Monsorates, Bosco and Blasco, headlined. Remo Fernandes too had joined in the fun, singing 'Bebdo' with Lorna to the delight of the thousand-odd fans. Armando Gonsalves of Heritage Jazz, who organizes these concerts as part of the 'Konkani Revolution', says, "Konkani can be promoted extensively through culture in a manner that appeals to all, thus reigniting the passion for Konkani." Ronnie Monsorate, who is determined to promote Konkani music too, agrees with Gonsalves, and says that the concert will be exclusively Konkani. However, he says, "All the songs we'll be playing will feature our own arrangements, which will have heavy jazz influences." The Monsorates played a Konkani set in May in Amersfoort, The Netherlands, marking the first time the language was featured at an international festival.

Saturday's concert will also serve as a celebration of World Goa Day (August 20) which, since 2000, has celebrated Goan culture and music throughout the diaspora. Founder Rene Baretto, a London-based Goan, told TOI that his aim in starting it was to "unite Goans across the world under one banner". The date is significant as it coincides with the day Konkani was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Interestingly, the Monsorates won't be the only ones paying tribute to their motherland at Gonsalves Mansion, Campal. They will be accompanied by a variety of local musicians such as Olavo Rodrigues, Sonia Sirsat, Varun Carvalho, Seby Fernandes, Veeam Braganza and others. A young brass band of Manovikas HS in Margao will also perform.

Saturday's concert will start at 6:30pm at Gonsalves Mansion, Campal. Tickets are priced at 200 and 500.

SOURCE: times of india