Darjeeling, Nov. 11. - Three decades ago when he left
Darjeeling, he was a humble teacher. Today, he is one of the most
wellknown musicians the country has produced.
Louis Banks, also known as the `Godfather
of Indian jazz`, is here at the invitation of some old friends to
perform at the Darjeeling Carnival. He will perform with his band,
The Louis Banks Brotherhood, which includes his son on the drums,
tomorrow evening at an open-air concert at the Chowrasta.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Banks recalled his days in
Darjeeling where he spent much of his childhood. After starting
his education at Loreto Convent (in those days, boys were also admitted
there), he went on to study at North Point and St Roberts High School.
Eventually, he went to St Joseph's College and then to the teacher's
training institute, North Point, as a teacher `at a salary of Rs.
500 per month`.
All this while, however, the continued to play in the band of
his father George Banks, aka Pushkal Bahadur Budaprithi. The latter
had worked as a music teacher at St Paul's School and North Point.
It was his influence which led Louis to believe that `he had to
break out and pursue music`.
He left Darjeeling in 1968, following an offer from a luxury hotel
in Kathmandu to play music `at a salary which was double of what
he was getting, plus free accommodation`. He never looked back since.
From Kathmandu, he made his way to Kolkata, which was the epicentre
of jazz in India those days. In 1978, Banks was discovered at Blue
Fox by RD Burman, and taken to Mumbai. The rest is history.
How does it feel to be back in his hometown after so many years?
Speaking in Nepali, which he claims he has not done in the last
30 years, Banks said he had gone strolling around the town this
morning with his son, showing him the places that he remembered.
Sadly, he could not show his son the house he used to live in. It
is not there anymore.
But, striking a philosophical note, he observed: `A lot of things
have changed, but a lot has remained the same. Especially the people
- their innocence, smiles and red cheeks are just as it used to
be. It is great!`
Asked to comment on the fact that he has quite an unusual name
for a Nepali, he said: `Someone suggested to my father that the
name Pushkal and jazz do not jell. He, therefore, took the name
of George Banks. Actually, I would have thought Pushkal to be more
exotic and preferable. But anyway, he changed it and even named
me Louis Banks after legendary jazzman Louis Armstrong. Now, nothing
can be done about it,` said Banks, originally Dambar Bahadur Budaprithi.
He explained that while he had to `drive himself out of Darjeeling
because he found no scope for his talent`, he would like to give
back something to his hometown. `Darjeeling has a great potential
for music. It would be great if I could open a music school here,`
he said.
Courtesy
The Statesman |
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