Time stretches into eternity and is timeless. We make time by forcing pieces of eternity into little boxes called “years”, “months”, “weeks”, “days”. Monday is the lowest point, a day for dragging one’s feet and everything else in slow gear. But music is also timeless. A special Monday at “Sweet Chilli” wore a high season festive air with keen fans, bright-eyed, toe-tapping, throwing themselves with gusto into the delicious food and supercharged music.

Jazzy Joe is a saxophone and clarinette sensation. The flares, the rich sound that reaches into the soul and tugs at the heart strings, the long held notes defy analysis. It’s a total experience to which
everyone surrenders blissfully, thanking the god of music that such beauty is theirs to enjoy.

George Fernandes, pianist extraordinaire, with dextrous fingers that find the notes, often ten at a time, weaves his magic under, above and in between the melodies that flow from the other performers, shaping the tight harmonies that bind the group together.

“Old is gold”. So true of the musicians (Jazzy Joe, seventy plus and George, sixty plus) and the

music they played that glorious Monday.

Colin D’Cruz, a well-known visitor from Mumbai puts the stamp of his wide experience on his subtle bass guitar playing, anchoring the rhythms and underpinning the high-flying music making, inventive, exciting, risking dangerous waters but always on solid ground. The fluidity and tonal shadings of his playing deepen the musical textures.

Lester Fernandes was on fire throughout. Even his sweat-drenched shirt couldn’t cool him down. His drumming sizzles the songs into the most exciting palatable gourmet delicacies. And his much-in-demand solo segments ignite the audience into prolonged clapping.

Time just melts away as these simple, humble guys gifted with awesome talents respond to the audience hungering for more of the heavenly manna that they produce.

Suzanne Rocha spreads her mellifluous voice over the pulsating musical accompaniment and wraps it around emotions, moods, feelings in a most appealing manner.

“Guest” performances punctuate the evening with exciting variety and talent. Joao with his “Hound Dog” a la Elvis and “What a wonderful world” a la Louis Armstrong gets the audience completely involved, the food neglected in their spontaneous participation. Helen grabs her audience with her intense, impossible-to-resist, frenetic singing. Jimmy Firdaus’ “Quando” is a timeless favourite. Nellie Fernandes’ smooth, passionate voice brings “Blue Moon” and “Stupid Cupid” to life. Belinda Fernandes also adds her special flavour to the evening. Yours truly tells a joke and is called back for two more. Jason and Sylvia dance an eye-stopping “Paso Doble”.

They had come to enjoy the unique “Sweet Chilli” ambience, the food and a special musical get-together. They became a family, an informal coming together on a Monday night of keen enthusiasts sharing in the entertainment, participating in the evening’s activities, encouraging the performers. The nagging thought of work was pushed away as the hands of the clock failed to send the merry makers home till 2 am.