Jazz (The Play) - Etienne Coutinho

Jazz can be described in many ways – a JAZZY musical extravaganza with sterling performances and mellifluous music, a musical paean to the unsung musicians in Bollywood who work behind the scenes to compose some of the most memorable songs, or simply, a musical journey of an old man taking a trip down the memory lane. Whatever the description may go like, it will certainly appeal to the fastidious ears of a theatre critic or a music connoisseur, with its satirical wit, uncompromising conviction, and alluring music score. And it does all this while underscoring the message about the prevalent grim realities in the Indian music industry.

This extremely well researched play traces the life experiences of a fictitious Jazzman Bugs Bhargava (played fabulously), who recounts his collaboration with the music composers of the bygone era. He fondly reminisces the idols of Indian Jazz - Anthony Gonsalves, Chic Chocolate (India's answer to Louis Armstrong), Sebastian D'Souza, Mickey Correa and Frank Fernand – all the names that are unknown to most of us (despite of the fact that it was their genius and toil that not only made many of yesteryear songs a part of our day today lives and conversations, but also immortalized Indian music).

Sardonically defining Jazz as “the music of the devil intended to torture the saints”, Bugz unwillingly takes a budding (and precociously brilliant) saxophonist (Rhys D'Souza) under his wings to train him in the nuances of the musical form. The conversation not only blends facts with fiction seamlessly, it sheds light on some of the most hard to find Bollywood trivia on blockbusters of the 70s and 80s (like Leslie’s long drum solo). The play switches between long musical narrations from Bugs, and visual obituaries from friends and family after his death, tracing the lives of the Jazz musicians whose names were lost in the pages of the history of Bollywood. The play also takes a dig at the famous directors (R.D Burman, Lakshmikant Pyarelal, Nayyer) cashing in on the opportunity made possible by the obscure musicians who brought immense knowledge of western elements of music, especially Jazz, and enriched the Indian music.

As a mentor, Bugs is informative and funny. His humor stems from a certain sense of injustice, but also a certain treasured nostalgia alluding to a life well lived. “One good thing about love is – it makes you a better Jazzist”, he says, to his clueless but prodigious apprentice, who absorbs as much from him as he can dutifully. Somehow every word uttered is a beautiful song in itself, even in crudity or crassness, nostalgia or apathy, somberness or jocularity. An example,

There's Jazz, there's rock n roll. There's sax, there's violins. Slipping in slivers of Dixieland stomp, Portuguese Fados, Ellingtonesque doodles, cha cha cha, Mozart and Bach themes. There's Mumbai, Bombay, India. There's egos, failed futures, alcoholism There's love, passion, bounced cheques. There's show-biz, razzmatazz. And some of the biggest names in popular culture from C Ramachander to Laxmikant Pyarelal to Shanker Jaikishen to O P Nayyar.

On the play, Bugs states eloquently, “'Jazz'" is a docu-drama that compresses time and expands space in a new way. The best thing about it is the stream of consciousness where you live on every moment. One is always aware of art but one tends to forget it. 'Jazz' treats that art almost like a lover.” And treat the art like a lover it does. Naresh Fernandez, the brain behind the extensive research wanted to highlight the lack of recognition towards the contributions of Goan and Anglo-Indian artists, who worked behind the scenes anonymously, only to find place in rolling credits towards the end of the movie. And he, along with Ramu Ramanathan and Etienne Coutinho pay a fitting tribute to these silent contributors. Their efforts should be given a standing ovation!

So don’t miss your chance to witness this extravaganza and participate in the applause. For all of you who missed this musical delight in Gurgaon, there is good news in store for you – Jazz shall be on at Kolkatta’s Parks new festival and there will be a few shows in Mumbai as well.