Page 51 - Seniors Today - May21 Issue
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sheer quality of his musicianship and his
versatility. There is so much more that makes
Louiz Banks special.
ESSENTIAL DISCOGRAPHY
1 City Life by Sangam
A 1983 Indo-jazz fusion album where Banks
plays with Carnatic vocalist Rama Mani,
saxophonist Braz Gonsalves, percussionist
T.A.S. Mani, bassist Karl Peters and
drummer Ranjit Barot.
From left, Peter Saldanha, Bosco Monsorate, Louiz Banks
and Braz Gonsalves
2 High Standards Vol 1 by Louiz Banks and
by legendary trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie to Gary Lawyer
join him on stage in Washington because his Released in 1990, this had vocalist
regular pianist couldn’t make it. Gary Lawyer singing old classics like
Whenever one has met Banks, he has been ‘Sophisticated Lady’, ‘Moonlight In Vermont’,
full of anecdotes. But while music has given ‘Unforgettable’ and ‘Georgia On My Mind’.
him name and fame, he strongly believes that The two musicians presented ‘Unforgettable’
his family has played the biggest role in his in this year’s Jazz Day event.
life. At an online conversation organised by
Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata, to promote the 3 Pure Silk by Silk
biography, Banks was asked which chapter The world music ensemble had Banks,
he enjoyed reading the most. His prompt vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, percussionist
reply was, “The one where I talked of my Sivamani, bassist Karl Peters and mridangam
family. Without them I am nothing.” exponent Sridar Parthasarathy. This album
That, coupled with a desire to help younger was released in 2000
musicians achieve their goals, has kept him
going. When one calls him the ‘Godfather 4 Ekatman with flautist Ronu Majumdar
of Indian Jazz’ it isn’t only because of the A fusion album featuring Banks, flautist
Ronu Majumdar, percussionists Sivamani
and Rajesh Rajbhatt, tabla player Fazal
Qureshi and bassist Karl Peters. Though it
is currently unavailable online, many fusion
fans have it in their collections.
5 Miles From India – Various Artistes
Featuring an array of international and
Indian artistes, this Grammy-nominated
2008 album contains Indianised versions of
Miles Davis compositions. Produced by Bob
Louiz Banks with Pam Crain and Lorraine Banks Belden, it was co-arranged by Banks.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #23 | MAY 2021 51
