There are very few drummers in India who can play the 5/4, 7/8, 15/8 beat to perfection and Abdonio Caetano Agnelo Rodrigues, popularly and lovingly called Abdonio Mestri, was just the best among all drummers to play this beat. Alas, the world of music is at loss; Goa’s ace drummer has carved his name in the annals of history.
Abdonio Mestri was born in a family of musicians on July 30th, 1936, in the artistically rich village of Curchorem. His father, Diogo Rodrigues, was then a musician of repute who had his own brass band and conducted music classes at his residence. There were two music schools in the locality; one, the Escola Parochial of the church, and the other managed by Diogo.
When Fr. Camilo Xavier was posted as a curate in the Church of Guardian Angel Sanvordem, he approached Diogo Rodrigues to close down his private school and in turn take over and manage the music classes of the Escola Parochial. Firmly rooted in the Catholic faith, Diogo accepted the offer and began teaching in the church school.
The band practices continued at home as the brass band was a commercial venture and at the age of 7, Abdonio joined his father and elder brothers Johnny and Arcanjo (Arco) in the brass band playing the cymbals for the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in his church. From there, there was no looking back. Abdonio pursued his practices in music, learning the violin and trombone, and ultimately the drums. Drumming was a totally different ball game, and Abdonio would accompany his father in the brass band troupe for the wedding receptions that his father would play. Minutely observing the drumming patterns, he would then practice the same at home the next day.
At the age of 23, as was the custom among educated youth, Abdonio migrated to Bombay (now Mumbai) to make a living. His brother Johnny was already performing in the city hotels, and Abdonio, as he trained himself in Jazz drumming, would accompany his brother for the gigs at the La Bela hotel. Once accompanying his brother for a gig, the actual drummer fell ill and could not reach the venue. Abdonio grabbed the opportunity with hands and substituted the famed drummer that night at the Taj Mahal hotel. Thereafter, through the recommendation of his brother Johnny, Abdonio signed his first contract as a drummer in a hotel at Juhu.
In 1965, Abdonio auditioned for a vacancy to perform on a cruise liner and joined the Steamer S.S. Kenya and S.S. Uganda in the Music band of Joe Martin. Voyaging with the cruise liners for two trips, Abdonio returned to Bombay and joined the Astoria hotel where he offered his drumming services for three years, before he joined the ‘Natraj’ hotel, for a service contract of six months performing alongside Leon D’Souza, a noted pianist of the times. Abdonio then joined Goodi Seevai, a Parsi band in Bombay and continued there for almost five years. Abdonio was also the first Western drummer to play for Mumbai Doordarshan, with the topmost band Goodi Seevai. He also performed for the English opera ‘My Fair Lady’ with Dr. Parvez, and also played for Usha Utthup’s shows and several Konkani musical shows.
Abdonio returned to Goa, and with a recommendation from the late musician Emiliano Cruz, got for himself a contract in the Fort Aguada hotel. During this time, his compatriot from Curchorem, Anthony San, introduced him to Prince Jacob, and he continued with the troupe for quite some time.
Abdonio has also played for well-known tiatrists like J P Souzalin, Alexinho de Candolim, C Alvares, Jacint Vaz, Remmie Colaco, M Boyer, Prem Kumar, Champion Peter, Alfred Rose, John Claro, Joe Rose, and Aristides Dias, besides many commercial and amateur directors.
I had the privilege of working with Abdonio Mestri in the early nineties as a member of Agnelo de Borim’s musical shows and then with Abdonio as my drummer in the initial tiatrs I staged. Gentleman to the core, Abdonio Mestri was a very down-to-earth personality. He was very encouraging to newcomers and would play with a smile on his lips. He would not shout or show an attitude when a new singer requested extra practice. Though a man of few words, Abdonio would speak volumes about the music of yesteryears and the musical bands that played for the wedding receptions.
Abdonio also played the drums for the classic Konkani films ‘Amchem Noxib’, ‘Nirmonn’, ‘Mhoji Ghorkarn’ and the Hindi film ‘Tikal’. His performances are recorded in the HMV records and audio cassettes produced by Alfred Rose, M Boyer, Jerome D’Souza, Lawrence Saldanha, Fr. Peter Cardozo, Wilmix-Sharon, and others.
In the decade of 1950s, Abdonio scripted and directed the tiatrs ‘Kitem Amcho Fuddar’ and ‘Durdoxea’. The Government of Goa conferred upon him the Goa State Cultural Award. He was also given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Kala Academy and the Tiatr Academy of Goa.
With his death, Goa and the Tiatr fraternity have lost a gem of a person and one of the best drummers India has produced. May his soul rise playing with the choirs of heaven.
