Mangalore: Goan Music Comes Alive at Kalaangann
by Richie Lasrado - Resident Editor - Daijiworld.com Mangalore
Pics by Viju Mangalore
Mangalore, Nov 5: The city's music aficionados were treated to a feast of Goan Konkani music, mainly made of Chris Perry's hits, on Sunday evening at Kalaangann, as part of Mandd Sobhann's 'Moinealli Manchi' (monthly theatre), known for presentations of the best of Konkani art, music and culture. It was indeed an emotional confluence of rivers Mandovi and Netravati.
The function also saw the conferment of the annual 'Kalakar Puroskar' award for 2006, instituted by the Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr, Alto Porvorim - Goa and the Carvalho household, under the initiative of Dr Pratap Naik SJ, on 'Sangeet Guru' Joel Pereira, a music maestro from the city.
The musical show was preceded by the formal conferment of the award. On the dais were Mandd Sobhann 'Gurkar' and Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy president Eric Ozario, Dr Pratap Naik, Joel Pereira, Mandd Sobhann president Louis J Pinto and Fr Muller Medical College and Hospital administrator and Sandesha Foundation's former director Fr Denis D'Sa, who as chief guest, formally handed over the award to Joel.
Receiving the award, Joel referred to the three 'Alexanders' on the dais, Eric Alexander Ozario, Fr Denis Alexander D'Sa and himself, Alexander Joel Pereira and went down memory lane thanking everyone who helped him to ascend the ladder of achievements.
Fr Denis D'Sa mentioned the conquest of Emperor Alexander over nations, while the other Alexanders, Eric and Joel, had conquered the people's hearts with their musical achievements. He called Joel a real genius, at the same time extolling his qualities of simplicity and humility and as an artiste devoid of any hang-ups. He is a person who would pick no quarrel with anyone and was totally free from professional jealousy, he said. At the same time, he also wished that Joel would make further strides into territories like full-time film music, which, although a likely loss for Mangalore, would fully justify and harness his talents.
Titus Noronha compered the stage function and later Sam Pinto took over the musical proceedings. Then on it was a rich feast of Chris Perry's numbers, the accompaniment to which was provided by Kingsly Nazareth and his Angel's group, ably led by Cajetan Dias ("Kittoo"), currently working as assistant to Kannada film music director Hamsalekha.
Chris Perry's masterpieces, superbly rendered on records by the evergreen Lorna and Usha Uthup, were recreated authentically. 'Pitti Pitti Mog', 'Mog ani rag', 'Cu-cu-ru-cu', 'Rocky chu-chu' (originally rendered by Vani Jairam), 'Zodd tem ambeachem'. 'Kantaram kortam', 'Dis moine', 'Meu amor', 'Adeus', 'Khobro kora' and 'La Bamba', originally rendered by Lorna and Usha, brought back nostalgic memories of the past years, the heyday of the Chris Perry creations. They were sung, in true adherence to originals, by Sherin Valdar, Shobha Lobo, Vijesh D'Mello, Maizy Nazareth and others.
'Bom Jesuchea re conventant', a Mohammed Rafi hit, was soulfully rendered by none other than Eric Ozario himself. It was unfortunate that just when Vijesh D'Mello started singing 'Noxibak roddttam', another Mohammed Rafi number, sudden thundershowers cut short the programme.
The jam-packed Kalaangann audience was deprived of the chance of hearing 'Tujo mog', 'Maria', 'Americak pauxi', 'Obghat' and 'Kiteak kortai nokre', due the late monsoon fury.