A Musical Twist to Life

At the Foot of the Cross

2025-04-18T21:06:00.005+05:30

We Hail Thee, Saviour and Lord...
Thy Cross Ever Be Adored.

This morning at church, as we began the Way of the Cross with these familiar words, I couldn’t help but feel how deeply they anchor this day in the heart. It’s Good Friday—a day that stops us in our tracks, inviting us to remember the immense sacrifice of Jesus for all of us. As the prayers and reflections moved through the fourteen Stations, we found ourselves thinking about how these moments in Christ’s journey speak to us even now—in our own burdens, our own struggles, our own need for hope.

Later, I remembered one year during Lent long ago, our parish screened “Jesus of Nazareth” - and the vivid imagery made the Gospel feel so real. Also, I took some time to recall the hymns that truly represent the season of Lent.

“How Great Thou Art” is a hymn that feels timeless. Originally a Swedish poem by Carl Boberg, it was inspired by the contrast of a raging thunderstorm and the sudden peace that followed. It speaks of awe at God’s majesty… but the verse that always brings me to a pause is: “And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die…” It’s really humbling. And extremely powerful. And it's a reminder of God’s infinite love and mercy.

Another favorite “Give Them All to Jesus.” has journeyed with me since childhood. I remember hearing it on the same cassette as "One Day At A Time" with Cristy Lane soft and gentle voice. The song is an invitation to bring the “Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys…” to Him—the mess, the pain, the weariness. On Good Friday, this message feels incredibly close. Couldn't resist trying it out as a duet here.

A more recent favourite is “Above All.” I first heard it during Lent in 2008, and everytime we sing it feels new and just as powerful.

“Like a rose trampled on the ground, You took the fall, and thought of me… above all.” This one line carries the weight of Good Friday so beautifully. It reminds us that Jesus didn’t just endure the cross—He chose it, with us on His heart.

And then there’s “The Old Rugged Cross.” that takes me right back. Our parish organist, who had once been my kindergarten music teacher, would often play it during quiet moments after Communion. There was something sacred about those still silences, filled with soft organ notes and deep reflection. That hymn will always be tied to the gentle reverence of Lent for me. Here's my effort to play it.

All these songs have stayed with me—not just in memory, but in heart. And today, I’ve tried to honour them in my own small way through these covers.

Good Friday is a solemn day, but it’s also a day of love—a love that gave everything. And while we sit in this moment of quiet, we do so with the hope of what’s to come.

Because Sunday is coming.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, hope-filled Easter.

Christ is Risen. Alleluia!

Bingo, Beatles, and a Steinway: My Musical Connection to 88

2025-03-30T15:32:00.003+05:30

Every time we played Bingo or Housie, the caller would shout, "Two Fat Ladies—88!" Back then, nobody thought twice about the phrase—but today, it might raise an eyebrow or two. Yet, beyond the bingo lingo, the number 88 holds a special charm.

Did you know? 29th March is the 88th day of the year (in non-leap years), and it’s also celebrated as Piano Day—a tribute to the majestic instrument with its 88 keys.

My Early Encounters with the Piano

My earliest memory of a piano takes me back to kindergarten. We’d sit on tiny chairs in a large hall, divided by blackboards, and in one corner stood a piano. Once or twice a week, a teacher would play, leading us in nursery rhymes. Those joyful half-hour sessions planted the first seeds of my love for music.

Fast forward a few years to seventh standard, and my mother came home with an interesting proposal. Since all of us siblings were musically oriented and good singers, her colleagues in the teachers’ staff room suggested that that she encourage us to play instruments? The primary music teacher, further sweetened the deal with a BOGO (buy one, get one) offer. So my sister and I were both signed up for piano lessons.

Twice a week, we’d walk to the teacher’s house, taking turns at the piano while the other flipped through comic books. With John Thompson’s piano books as our guide, we learned notes, timing, and finger placement—our teacher tapping a pencil on a notebook to keep rhythm. Occasionally, she’d join in, playing the accompaniment, making the music come alive.

Not having a piano at home turned out to be a bit of a hurdle. We occasionally practiced on one at my mother’s school, but it was often out of tune—and as a teenage boy in a girls' school, I sometimes felt too awkward to visit. A small keyboard at home just wasn’t the same.

The formal lessons eventually stopped, but the love for the piano and music never did. Every school performance featured piano accompaniment, and in college, I kept a close watch on my pianist friends’ fingers, eager to pick up a tune or two whenever I got the chance.

Back to 88 – The Radio Days

In April 1988, another musical door opened. I was invited to be a Casual Announcer at All India Radio, Mumbai—a fancy title for a part-time Radio Jockey. I got to spin records, introduce classical pieces, and host music shows like “Music on Parade” and the ever-popular “Saturday Date.”

One song that stood out? Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder’s "Ebony and Ivory"—a beautiful metaphor for harmony, much like the piano’s black and white keys

And then, there’s “Imagine”—John Lennon’s dream of a world without barriers, without religion or materialism—just people, living life in peace. Two ex-Beatles, two timeless songs, both with a vision of unity.

A Grand Piano and a Jazz Medley

All India Radio had a massive recording studio on the fourth floor—with a Steinway grand piano. A beauty of an instrument.

I got to record a few songs there—once with my college band, once with my siblings, and another time with my choir group for Christmas carols. I’ll never forget sitting at that piano, unable to resist playing a few jazz standards—like a medley of "L-O-V-E" (Nat King Cole) and "All of Me" (Louis Armstrong and a string of others).

What Songs Come to Your Mind?

Thinking about it, it’s been exactly three months since I last shared a post featuring music with my wife. That one included another jazz favorite we sang together—“I Wonder Why.”

So, what about you? What songs come to your mind when you see a piano?

Drop your favorites in the comments! And if you enjoy our music, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel - that’s where you’ll find our latest recordings.

🎹

Happy Valentine's Day

2025-02-14T01:24:00.007+05:30

Happy Valentine's Day

A popular Valentine's gift in the 1980s and 90s was the mixtape. People put together a collection of their favorite song (mostly love songs) and recorded it on a cassette and gifted it to the one that they loved. As tapes moved to CDs, collections of favorite love songs of the couple became popular giveaways at weddings. And for special anniversaries, the CD included songs from the years when the couple got married.

Kristel and I celebrate our 25th Valentine's Day today. And I thought I'd create my own mixtape right here on this blog for us to cherish - and hopefully entertain you all a bit as well.

I learnt the piano for a couple of years in school, and continued practicing and trying to pick up new songs on it even after stopping the regular lessons. Just a month into college, I indicated my interest in participating in singing at the upcoming Malhar - the very popular intercollegiate festival hosted at St. Xavier's college and was inducted into the performing group with Mylene, Priya, Jonathan (the pianist) and Noel (the guitarist). The song we sang was 'P.S. I Love You' by the Beatles. At Christmas time that year, all of us joined together with some other singers from college with the choir from Our Lady of Dolours Church, Wadala to sing Christmas Carols at The Oberoi. Working along with all these friendly musicians made me realise that being able to play an instrument was a real blessing - and how much better it would be to be able to accompany myself.

So a few days before my seventeenth birthday in mid-April, Dad and I walked into the Haribhau Vishwanath Musicals (shop) right outside Dadar Station (West) and walked out with a guitar. We had a couple of chord books at home, and yes Dad was also around if I needed help. And so the journey started, to learn the few simple chords. One of the first songs that I tried was "Annie's Song" by John Denver.

Didn't quite know why the song was called that, but nevertheless enjoyed the lilting melody and the soothing voice that John Denver sang it with. This is possibly an anthem for every guitarist (another one being Hotel California). A lot of musicians play it by plucking the strings, while I still prefer the sound and the rhythm of the strum.

A few days later, the annual Summer Camp at our parish began. And as always, the entire family shone on the day of the music talent competition. The song I chose to sing was "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" and I had worked out the chords of the song. However, with just a week or so of touch on the guitar, I wasn't confident of pulling it off, so got someone else to accompany me. Unfortunately, my accompanist kind of blanked out while I was on stage, and I found myself turning around back to prompt the chords to her. The experience made my resolve even stronger to master the instrument.

It was about the same time that my Dad had given his old 1967 guitar for a little repair and Wilburn - Chembur's best came to drop it back after his elder brother Alan had done his bit on it. My brother convinced Wilburn to sign me up as his first student. And that was another important step in the learning process. I dropped by a couple of times a week for the next year or so, and practices the most intricate Latin rhythms while Wilburn demonstrated his own expertise around songs like Tico Tico, Maria Elena, Besame Moucho and more. Wilburn is still very active in the Mumbai music circles. A few days ago my Facebook feed was showing clips from the movie "Fashion". There was this one scene of a wedding and there was this band playing there. As the camera panned through the band, there he was with his characteristic long hair doing what he does best - playing the guitar.

Being the only musician among my siblings at the time , I had the opportunity to work out on a wide genre of songs that all sang. The next year at the summer camp, I was the most sought after accompanist and played 12 out of the 16 songs performed that night. Working out music was different those days with the limited resources available. There were no chordbooks with the latest songs (Pop Hits had only oldies) and no internet like there is now. As time passed by I made new friends in the music circles - my stints on radio, compering weddings, singing in bands, etc. got me an exposure to the technology of music. Came across the term 'minus-one' and reached out to the DJ (Ian Concessio) whom we had booked to play at my sister's wedding to create one for us to sing the first dance at her wedding. My brother and I sang this song, that I chose to record on her anniversary earlier this month - "Paint My Love" by Michael Learns To Rock.

At my own wedding, I sprung a surprise on Kristel when we were in the centre of the dance floor ready to take our first steps today to our bridal special. The song that played - my own rendition of Lonestar's 'Amazed'.

Sunil Pinto · Amazed

This is the same recording from back then that I had recorded with a line-out from my fancy keyboard in 2001 - Yamaha PSR 745 into the Creative sound card on my desktop in my little studio apartment in Dubai. The one year I lived in that apartment had me working out a lot of music - any time of day sometimes until late trying to perfect the parts using Cakewalk software- what is now referred to as DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

While on the topic of Bridal specials, this next song also in the country-folk style was the special at the wedding of a colleague who grew to be a very good friend over our last few years there - "Faithful" by Lobo. Interesting to note that Roland Kent LaVoie is still making music at the age of 81. He lives in Florida with his wife Susie and their dog named Boo (just kidding!)

This couple loved to party and really enjoyed music. And we were an integral part of their parties organising the music - live or DJ at most of them over the four year span that we worked together before they moved to Canada. We attended a Carnival party with them at Umm Al Quwain, some gatherings at their house at Dubai Silicon Oasis and the most memorable were the ones at a Farmhouse they managed to find between Sharjah and Fujairah. I remember partying at the farmhouse on several ocassions starting in Thursday night as the emcee and DJ and continuing the music the next day with live singing sessions that went on all day. This next song was his ringtone for quite a while - a deep and reflective song in the uncertainty of love and life. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" - by Ronan Keating.

I had this blog in mind last Sunday when I sat down and recorded this song. Was quite coincidental that while I posted it on social media late on Sunday night, a few hours earlier, my country star nephew in New Zealand posted his own version of the Garth Brooks on his insta story.

That's all for now.... Hope you enjoyed reading my tales and listening to this music. Do share your feedback and suggestions. Plan to keep this blog active and also my YouTube Channel. Would love for you to follow my social handles and subscribe to the YouTube Channel.

Echoes of Geet Bahar: A Personal Music Memoir

2025-01-25T23:57:00.002+05:30

Earlier this month, I saw a poster announcing the Alumni Geet Bahar at Podar College, and it felt like stepping into a time machine. Memories of my own college days came rushing back, and with them, the excitement and joy that Geet Bahar used to bring. It wasn’t just another cultural event—it was the event, where everyone came together to celebrate music and talent. I can still picture my fellow-students, backed by a professional orchestra, putting their hearts into performances that left the audience awestruck. I’ll never forget the hauntingly beautiful rendition of Pankaj Udhas’ “Chitti Aayi Hai” or the evergreen hits from the 70s that filled the hall with so much nostalgia.

Geet Bahar was a stage where raw talent blossomed into brilliance. Many of those performers went on to make big waves in the music world. Mahalakshmi Iyer - a year my senior - is among these. Every time she walked on stage, the audience erupted into a standing ovation even before she sang a note. And when she did sing, it was magic. Watching her now on TV with Shankar Mahadevan and his troupe or catching her performances on social media is such a joy.

Another name that stands out is Ram Sampath. I never saw him on the Geet Bahar stage since he joined college after I graduated, but I was already exposed to his talent from when he was just 7. He lived just a short walk from my place, and he was always experimenting with something different - whether it was a music competition or even a fancy dress event! His creativity and passion were evident even then, so it’s no surprise he’s now a powerhouse in the Indian music industry.

And then there’s Sarosh Izedyar, one of the best lead guitarists I’ve ever known. Met him on my very first day in college, we actually sat on the same bench. Later I discovered that he was this guitarist I encountered a couple of years earlier at an inter-school competition. The school has come to participate in the competition with these two guitarists playing electric, without quite having checked the rules. Today, Sarosh shares the stage with the likes of Shaan and Farhan Akhtar. Had the privilege to hear him play Dire Straits covers with some other good friends.

I actively participated in English music competitions during college, but I never took the stage for Geet Bahar. My hesitation stemmed from the fact that my accent when speaking and singing Hindi was quite atrocious. But life has a way of teaching you, and over the years, I’ve learned to embrace versatility. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone, and performing Hindi songs has become something I truly enjoy.

This post is from the NMIMS Alumni gathering in 2019. The Rock ‘n’ Roll vibe of “Papa Kehte Hain” gets me really grooving. Here is a full recording of the song.

Fast forward to this year’s alumni meet on 11th January. The event featured some interesting performances, including “Senorita". My wife and I recorded our own version the very next day, and the love we received on Facebook was overwhelming (over 3000 views and more than 200 likes).

Speaking of love for music, my journey with the keyboard began in a rather unconventional way. I learned by ear—and eyes! I’d watch keyboardists like Roney Gomes, who led the band I was part of in the 90s, and try to replicate their finger movements when I got home. Roney taught me so much without even realizing it. And my NMIMS batchmate, Apoorva Deshingkar, was another inspiration. His finesse with melodies and interludes, especially on songs like “Pehla Nasha,” was unmatched. I still remember a particular twirl he played across certain notes that sounded so perfect—it left you wondering where that came from. Apoorva, if you’re reading this, it’s been way too long—let’s catch up for a jam session soon!

Here’s to more music, more memories, and keeping the magic of those college days alive. Stay tuned for more tunes and tales!

Singing Our Story: Duets That Define Us

2024-12-30T20:14:00.003+05:30

30th December 2001! On this day, Kristel and I walked down the aisle at Our Lady of Egypt Church, Kalina, Mumbai promising to love and honour each other - for better or worse, in sickness and health, till death do us part. As we sat down on a quiet Sunday evening trying to line up a plan for our special day, the idea popped up to revisit the melodies that have accompanied me on through the journey.

The Sweet Beginning

“Jesus, You’re The Sweetest Name of All,” was the first song we sang together as a duet during our nuptial service. This hymn has inspired us to build our marriage on a strong foundation of faith and harmony.

Building a Harmonious Home

After a short trip to Singapore, we returned to Dubai to start our new life together. Our first home was a cozy studio - It was in this apartment that our musical experiments truly began. One of the first songs we sang together was Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman’s “Something Stupid,” The song was released just a days before our wedding – an interesting coincidence.

Classics That Defined Us

Another favorite duet we cherish is the Irving Berlin classic, “I Wonder Why (You’re Just In Love),” from the 1950s film Call Me Madam. This song’s delightful polyphony - two verses sung simultaneously—is a delightful challenge, much like marriage itself.

A Bollywood Touch: Nostalgia and Romance

As life brought us back to Mumbai, our playlist grew to include some beloved Bollywood hits. While “Papa Kehte Hain” is a personal favorite that I perform as part of a Rock ‘n’ Roll medley, Kristel’s melodic voice beautifully suits the romantic love song from the same movie QSQT, “Ghazab Ka Ye Din.”

A few years later when I was studying in NMIMS, Jo Jeeta Woh Sikander became a hit. The song "Pehla Nasha" perfectly captures the magic of young love.

Keeping the Music Alive

We hope you’ve enjoyed the performances that we’ve shared here. These songs are more than just covers; they’re snapshots of our life together, moments frozen in harmony.

We look forward to many more music sessions as a couple in the upcoming year. We’d love to have your suggestions on other songs we should work on together.

Bollywood Backstage: Memories, Melodies, and Magic Moments

2024-11-16T22:17:00.002+05:30

The past few weeks at work have been a whirlwind of high energy and anticipation. We were all gearing up for the SCREENXX Summit and Awards, held on November 13th in Mumbai. It was a flurry of activity—entries streaming in, juries deliberating, final results being tallied, trophies polished, agenda locked, invitations sent out, and registrations in full swing. The most thrilling part? The big question: Which celebrities would actually make it for the night?

As the day approached, the buzz was palpable. Would the stars align (quite literally) and grace us with their presence? It felt like the entire team was holding its breath.

After a long day of planning, I’d unwind at home, instinctively reaching for my phone. And as if by some magical algorithm (or maybe Big Brother keeping tabs on my Bollywood mood), my social media feed served me snippets from series like Panchayat and Very Parivarik. It was like the universe was playing along, providing the perfect dose of entertainment just when I needed it.

The event turned out to be a roaring success! Stars from the small screen dazzled the audience, receiving a raucous cheer as if it were the climax of a blockbuster. Though I haven’t been following Hindi OTT shows as religiously lately, and it’s been a while since I binge-watched a series, the collective excitement was contagious. The presence of yesteryear celebrities, like Chunky Panday, brought back a flood of memories from simpler times.

Bollywood Nostalgia: Growing Up in the Golden Era

Growing up in the 80s in Mumbai, it was impossible to escape the Bollywood wave. At just 5 or 6 years old, I remember the thrill of watching the youngest Kapoor brother, Rajiv Kapoor, playing cricket on our school field. The odd walk through Union Park in Chembur had us trying to spot Om Prakash, the veteran actor as we passed by his bungalow there.

Sundays were special days indeed. The roads were clear as families indulged in the Sunday evening ritual watching that long-awaited movie on TV. Subsequently that moved moved to Saturdays and the regional treat took over the Sunday. On weeknights, the entire family would huddle around the TV to watch Chitrahaar and Chhayageet, eagerly waiting for our favourite songs. The introduction of colour TV during the 1982 Asian Games marked a turning point. Suddenly, watching TV felt like a whole new experience. We spent dinner time not around the table, but seated on the sofa in front of the TV and keenly kept track of the developments on screen as we followed the serials like 'Hum Log' and later 'Buniyaad'. Also the comedy treats like 'Hum Paanch' and many others.

Summer and Diwali holidays often meant marathon movie sessions at a neighbour’s place. They would rent the movies by the dozen and their living room was a mini-theatre. We didn’t mind sitting on the floor and at times non-stop commentary from the lady of the house who was an absolute movie buff. When we got our own video player, we made the most of it to watch a good mix of Hindi blockbusters as well as English treats.

Flashback to 1988: The Era of QSQT

One movie that stands out vividly in my memory is Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT), released in 1988. The film introduced us to the original chocolate hero, Aamir Khan, who stole everyone’s heart with his captivating performance. But what truly won me over was the music. The peppy, rock-and-roll rhythm of “Papa Kehte Hain”, featuring a cameo by dance maestro J J Rodriguez, is still one of my favorite songs—to listen to, to play, and even to sing. It’s a classic that never gets old. This was one of the early songs I learned to play on the keyboard. Give it a listen here.

Sunil Pinto · Papa Kehte Hain

Recently, on a quiet evening at home with my lovely wife, we found ourselves reminiscing about this film. I started playing another beautiful love song from the movie, and she spontaneously joined in. Here’s our rendition of “Gazab Ka Ye Din”—a timeless melody that still gives us goosebumps.Listen here

Sunil Pinto · Gazab ka hai din.m4a

We’d love to hear your feedback on this rendition. There are a few more covers in the pipeline, and we can’t wait to share them with you soon. Stay tuned for more musical nostalgia!

Father's Day 2024

2024-06-16T22:20:00.016+05:30

On Father's Day today, I decided to put together a little tribute to Dad.... since he (and his siblings) inspired the music in me.

I Believe sung my Elvis and many others was a song I recall Dad singing from my very early years. One of my sisters actually had him sing it at her nuptials.

Ten years ago, when I returned to Mumbai, I stepped up to lead the singing at Mass. The first day that I went up, some of the priests of the parish actually thought that Dad was back from New Zealand - since we have very similar voices. Over the years that he served the parish in the music ministry, a favourite hymn of his was this Don Moen spiritual - God Will Make A Way.

What do/ will you remember your Dad by?

The Wedding Season 2021

2021-11-12T19:58:00.003+05:30

The Wedding Season has begun!!!

After a washed out wedding season in 2020 and the first half of 2021, young couples are looking forward to better celebrations in the current season that is just starting.... thanks to the prospect of life returnng to normal - at least in India. In fact, this last Sunday, I witnessed not one, but TWO weddings in my local parish. With some of the regulations still in place, I was requested to provide music at the Church service for both these weddings.

I couldn't help remember my teenage days, when I was part of this choir group that used to sing for weddings - mostly at Don Bosco's Shrine (Matunga) and Our Lady of Dolours Church (Wadala)... sometimes we got requests to sing at some other churches as well. I once landed for a wedding at Our Lady of Fatima Church Sewri and noticed many familiar faces.... turned out to be the wedding of one of our parishioners there.

Coming back to the music, a favorite song at the Entrance of the service was "The Wedding (Ave Maria)" - by Julie Rogers (1964)

And after the nuptials, a favorite would be "Song of Ruth (Wherever You Go)". The lyrics of this song are from the Bible - the book of Ruth 1: 16-17. In fact the song is not a dedication for marriage.

The Book of Ruth opens with the death of Naomi's husband and their two sons in a foreign land. Naomi decides to head back home and tells the daughers in law to return to their maiden families. This song is Ruth's reply to Naomi. And rightly so, as the story goes on, Ruth returns to Bethlehem with Naomi and eventually remarries. She is listed as an important Biblical Woman - the great grandmother of King David.

The song we sang for the current weddings was "But I Wish You Jesus" by Scott Wesley Brown

And for the Finale - was a beautiful song from The Seekers - again from the 1960s - "I'll Never Find Another You". I really enjoyed playing this song which has been adopted by the Marriage Encounter Program as its anthem. The Program orients couples to prepare for marriage and after the wedding to strengthen their commitment. I've uploaded my rendition (cover) of the song on my YouTube Channel. Inviting you to subscribe if you like it.

I hope you liked it.... If you are a musician, you may be able to benefit from another video I've posted for the song, with the chords of the song.... Do share your feedback.

Thanks for reading the blog.... I hope you liked the music.

Getting back - Fathers Day and World Music Day 2020

2020-06-21T21:31:00.003+05:30

I never realised that it has been such a long time since my last blogpost here. Thinking of getting back to it, today seemed to be a good day to start with the celebration of World Music Day and also Fathers Day in some parts of the world.

This blog has been about sharing my experiences of growing up with music. And the credit for introducing me to the world of music right from my early years goes to my Dearest Dad. From the very earliest posts on this blog, I have paid rich tributes to Dad and his efforts in making us a musical family to reckon with. As we celebrate Father's Day today, it made sense to me to list down some of the Dad songs that have appealed to me over my lifetime.

During our growing up years, we participated in and attended many singing competitions in the locality. And this soulful dedication to a Dad was put up by many a guy about seven to eight years my senior.

My dad was really proud of my musical pursuits in my teens and twenties - on radio, band and with instruments. Used to play this track by Boyzone regularly on FM in the late '90s. The original recording though is from Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam) in 1970. This song is also recorded by Rod Stewart.

Being a dad myself right now, I'm pleased to be able to pass on the wonderful gift of music that Dad nurtured in me and all my siblings. I'll sign off with a recent rendition of a song that won me a trophy at the age of seven and had my Dad absolutely thrilled. I performed this just last month on a video broadcast on the office network. This song has passed down with both my sons having sung it as well.

Will be back with more musical updates right here. But for now, here's wishing all the dad's reading this post "Happy Fathers Day".

Fun with Maths

2019-01-14T23:00:00.003+05:30

It's Exam time at home... My elder son currently doing his Prelims before his tenth standard board exams.... and the younger one in Grade Four.

And as I opened up the Economic Times this morning, this article - Fun With Maths just jumped out at me....

Manjul Bhargava is the first person of Indian origin to have won the coveted Fields medal in Mathematics for this path-breaking work in Number Theory. This professor of Mathematics at Princeton University discusses various issues with the Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy.

When I asked the students of the MBA class I take about Mathematics the other day, only around 10% of them said they like it. Most of the others detested it. Years ago, I recall another MBA graduate in my office struggling with basic Arithmetic. Maths is an integral part of our everyday life. From waking up to the alarm clock... to train timings... to the price we pay for breakfast... it's all about Mathematics. We work with sheets and charts.... and get a salary at the end of the week or the month.... for which we need to know our numbers right... Yes indeed, That's Mathematics.

You liked that song by Tom Lehrer... we'll get him to give us a lesson a little later on. But first we'll do it very easy... ABC is as easy as One Two Three...

Well, the number 'three' reminds me of this song, a song my uncle Denzil used to sing... back in the day, Jake the Peg (Rolf Harris).

That version did not have my favorite verse of the song.... the one about counting.... on fingers and toes...

Are you ready for the Maths lesson with Tom Lehrer.... on the New Math...

Didn't that song make Maths fun....

I put some thought into it... and recalled that I knew to read the time at age 5.... I learnt my tables in regular school.... and in class VI when I opened up a chapter on Bills and Receipts, I instead said Rec-i-pes, and had the entire class burst into laughter.... I was fairly good at Maths through school... though I slipped up when it came to Maths in college.... My Stats teacher in First Year B.Com was quite a terror and predicted based on past experience that more than half the class would end up struggling to Pass. I put my head down to it, and did extremely well. In B=School, I was actually coaching some of my weaker batchmates on Statistics... which made me one of my closest friends in the batch, that I'm still in active contact with. Working in data has been an absolute treat and the current trend of analytics absolutely amazes me....

I could go on and on.... which my stories on numbers.... but I'd rather just leave you with this song on advice for life... a sure formula to get the maximum out of life....

Acc-en-tu-ate the Positive.

P.S. I've got another post on this blog on Maths... in fact the very first one.... Check out Music and Math

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019...

2019-01-06T23:33:00.001+05:30

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019

Another year has gone by... 2018 and what a year it was.... Lots of work, opportunities, music, events.... but a lot less blogging.

2018 for me took me to a lot of new places. While ten years ago (2008) was the year I did the most international trips (from Dubai to London, US and Canada), 2018 was a year of a different kind of journeys... My travel in 2018 was all within India and related to work and learning. During this year I visited Gurgaon, the foothills of the Himalayas (in Dehradun) and the serenity of the Gandhi ashram along the banks of the Sabarmati river (in Ahmedabad). While the first trip was part of an official assignment, the latter two trips were related to sharing knowledge and education - the first at UPES (University of Petroleum and Energy Services) and the more recent to MICA - The School of Ideas. Before we take off on the year 2019, let's take a little Sentimental Journey.

That song first released in the year 1944 (that's 75 years ago)... That's a year during World War II. And while there was death looming all over, the year also saw births of some really famous people. Among them Erno Rubik (inventor of the Rubik cube), officials like Ban Ki-moon (former Secretary-General of the United Nations), Rudy Giuliani (former Mayor of New York city). But before them all, on the first day of the year, in the little town of Mangalore was born a wonderful teacher of Maths and Science (who spent over 25 years in St. Anthony's Girls High School Chembur), but a great teacher on the values of life to her six children (me and my siblings).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY

Living in my childhood home at present, everyday I come across someone or the other who has been touched by my mum. Last week I was traveling by bus to work and happened to meet another student. The previous week one of her superstar students conveyed their regards to my mum to my wife when she visited an event organised by the alumni.

Over the past 250+ posts on this blog, I've made a few honorable mentions of my mum. Thought it would be a good idea to recount these on this special day.

Music and Math (2015)

Was a casual afternoon, and I had to put together a short article as part of an exercise at the Digital Marketing class I was taking. Bang! out of nowhere came this post on Music and Math.

My Radio Days (and Nights) - Remembering Saturday Date (2018)

During my days as a Radio Jockey on All India Radio, my best constructive critic was none other than my dear Mummy. Though not an authority in music, she shared some interesting inputs to help me improve my clarity and diction on the show... and across life. Now 30 years later we've had an interesting reversal of roles.... While I've spent a fair amount of time teaching (what she did for over 25 years), while she had her moment in the sun as a guest on Susegad Danpaar on 104.6 FM

Earlier today, my siblings in Auckland got together to celebrate her birthday with some of her new friends in the land where she now resides... Saw some glimpses of the get together, a celebration of her seventy five fantastic years. Saw some glimpses of the party including some of the toasts raised by my siblings, paying tribute to her commitment and dedication over the years to give us the very best.

We thank the Lord for our Mummy, who truly called the shots to make our family and each of us - her children - what we are today. of my Pistol Packing Mama.

THANKS MUMMY FOR BEING YOU

WISHING YOUR MANY MORE YEARS OF HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

November

2018-11-04T19:49:00.001+05:30

Woah! it's already November.... I heard the Calendar Song after ages - it used to be a regular on Saturday Date in the late ' 70s and early '80s.

In the nineties, when satellite TV invaded all of our households, this November song was on everyone's lips.... November Rain.

While Mumbai recorded it's hottest ever November day yesterday, the Met Department has forecast some November Rain next week.... Let's wait and see...

Do you know of any 'November Songs'? Share them in the comments....

Konkani Muji Mai Baas

2018-09-30T23:22:00.000+05:30

Konkani Muji Mai Baas... translates to "Konkani is my mother tongue..." and this past month of September reminded me of this on several occasions.

The Konkani connection with September comes from the way Monti Fest is celebrated in Mangalore. Monti is Konkani for Mount... and so the celebration of Monti Fest is the celebration of the Feast of the Mount... or the celebration of the birthday of Mother Mary. However the Birthday celebrations in Mangalore is combined with the celebration of the harvest. In our growing years, the usual Inland Letter formats in India were replaced by enveloped letters in the month of September containing a few ears of blessed corn. The blessed corn we received was mixed in with milk or a sweet and consumed with a Thanksgiving prayer. Further the celebration includes the Novem meal including an odd number of vegetarian dishes (five, seven, nine...) along with rice with the dessert of waran (payasam).

While I attended a Konkani church service for the first time in Chembur, it was a perfect connection to my roots. But even more special on Saturday 8th September was to hear my mother tell the world (definitely the whole of Auckland) about Monti Fest on the radio - Susegad Danpaar on Planet FM 104.6

The other Konkani event for me this month was the nomination of my son from school to participate in an inter-school Elocution Competition organised by the Goan Institute in Mumbai. While my son participated and was shortlisted among the last 15 in the senior category in the English Elocution, the highlight of the competition was the Konkani Elocution. In the age where the Konkani language is dwindling, this initiative truly saw some great performances paying rich tribute to Goa and Konkani in poetry.

The Chief Guest to the wonderful afternoon of poetry was Dr. Elaine Charles, a renowned Mumbai educationist who shared her A to Z of public speaking. Among the special guests at the Elocution Competition was Odil Madeira - a prominent writer and speech and dramatics trainer from Mumbai. She was honoured even more by the fact that quite a few students recited pieces written by her.

The Goan Institute is committed to encouraging talent and development among the Goan community and besides handing over trophies to the Goan kids who performed at the competition also felicitated Goans who excelled in the recent Xth and XIIth Standard exams. Was really privileged to see one of my parishioners get a scholarship at the event.

The Goan community has a long history with Mumbai. The area where the Goan Institute is located in Dabul around the Kalbadevi area of Mumbai (close to Metro Cinema and St. Xaviers College) has been home to Goan Clubs or koods which became home to Goans migrating to Mumbai looking for job opportunities. Check out this interesting documentary about Goan clubs in Mumbai.

And the last of my Konkani interactions of the month was with the Indian Express Film Club at the screening of the Konkani movie 'Juze'.

The film depicted the realities of life in the villages of Goa and the fight for survival of a young teenager against oppression and other challenges of life. An excellent film put together by a young director was an eye opener that however much progress has been made, life continues to throw up challenges for one and all that we have to win over in our quest for survival. The movie set in the remote villages reminded me of the stories I myself have heard about the challenges that various family members have faced in their journey of life and how they made their choices. Among others I recalled visits to relatives homes in Mangalore where there was no electricity in their houses in the 1970s and the 1980s. I seriously wonder what the progress has been in the villages that they lived over the years and how much progress they have seen.

Konkani to me has been my 'Mai'-baas or the language of my Mai (meaning mother, we affectionately addressed my maternal grandmother as such). Since she only spoke in Konkani and other Mangalorean languages (Kannada and Tulu), we had a compulsion to speak to her in Konkani. However after her passing away, I lost touch of the language. My wife's family though are strong proponents for the Konkani language and she stays in close connect with Konkani by her participation in the Konkani choir (which is led by a young 20 year old girl).

I am thankful for the reminder to my mother-tongue and look forward to many more interesting interactions in Konkani going forward. Over the years, I've enjoyed some of the very best of Konkani music and have had my own opportunities to sing in Konkani during my days in the Mumbai band circuit in the 1980s and 90s. Signing off this post with this medley of traditional mandos.

VIVA KONKANI

Daddy Dearest

2018-08-13T23:38:00.001+05:30

I just penned my 250th post yesterday... I realised that only today... And a very special day at that... Cause today's a day to celebrate the person who has by far the most mentions on this blog... That's my Daddy.

Sammy Kaye released that song in 1941 within a year of when my Daddy was born. Going back to this blog, it began as a simple submission at a Digital Marketing class I was taking to enhance my skills. Music and Math celebrated the things my parents loved - a love I inherited from them from my very early days.

Moving forward, this blog provided me an outlet to share my love of music with the world. As I moved on to the second post, I recalled wonderful times learning singing with Dad... recalling our first few songs that also happened to be Green Songs From the Past...

Exactly three years ago to this date, as we celebrated my Dad's first birthday in absentia, happy memories made their way to this blog in Laugh Aloud... 75 times over. My dad could add joy to absolutely any situation... He'd bring sweetness even to the most boring day.... He was an absolute Sugar Daddy.

Attended a party for my Aunt's 80th birthday a few weeks ago... and had a lot of people tell me I look closest to my Dad in the family. But the best thing I inherited from my Dad was the gift the music and the same choir voice.... Daddy Sang Bass.

And as I follow his practice of leading the singing in church at the morning Mass, this is one hymn I'll probably be singing tomorrow... one that reminds most people around of my Dear Daddy... God Will Make A Way.

Playing The Piano... Throwback

2018-08-12T19:24:00.001+05:30

The school year had just begun. And my mom shared with us a conversation that occurred in the staff room that day. My mum's fellow teachers were discussing our musical talents and then raised a pertinent question to my mum, "Your kids are so talented, they all sing so well... but how come you haven't encouraged them to play any instruments?" The music teacher of the primary section was within earshot... and made an offer that couldn't be refused... She said "Send one and I'll teach a second one for free!"

What's today called the classic #Buy1Get1 offer in a completely different setting. I was nominated to avail of this offer along with my sister, a couple of years younger than me. My two older siblings had gotten their opportunity to learn the guitar, and they were in high school (Xth and VIIIth respectively). Was that the reason? Or did it have something to do with the fact that the music that played on the cassette player at home often had me squatting on the floor playing the sofa-piano. (Not quite an air-guitar, but I'd often pretend like the black rexine sofa was a piano, and move my fingers on it with great expression).

And so the piano classes began... With lessons about the staff and the clefs, I was introduced to a whole new vocabulary including breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quavers and more...

Every Thursday morning and Saturday evening, my sister and I would walk over the 10 minutes to the music lessons. A few months later, when we got a cycle, I would ride and my sister would be running behind.... What a hilarious sight that would have been. That wasn't anything like this Bicycle Piano.

While one of us was at our class, the other just sat there reading comic books mostly from Disney including the Mickey Mouse and Donald Ducks... and a host of other stuff. Piano and Cartoons... do they have anything in common?

Over the next two years I moved through the music books from John Thompson's Modern Course for the Piano... but there was one little challenge... where to practice? We did not own a piano at home... nor could we afford one. The closest we got to hiring one, turned out to be a disaster, when we could hardly get the piano out of the house of the person renting it... let alone the challenge of possibly getting it up two floors in our narrow stairway. And that was it....

But then we spotted this... the piano in a case... owned by one of our young keyboardist around... who carried it along for all the events in the school and the parish.... the Yamaha Portasound PS3.

We acquired one with the support of a family friend working in the Gulf who purchased it on our behalf when he came down to celebrate Christmas with his family. In the mood of the season, I tried learning this Christmas Carol from the little sheet that accompanied it.... Silent Night.

While I discontinued piano lessons in Std. IX, I continued my fascination with the instrument and continued to work out songs on my little keyboard. And I just loved to hear people play the piano at our local parish zonals and then on the college stage - especially at the Malhar (at St. Xaviers College, Bombay). That's where I was enthralled by some fantastic piano pieces from the Classical Masters and also Jazz and original compositions from students like myself including some of these songs and pieces that I never knew the names of.

As I progressed through college, the airwaves of Akashwani came calling over, where I joined a group of singers from R.A. Podar College to perform for the youth show, YuvVani that gave way to more opportunities at the station including the role of an RJ and many more Youth Shows - including a Christmas Special with the Wedding Choir I was part of with friends from St. Joseph's Parish Wadala and even one with my family... That's when I could not be satisfied with just the guitar... cause my fingers were itching to play on the Grand Piano there...

While I've never mastered the piano to play anything like the pieces I've included here, I've always looked for the chance to work out my music. The couple of years in the Bombay Band circuit exposed me to a wider repertoire of music, and more songs to work out. Though I was just a crooner in the band, I'd continue to try to work out the music on my personal time. Being the only person playing an instrument among my siblings posed the challenge to work out the difficult songs they often chose... all of which contributed to expanding my musical horizons. But the public stage for my musical skills came at the weddings of each of my siblings when it came to working out music for the choir.

But my knowledge of music especially theory saw new light after I moved to Dubai. My first real investment was in music.... The Yamaha PSR740, which got me started on music programming on the keyboard itself, and subsequently on the Cakewalk Music Creator getting midi files ready for performances as a one-man band at many events there. Also participation in the choir and subsequent charge of the children's choir at St. Michael's Church, Sharjah gave me the opportunity to move my music to a new level.

While being grateful to God and family for the gift of music, I have a special prayer for the kind music teacher I mentioned in the first paragraph of this post. Every time - over the past four years that I've been back in Chembur (Mumbai) - when she was in church while I played on the keyboard, was a proud moment indeed for me.

As I attended the funeral Mass of Mrs. Sheila Britto earlier today, I thanked the Lord for the gift of this kind and gentle lady who nurtured the the talent of music in my life. As we sang 'Thank You For The Music", I was truly thankful for the first teacher who taught me to play music. Here's a little tribute to her in music.

Birthday Bumps to Big Sister

2018-07-25T00:02:00.000+05:30

When you come from a big family like mine, you have a birthday practically everyday. But then there are some birthdays more important than others. And this is one of those weeks. Just two days ago, I carried a post to my Aunt who completed the Enormous Eighty.

The birthday wish today goes out to someone much nearer and dearer. A person whom I’ve learnt such a lot from - a dear Big Sister.

Since they say“Don’t ever ask a woman her age”, I’m not going to do list of songs from the year of her birth. Being a music blog, it surely seems more appropriate to steer through the various songs she’s sung over the years. This was the family Anthem in 1985-86. We even sang it on stage at a couple of weddings...

Being a family of six children, we usually got grouped as the elder three and younger three. In days before satellite TV or even National TV, we spent a lot of time together as a family. I remember one particular Saturday morning or maybe a holiday when Mum was doing the chores, the elder three of us were seated on the sofa in the front room while Dad had his guitar in hand, as he taught us a song that his Pinto family did so very well. Greenfields.

Not to the Greenfields, but to the brown mountains of Khandala.... That's a trip a remember taking with Sarita, a few days before her engagement... For the first time ever, we headed out without pre-bookings or reservations... We just walked down to the nearest State Transport Bus Stop and hopped into the first bus that was headed up there. After a gruelling journey of four hours we reached our destination.... St. Mary's Villa at Khandala where we met the ever vibrant Rev Fr. Robin Selwyn... who graced the wedding a few months later with a beautiful song - True Love...

While I remembered that trip fondly a couple of months ago, when along with the wife and kids, we made a getaway to St. Stanislaus Villa in Lonavla going up those very same hills.

My big sister and I made one more bus journey through the Western Ghats soon after my SSC examinations, when just the two of us travelled for a month-long vacation to Mangalore. We spent the first week of that trip with my Mum's sister in the convent.

On my previous visit to Mangalore, some seven years earlier as well, we (the entire family) had spent our first few days of vacation at the Bethany Convent in Kulshekar where my aunt - the same one - was posted. And that's where Dad taught the three of us this song... Green Green Grass of Home

My next visit to Mangalore after that memorable trip with my sister was a good twenty-six years later for a family wedding. My sister had made many many trips to our hometown in the interim, by virtue of having in-laws in that wonderful city....

She's in another wonderful city now... the city of Auckland... and she has a wonderful lawn around the house.... While she has the green grass around home, I'm get to enjoy the wonderful rains at home... right here in Mumbai.... and watch this island (Mumbai) turn into a stream.

And the rainy days remind me of her 21st birthday, when we all had her friends who had recently graduated from St. Xavier College get together for a party at our house... only for a couple of them to be stranded at our place for a couple more days.

The rains of Mumbai have a special calling. How happy we'd feel during the one odd day of the year while in Dubai, when the heavens opened up there... What's your favorite season... Here's some more nature to think of...

All Kinds of Everything... this is one of the earliest songs I remember Sarita singing solo, as a seven- or eight-year old. Another song I fondly remember her singing as a young girl is Paper Roses.

Have you ever noticed that for every song about loving relationships there are two about broken ones. Sadly, that song was not the only one in the repertoire. Others that made it there included Killing Me Softly...

and a few years later... Everybody's Somebody's Fool.

Growing up as the eldest of six, Sarita was extremely shy and soft spoken, a little nervous as well of taking on new things... But with every new stage in life, that fear diminished. From a shy school girl, to the average teenager she put in her heart and soul in everything she did... a perfect example for us two boys who were next in line at home to follow... Nominated the first ever Catholic Leader in her school was one point of recognition. Many years later she nearly single-handledly managed the Summer Camp at the parish including a host of events for a whole month.

And life brought her a whole new string of opportunities right after she met this incredible man that was just made for her. Anil and Sarita have perfectly complemented each other over the past 26 years of marriage.

When marriage took her to the foreign land to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, it was over to the two of them to set the foundations for their lives. They both excelled in everything they took up. In the first year of their marriage, the spent a lot of time making music together while performing in the band - Deja Vu, where she would have performed this song - Simply The Best.

The years have seen the both of them soar to great heights and excel in whatever they reached out to do. From being supportive and encouraging to all their siblings and families, achievement in their jobs and careers, and caring and nurturing two sons - Keith and Karl - to be the wonderful youngsters that they are... and talented as well. I'm quite sure when she looks back down the road of life, this song would definitely be a secret to success... I Have A Dream.

A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. - Colin Powell

Looking back on the years of my big sister, that's what I see... The determination and hardwork that she's put in to be just PERFECT.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARITA

Around the World in 80 days

2018-07-22T00:53:00.000+05:30

Have you read the book? or possibly watched the movie?

During our growing up years, we watched a tele-series about the journey of Phileas Fogg and Passepartout as they went around the world in only 80 days. This blog post is about another journey... one of 80 years and going strong....

What I'm going to post here is a tribute to another journey.... not of 80 days but of 80 years... if you're ready, let's Begin the Beguine.

It was the month of July 1938 when Howard Hughes did the world tour not in 80 days but in just 91 hours. A few days later, another flyer (Douglas Corrington) took off from NY to California but landed in Ireland.... Both these flyers became famous, thanks to their Pocketful of Dreams.

While US President F.W. Roosevelt was commemorating Peace at Gettysberg, things were very different in Europe... But who cared, it was the time to enjoy the Summertime.

And on a sunny or maybe rainy Friday in July, there was a burst of life in the Pinto family. as they welcomed the newest addition to the family, their second daughter and thanked God by naming her Jeanette (meaning God is Gracious). And I'm sure she Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby.

Growing up, she nurtured her many talents, among them the fantastic sense of music and Fascinating Rhythm.

The clear voice of Ella Fitzgerald and jazz style had a clear influence on this family of music as they included this next song on their Family Anthem - A-Tisket-A-Tasket. I have wonderful memories of there

Having grown into a lovely lady, she met her man who among things shared the same meaning in the name - John Fernandes. He was and still is her Bei Mir Bist Du Shein. And they further enjoy the love of their four wonderful daughters and their families, including five talented grand-children.

Life was not just about singing and dancing, it had a lot to do with putting on hard work, at home and Punjab National Bank where she gave her many years... Nice Work If You Can Get It. If you like like that song, you should check out Fred Astaire's Drum Dance version of the song.

Over the years, she's kept her love for music alive through her long association with the Holy Name Cathedral choir where she's been one of their main soloists. I remember attending one Maundy Thursday Mass at that church, due to proximity to work... where she sang the solo during the Washing of the Feet... and a little later during the same service was ordained as a Eucharistic Minister in the parish.

In my own experience, I have been fortunate to have this wonderful aunt, who's forever concerned about everyone around her - near or far alike... and never hesitant to reach out a helping hand to anyone in need... no matter what....

Time to wish this wonderful aunt of mine.... a very happy 80.... And many many more....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

AUNTY JEANETTE

Just for the record.... all the songs on this post are popular songs from 1938... that's just 80 years ago... a time of super jazz and classic big bands...

The Godfather Week

2018-07-15T23:50:00.001+05:30

The last week was a Godfather week for me.

No... I did't spend the entire rainy week watching the collection of The Godfather movies (by Francis Ford Coppola) ... nor was I snuggled up reading the Mario Puza novel...

My week started last Sunday morning at Our Lady of Visitation Church in Nerul, Navi Mumbai where we celebrated the Eucharist followed by the Baptism ceremony of Abygail Sequeira - my newest godchild.

My wife, Kristel and I, stood along with the parents - Lavina and Abhilash - as we pledged our belief and faith on behalf of little Abygail. We Blessed her along with her grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins present at the ceremony.

Abygail is indeed a blessing for her parents and elder brother, Keegan who was so thrilled at the entire festivities, and being there for his little sister at all times. Abygail means 'father's joy' and one could sense the tremendous joy of her father at his every move. An occasion like this, especially a new birth of a little girl, reminds me of the wonderful dedication by Stevie Wonder to his daughter, Aisha Morris - Isn't She Lovely.

As the week progressed, we happened to look back to some video recordings we had on our PC over the years. And we recalled and watched one from ten years ago, at another baptism ceremony of another godchild of ours - this one was in the Summer of 2008 in New Jersey, US. The boy - Joel - Kristel's sister's son, was christened during the trip we made to the US and Canada that year. He's growing up as a Beautiful Boy.

We are blessed with two wonderful boys, who are our pride and joy.... And talking of boys, this song often comes to mind about "Daddy's little boy... he's playing with his toys..."

Who are godparents anyway? Then general reference of a godfather is of someone who provides financial support or influence. But the real meaning of a godparent is one who witnessed the baptism and guides the spiritual formation of the godchild throughout their life.

My godparents, Franklin and Nancy were close friends of my parents before they were married. Through me growing up years, they always showered me with the best of gifts - the tricycle at three, the cricket bat, the books - including the biggest joke book ever ( a favourite with my kids). My godfather even proposed the toast at my wedding. They are currently retired in the US, and I wish them the very best of health and well-being.

At the other end of the world, down under in NZ lives another godson of mine. Andre will be completing 21 this year and has grown up to be an intelligent and handsome young man as he towers over all of us.

The week which started out with a special event and blessing to be a Godparent wound up with another special Godparent moment... as my eldest godchild celebrated her 25th birthday on Friday the 13th. A smart intelligent girl that she is, I wish her a fabulous future and success in all her endeavours and in life.

As I thank the Lord for the tremendous blessings that He has showered on me and my family and all our near and dear ones, I'm happy to share a beautiful Lullabye that goes out to all the lovely and happy children that have brought and continue to bring joy to us all.

Smooth Flights of Jazz

2018-06-03T23:59:00.000+05:30

Had a nice relaxed Sunday after a crazy hectic week at work - the pace is rapid especially at the end of a month and the beginning of a new one. What made the past week even more chaotic was the need to fly to Delhi on official business right in the middle of the week.

I'm not a frequent traveler... but this flight took me back in time. While it brought to mind the many trips I've made around the world, it took me on a musical journey. As I settled down in my aisle seat, the music that filled the air was soft, pleasant and relaxing - exactly what you would expect from Smooth Jazz

Hyde Park (Jeff Kashiwa) - that sound makes up the background sound of a video I compiled of the day I spent exploring New York City including the Rockafeller centre and the visit to the Observation Deck at the Empire State Building 2008 on One Summer Day (Ken Navarro).

While it was around this time that I was attracted to this wonderful genre of music, I think the earliest influence of Smooth Jazz to be touched me was back in the studios of All India Radio, where a guest DJ (or RJ) on YuvVani - the bi-weekly youth show played Morning Dance (Spyro Gyra).

The guest DJ was a senior of mine from college, back in the day when we had only three main stream to pursue - Commerce, Arts and Science (within which Engineering and Medicine were the most aspirational). Things are different today with lots more options to choose from. In fact, just last week, NMIMS (the B-school I studied in and currently serve as a guest faculty) launched the NMIMS School of Performing Arts.

This is the first ever venture in India towards a degree in Music, is what I understand. But there's the whole wide world of talent out there for talented musicians to Rise (Herb Alpert).

While we'll have to wait and see for what the future holds, I'm looking back once again. Just the couple of weeks ago, when I reminisced about about completing 30 years since my first ever show on All India Radio in my post - My Radio Days (and Nights): Remembering Saturday Date. In fact was well pleased that this post registered well over 700 Pageviews... Thanks to all... it Feels So Good (Chuck Mangione).

With trust you enjoyed the music on this post, here's one of my favorite tunes in Smooth Jazz - Take Five (Dave Brubeck).

I was inspired to write this post by the music I heard on the flight I was travelling in. Talking about flights, a week ago a TAP Air Portugal flight from Amsterdam to Lisbon made an emergy landing at Porto. The delay prompted Ray Chen to pull out his Stradivarius violin and entertain his fellow travellers. Check this out.

My Radio Days (and Nights) - Remembering Saturday Date

2018-05-20T01:06:00.000+05:30

IT'S 10 O'CLOCK ON A SATURDAY NIGHT
TIME FOR SATURDAY DATE

Do you remember where you were on a hot May Saturday night like this - 10 years ago? What about 20?

Thirty years ago, on a Saturday night like this, I was sitting in the studios of All India Radio Mumbai spinning the records (as the Radio Jockey or RJ) doing my first ever Saturday Date, the very very popular Pop request show at the station.

We literally grew up on the show. I remember listening as a small kid trying to catch familiar names especially around family birthday times. Listening to all the famous songs of the 1970s including ABBA and Boney M.

I'd just finished my HSC (Grade 12) and was doing a summer assignment on a bank audit in April, when I received this letter in the Government of India Service yellow envelope offering me the opportunity to present Saturday Date. The previous letter (the first), I had received from the Radio Station was to do a Sports update on their youth show, which I had ignored. Was this really an invite to host Saturday Date. Could it really be possible? Visited the radio station and met the undersigned, a wonderful lady called Ms. Sarla Mirchandani, who put me directly on to training at using the studios at the station. After a few guidelines on how to do the show, there I was live on the Radio Waves.

Earlier in the week on a sunny afternoon, I did my first show as a casual announcer introducing a piece of classical music. And in preparation for the Saturday Date, was handed over a bunch of postcards, inland letters and other envelopes for me to browse through so I could make note of the requests that were lined up for the show - maybe a 100 or more requests to browse through and organise. What did you write In Your Letter?

The bunch included a host of birthday and wedding anniversary requests with a host of others just for listening pleasure or special dedications to a youthful crush. Among the popular requests were Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder and Shakin' Stevens

Give Me Your Heart Tonight was among the favorite dedications to someone loved, but even more requests came for Wonderful Tonight.

As I spun the requested songs that week, this song ruled the Billboard charts that week - Anything For You

Over the next few months, I was a regular at the radio station - hosting music shows in the afternoons and evenings including many more editions of Saturday Date and Music On Parade on Wednesday night. As I got around in college in my first year of B.Com, people shared their feedback on my shows. Or passed on requests to be aired on the next show of Saturday Date - a popularity I soon enjoyed.

Over the next few years, my knowledge of music grew by leaps and bounds as I explored different genres of music. Anytime I was free after college, I'd take the train over to Churchgate, and walk into the Akashvani Bhavan to go to the music library where I could spend many hours exploring the vinyl records or just Listen To the Music.

The radio experience is what eventually made me explore compering at weddings and other occasions... that gives me great joy even today. As I look back at the years and all the wonderful experiences and opportunities I've had to entertain in these thirty years, I just look up towards heaven and say Thank You For the Music.

As I woke up this morning recalling my experience on radio, 30 years back.... my mum made her own personal appearance on radio today on Susegad Danpaar on 104.6FM in Auckland, NZ.

Climbing Everest

2018-05-18T00:12:00.000+05:30

Woke up this morning and the first post I saw was this one from my batchmates from B-school (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies) - Congratulations to Venkatesh Maheshwari.

Venkatesh Maheshwari reached the Top Of The World. Congratulations Venky.

This month marks 65 years that Mt. Everest was first conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

I paid tribute to this conquest with my post on this blog entitled Ain't No Mountain High Enough - also a song.... check out the post for more songs about #Mounta

That video was from the credits of Sister Act 2. But did you know that there is a 2015 film called Everest. Check out this track from the OST.

As you would expect, our entire batch was proud of this achievement, and the WhatsApp group buzzing with Congratulatory messages. Here's one post that featured on the group - a poem by John F. McCullagh

Jul 2017

Climbing Everest

There are several approaches to climbing Everest.

Some are easier than some others, none are easy.

This mountain is littered with discarded equipment

and the evidence of loss and unforced errors.

The cold here, at the top of the world,

pierces through your clothes

Like a million acupuncture needles.

The air is so thin

That hypoxia is a constant danger.

There is exhilaration at the summit

For those who reach the top

They stand where Mallory and Irvine stood

before they suffered their fatal drop.

We climb mountains because we are men.

We are addicted to the adrenaline rush.

We climb Everest because it is there.

We climb Everest because we must.

Will sign off the post with my favorite songs about mountains from the OST of one of the greatest musicals of all time, set around the Second World War.... The Sound of Music.... Climb Ev'ry Mountain...

Easter EGGed

2018-04-01T20:56:00.000+05:30

Do you remember this ad for the NECC (National Egg Co-ordination Committee) encouraging us to eat eggs. Meri Jaan Meri Jaan

How D'ya Like Your Eggs in the Morning

Fried.... Boiled.... Poached.... Or were they Scrambled...

That's the soundtrack from the NBC sitcom featuring Kelsey Grammar as Radio psychiatrist Frasier Crane... enjoyed a few hilarious laughs from the series. Just one of the things we look back on about yesterday...

Yes... "Yesterday... All my troubles seemed so far away".... Ooh... that sound like a Beatles' song, doesn't it.... Here's some trivia about the song... it actually started as 'Scrambled Eggs'... This one's guaranteed to get you some laughs....

Speaking of eggs, my mind races back to the all the weddings I've attended as a young boy... In those days before the buffet became a standard, dinner used to be served in plated meals... and the most colourful thing on the plate was this half of a boiled egg where the yolk (yellow) was replaced with a mixture including mayonnaise smoothly piped into them. The dish is called 'Devilled Eggs'

It's Easter Sunday today.... and you possibly enjoyed your eggs with chocolate or marzipan... or filled with little chickens. Or possibly you liked the bunnies.... Maybe you enjoyed an Egg Hunt with the kids.... If you did, are you 'Putting All Your Eggs In One Basket'.

Do you need to know anything more about eggs... Over to the Bollywood stars giving you some Ande Ka Funda

Bread of the Day

2018-03-29T22:47:00.000+05:30

HOT CROSS BUNSHOT CROSS BUNSONE A PENNY, TWO A PENNYHOT CROSS BUNS...

Most of us would have said this rhyme Hot Cross Buns as little children... but did you know possibly 99% of Hot Cross Buns are sold on only one weekend of the year.... and that weekend for 2018 is this one.

It's the week of the Easter Tridiuum and the beginning of the festival of Passover... and the Bible and the Torah have many many reference to bread.... from unleavened bread eaten with the Passover meal, manna in the desert.... the bread baked by the widow for Elijah.... and many many more types and varieties of bread.... Have you ever heard of Shortenin' Bread.

How many types of Bread do you know of? Let's see how long a list we can come up with....

The Mission Music

2018-03-25T22:11:00.000+05:30

Around once every three years, during the liturgical season of Lent, we have Lenten Missions at our parish - OLPS Chembur. I guess the same applies to most parishes around the world - while some would have it more frequently.

And this is the time, we are called to look into our lives and watch where we are walking. Living in Mumbai, one needs to be extra careful about where we place our steps. But this week that passed was more about gaining the inspiration on how to take the Walk of Life - not the Dire Straits type. Actually, was referring to the Footsteps Walking With Me.

There's this beautiful story that I heard about the Footprints in the sand... Got a nice version of this in a Blue Ridge Mountain Gospel album that I haven't managed to find online. Here's a different version of the same story in the voice of Cristy Lane - hers was possibly the first Gospel music cassette I remember us owning for her most famous rendition of One Day At A Time.

Well indeed He carries us all as we move along the journey of life. Here's a more contemporary version of Footprints in the Sand from Leona Lewis.

It doesn't matter whether we are walking on the sands of the beach or on the concrete of the footpaths, or more importantly on the figurative streets on the journeys of life. And talking of walking, my mind races back to this 1954 operatic rendition by Mario Lanza in The Student Prince - I'll Walk With God.

Sometimes the road may seem too long and difficult... but then the only way out is to surrender our lives to the hands of the master contractor... who can construct roadways through the wilderness or rivers through the desert... and as the Bible says - walking ground in the middle of the Red Sea... God Will Make A Way.

That song has a deeper meaning for me.... Everytime that song is sung at our parish, I have a host of people I meet after the service... reminding me that this was one of Dad's favorite songs....

As I sit here penning this post, my mind races back to Palm Sunday, four years ago, doing the finishing touches before relocating back to Mumbai. And what a journey it has been for me and the family over the last four years.... God has been with us, every step of the way.... through all the trials of life, with God making His Way in our lives...

As I sign off on this post... I wish you all the touch of the Almighty in this coming week as we journey with Jesus on the Way of the Cross, in to the tomb and then to the glory of the Resurrection. Have a Blessed Holy Week.

Turn To God... with Songs of Joy

2018-03-05T22:02:00.000+05:30

Had a wonderful long weekend... Thanks to the festival of colour Holi falling on a Friday.... A weekend that had its fair share of work and relaxation.

Got back to this blog after a long break.... I also managed to find some time to spend time working out some music on my keyboard.... and the first songs that came to mind were religious songs.

Flashed back to 2012, when I was invited to help out with the Children's Choir in my then parish - St. Michael's Church Sharjah. I used to spend at least an hour or two, coaching enthusiastic young musicians on the liturgical music to be played the next week... and what a satisfying experience it was. Moving to Mumbai, I almost immediately got involved in the liturgical music of the parish, with further opportunity to be part of the Music Ministry at the parish CCR (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) group.

Also in Mumbai, I encountered a different mood of Christian music.... Christian Rock from India... that's made waves around the world through performances at World Youth Day events over the years.

My first encounter with this genre was at a workshop on Praise and Worship Music conducted by Lenny Soares - a singer, composer and worship leader who led the gospel band 'By Grace' to World Youth Day gatherings to Sydney in 2008 and Madrid in 2010

A few months later, at a wedding I was compering, I met a friend that I used to play in the band back in the early 90s - Samir Viegas - who introduced me to Macklin Lacerda, the lead singer of Open Secret. It was interesting to note that we shared a lot in common. Besides having sung and played with the same wedding choir that I was part of during college days, we also shared a common place of work - FCB Ulka Advertising in Mumbai.

This Lenten Season - Open Secret have lined up a series of 11 concerts in and around Mumbai - check out for the venue most convenient for you.

On 25th June 2017, I along with my kids were among the thousands of people who assembled at Shanmukananda Hall to celebrate 25 years of a Christian Youth Movement - Jesus Youth. I encountered the movement during my stint in the UAE, but had little or no idea about the calling of this movement. While Jesus Youth volunteers were always around supporting all the events in Church, only in India did I realise the proportions of faith that this movement drives.

After a Celebration Eucharist con-celebrated by the Archbishop of Mumbai, His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias and a host of other Bishops and priests, the gathering broke into a festival of music and song, with the Rexband. Music from the Rexband has regularly featured at our parish Sunday School events with our children performing dances to their songs like this one - Rise Up and Dance.

Members of the Rexband will be in Mumbai this week, sharing inspiring inputs with singers and musicians on how to use musical talent for the Glory of God. I'm planning to be there.... How about YOU?