THE MUSICAL DENTIST
The gentle sounds of a sweet melody beckoned me hastily across the street to my parked car. Vijayan Almeida was trying out some new musical ideas on his portable music maker, a little bamboo flute he had picked up from a street vendor. He responded to my appreciative look,"it allows me to be in touch with music anywhere,anytime. I love it because it lets you hear the music breathe throught it."
He always loved music from as early as he can remember but was an unsuccessful music student. His guitar classes at eight just didn't work out. He became addicted to music much later when he needed to express himself. "Music became a part of me when I had something to say. I learnt techniqe automatically as i was motivated to find that expression.
He wrote his first song at the age of 19, when he first fell in love. " I wrote the song because i didn't have the courage to approach her and I couldn't find any other way of expressing myself." A song poured out and along with it the sudden realisation that he could compose. He was in his second year at Dental College, didn't really know what he wanted to do so he just held on and enjoyed the ride.
Music began growing within him, a deeply emotional thing. Many songs sprang to life. His father was against his obsession with music. So when his father died, he took it as a sign to give up music. " His death was very painful to me. I didn't touch my guitar for more than 6 months and became a total wreck."
He began to visit the local library, read the biographies of great musicians and began to identify with their difficulties, poverty and creativity. "I decided that I rather die sick and poor at a young age if i could acheive some of the creativity of these masters and leave behind something worthwhile." Music was his calling. "there will be many dentists better than me but there is only one person who can express music the way i do." Dentistry is not a career to fall back on in case music doesn'twork out. He has to be a musician. Dentistry is merely that stepping stone to that reality. So he had written many songs and needed a band to give them a voice. Advertisements in papers, handbills and notices put up everywhere brought in the members of the band.
KISMET was launched successfuly. They performed at the International Film Festival, Panjim ablaze festival, the launch of groove magazine, were the only goan band to be selected for the Channel V Launch Pad Competition. At the Battle of the Bands 2004 they were the only band that performed all original compositions and were singled out for their innovative experimentation by judges. Vijayan Almeida composes the lyrics and performs as lead guitarist and lead vocalist.
Their song 9/11 still rocks the airwaves with a "prick in the conscience" bang. " I am critical of the erratic and blinkered vision of the world post 9/11." but his music is hopeful without being escapist. Nine other orignal tracks are in the can awaiting release later this year.
Most of his songs posess various layers, folk percussion and carnatic classical percussions, exotic scales and rythms are woven into his musical textures.
There is no conscious desire to create this or that sound. He just lets all his influences flow together in the creative melting pot. "When i am writing a song i am not thinking about anything else except expressing what is growing within me."
He doesn't believe in riches or living in the comfort zone. You have to live a little bit on the edge to be emotionally alive. " I began to accept the discomforts of my life because i realised that i needed them to be creative. I accepted the fact that i was horribly imperfect."
His big dream is to write an orchestral work: " THE MONSOON SYMPHONY". He knows that it will be only many moons later after much hard work but he has his path laid out before him and will step firmly into his future.
by LES MENEZES