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-Brian Mendonça
Perhaps what epitomizes Cuba most is jazz -- Cuban
jazz. We had the rare opportunity to swing to slow jazz as the evening dripped
into night. This was right here in Goa, deep South by the bay.
Cuba, which looks like a crocodile in the water, is
in ferment these days. That’s not unusual considering its tumultuous history
and the revolution of 1959 which brought Castro to power. Today the buzz is
about the USA beginning to resume full diplomatic relations with the nation
after a crippling economic and political embargo stemming from the cold war
years. Along with the new thinking on Iran, US relations and the normalizing of
them with Cuba and Iran have set in motion a new horizon of opportunity for its
people and its businesses.
Swept by the seeming euphoria, I steered my trusty
i10 along the winding roads of Salcette, branching left at Queenie Nagar and
going downhill all the way. First came the Betalbatim circle and then the Colva
circle. As we nudged into Sernabatim, the fields as yet untouched, greeted us
with a somnolence which seemed a bit forbidding. As we swept right to the sea
and negotiated the sharp, blinding curves, only the moon kept us company. Soon
enough muted jazz music began to seep through the night – the strains were of
‘Besame Mucho’ – my mum’s favourite.
As we shuffled into our seats we were awed by the
presence of Dutch drummer Lucas van Merwijk whose group Music Machine was
showcasing Cuban Golden Classics on their India Tour 2015. Mesmerized by Cuban
pianist Ramon Valle I sat on the edge of my seat leaving Queenie to do the
ordering and dish baba his dinner. In the break Ramon and I shared the poetry
of Cuban poets Nicolás Guillén (1902-1989) and Nancy Morejón (born 1944). Hugo
Chavez is dead but Samuel Ruiz from Caracas, kept the music alive with his
latin bass. Bert Boeren from the Netherlands on the trombone gave the night
that unmistakable feel that we were on the streets of Havana.
Music Machine was hosted by The Live Music Project
(TLMP) at Baywatch, Sernabatim. These lads Vinesh Iyer and Darryl Noronha are
bringing down great music to Goa. There is no entry fee. You just lounge around
soaking in the music and feasting on the eats. (The fish fingers in tartar
sauce and the kheema pao were particularly good.) And knowing that it is
Saturday gives you the perfect reason to unwind . . .*
The Cuban missile
crisis of 1962 had Russia and the US eyeball to eyeball over a nuclear base in
Cuba. Amazing how the world has changed in 50 years. Cuba Libre / Free Cuba is
the toast of the season where many Cubans can look forward to being reunited
with their loved ones in the US. The evening of Cuban jazz made me go Caribbean
once again. Right now I am reading ‘The Scissors’ by Cuban short story writer
Antonio Benitez Rojo.
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*www.thelivemusicproject.com; published in Gomantak Times Weekender, St. Inez, Goa on Sunday, 12 April, 2015; pix courtesy mclub.com
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