Of the numerous things Goans were involved in at that point in time of our history, was their love for music and stage! From as early as the start of the 20th century when they first performed ‘The Mikado’ (a 2-act Gilbert & Sullivan opera) in 1916 with music by J Vincent Lobo, and repeat performances in the 1940s, along with other stage classics like The Gondoliers (music by Charles Lobo) and Pirate of Penzance (music by Terence D’Souza); Goan musicians, stage artistes, and bands were at their best!
In the swinging 1930s and 40s, Goan jazz bands/musicians proved their mettle by entertaining the fun-loving people of Karachi. “The best dance band in Karachi in the 1930s was that of brothers Mickey (saxophone) and Alex (drums) Correa; I would endeavour to attend every monthly dance at the KGA to hear them,” writes Karachi-boy Eric A Vas in his memoir; he went on to serve in the armed forces of India. Mickey moved to Mumbai in 1936 to join All-India Radio to become India’s most celebrated Jazz bandleader. His band, ‘The Optimists’ played at The Taj for twenty-one (1939-60) consecutive years!
The city boasted some of the best nightclubs in the region where world-class entertainers performed frequently. Great jazz legends like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Byrd, Benny Carter, Quincy Jones (who gave Michael Jackson that memorable beat, ‘Billie Jean’) all came to Karachi and played alongside Goan maestros. Two other popular jazz bands were the ‘Janu Vaz Band’ and the ‘Felix Carvalho Trio’ (Father and sons, Chris and Tony).
The 1950s and 60s saw the emergence of numerous Goan bands everywhere, in the hotels, private clubs, nightclubs and top-end parties in diplomatic enclaves. Goan musicians were also seen playing at night-club scenes in motion picture productions. Newspapers published ads showing hotels and nightclubs promoting glamorous New Year/Christmas parties and floor shows, featuring Goan bands! In the book, ‘Karachi, the megacity of our times’ authors Khuhru and Mooraj write, “In the 1950s, one of the notable pianists was FX Fernandes, a piano teacher by day and leader of a combo by night…” On June 8, 1964, ‘The Beatles’ too stopped by in Karachi, only to be stormed by a bevvy of screaming teenagers at the airport.
The following two decades (1970s and 80s) eventually took the beat out of Goan musicians. Though our bands were popular, it was the beginning of the end for our bands, as they faded away with the signs of the times. Among those individuals who continued to provide backup support to crooners, orchestras, and TV shows were musicians like saxophonists Don Gonsalves, Alex Rodrigues, Norbert Furtado and drummer-boy Richie D’Souza. His father Flt-Lt Rudy D’Souza was the Director of the combined military band in the 1950s/60s.
Two musicians with Goan roots, the veteran Norman D’Souza, and the versatile drummer Louis (Gumby) Pinto, are celebrity musicians in the country today. Recently, a biopic on the struggles of a Goan musician in the 1980s was made encapsulating the life of Norman. To cut a long story short, Goan musicians pioneered the beginnings of jazz and popular bands in Karachi, inspiring a new genre of bands and musicians in the country.
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