Konkani music is an entirely different story. There's so much happening on that scene that nobody is even trying to keep track
It's almost 4.30 am, and tomorrow's an early day. Yet, I'm tuned into a catchy Konkani song on the Net. First one, then another, and it goes on. Am I the only one enchanted and fascinated by this world of charming music from a tiny region like this?
Definitely not. Anecdotal evidence tells us about how many are enchanted by it. Konkani music, and its close cousin, the music-driven Tiatr, are very popular categories indeed. They have huge fan followings. Major recording labels like HMV had a heady romance with Konkani music in the Bombay of the 1960s and 1970s. The outcome is still there for all to see.
Outliers like the German sound recordist at the radio station Hessischer Rundfunk, Sigrid Pfeffer, were enchanted by Konkani music. She encountered it entirely by accident. Pfeffer then secured permissions and created a CD of Konkani music for sale in Europe. Konkani musicians were invited to the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures) in Berlin. But back home those with decision-making powers will barely take them seriously. Seldom are local musicians showcased in prestigious events held in Goa, including in IFFI. They'd be lucky if they get left-overs and are mostly caught in games of favouritism.
Over the past week, a debate broke out over the Radio In India WhatsApp group. The group is focussed on radio issues, but somehow the discussion went onto the quality of Konkani music.
To cut a long story short, a challenge came up there. It read this way: "...that there has hardly been any notable contribution to original music in Goa the last couple of decades or more, is another subject. English and Konkani both. Please hum five original Konkani and five original English songs from Goa from the last 20-25 years, which at least 10% of the Goan listeners can identify."
On the one hand, Goan music is rich and flourishing. Yet, it continues to be unacknowledged and unaccepted. When some example of Western music is showcased from across India, it will usually be from Shillong, or somewhere else in the North East. To claim credit for the Goan contribution to Bollywood, Bardroy Barreto had to create the (charming) film Nachoiia Kumpassar, which he put together after years of struggle and hard work.
It's entirely possible that the world of English music in Goa got the low-hanging fruit, and excels in creating 'covers' of global hits. But there is some degree of original music (though small) in that field too in current day Goa. Konkani is an entirely different story. There's so much happening on that scene that nobody is even trying to keep track.
Some time back, the 1997-published book 'Winds of Fire: The Music and Musicians of Goa', edited by the late Mario Cabral e Sa, gave a good overview of the situation there. But there are limited studies on more recent times.
'Winds of Fire' talks specifically about themes like music education in Goa (Pia de Menezes Rodrigues), and Western Popular Music (by the Mumbai-based journalist Mario Rodrigues). It also has a list of Goans "who distinguished themselves in the field of music, organised by Professor Micael Martins".
This is my list of ten of my favourite musicians and their music. Francis de Tuem, the controversial Konkani singer of the tiatr stage. Some love him, others hate him. His political songs are so sharp and biting, that you bet you're never going to hear singers like these on the All India Radio (now Akashvani) network. Despite all the criticisms levelled against him, I'd still enjoy the way he echoes the sentiments (and ire) of the commonman and woman.
Menn Machine ("Originality Counts") has some fascinating, if under-recognised, work. Don't miss its "Tambdi English" deserved-hit Sao Joao [http://t.ly/RfjSU]. They even have a song dedicated to FM Rainbow [http://t.ly/AsWOe], even when the Akashvani-run FM station is about to be put down in Goa. Their latest English original seems to be She's The Girl [http://t.ly/HxAFW]
Sonia Shirsat has been a long favourite, for her style, punch and diversity. She has a good collection of her music on YouTube, especially beyond the Fado music she has come to be known for. For one check out her Konkani Fado for a hint of her ingenuity [http://t.ly/LdgPl]
The world of the Konkani tiatr is also a great place for fresh music to emerge. Contrary to popular bias, much of the music here is original -- in lyrics and music. Because so much is created so fast, we tend to forget it. But this doesn't mean that value isn't being produced. The themes and approaches can be impressive indeed. Again, unlikely to be suitable for official channels.
Varun Carvalho has an active presence on YouTube. Tune in to his The Goa Song (Amchem Goa) [http://t.ly/FhHXn] Likewise, O'luv Rodrigues has become a name many know, because of his creative, original music and participation in a number of festivals. [http://t.ly/e2Qij]
Omar Loiola Pereira and his team has brought much value to Goan music ever since his return from Australia. Someone might point out that Omar's work is focussed more on very creative reinterpretations of earlier work. Roque Lazarus, the wiz on so many different musical instruments, and Rui Lobo, an IITian who prefers to be a music teacher, have similarly amazing work tucked away in remote corners of cyberspace.
Big names like Remo Fernandes have continued producing the memorable hits that made them household names, and not just in Goa. Doing justice to a topic of this kind would be hard to cover in an article of this length.
Others like Ronnie Monserrate -- music director, music, the man who brought Lorna back to the stage -- has shaped Goan music with some powerful work. He reminds us in this interview [https://archive.org/details/RonnieMonserrate] how all his siblings became a musical one. Or how his father and Anthony Gonsalves shaped his generation's music talent. He narrates the story of how he got Lorna back onto the stage.
Ronnie has had plans to work in Goa too. But one Bomoicar who has made the switch is Andrew Ferrao, with his inspiring and equally hard-hitting original work in Konkani, and more.
So, if there's so much talent around, how come it simply doesn't get noticed? The short -- if simplistic -- answer might be that it doesn't get sufficiently packaged and promoted. Which is why, a Goan musician in Bombay had so many more chances of producing widely-noticed hits.
In conclusion, one simply has to note that the death sentence has been signed for Goa Rainbow FM's radio service as we know it. So sad that another popular disseminater (with all its limitations) of Goan music and culture is seeing the plug being pulled on it.
