The Gonsalves Mansion bedecked with lights proclaimed to its Campal colleagues that there was yet another Jazz event. Its balconies and the street frontage have come alive with numerous music “happenings” that walk down memory lane but now the side entrance opens into the new permanent venue – a courtyard complete with idyllic trees leaning towards a stream and facing the house with a raised sheltered performing stage. The poised tables in the raised corridor running along one side, the dancing lights, the refreshments and the inviting lounge chairs at the rear and the chairs cosily supporting eager guests with expectation sitting in their eyes set the atmosphere abuzz with the promise of a not-to-be-missed evening.

Trancemedia, the Armando Gonsalves company responsible for these events, always seems to be able to use all possible media to generate a transcendent glow. And the artists step into this light and deliver fire. Tara Falal, a vibrant native of Madagascar, a US citizen and a musician of the world, mixed a groovy, funky cocktail of African, Latin, Indian and Modern Jazz, added a generous dash of charisma and hot energy, and served it through three straws (an effervescent voice, a guttural rich toned saxophone bursting out like a god enthroned and an incredibly overactive keyboard) accompanied by three equally rocket-fired Indian musicians – Dwight Pattison, bass guitar (from Calcutta), Benoy Rai, electric and acoustic guitars (from Darjeeling) and Lindsay D’Mellow, drums (from Goa). The large cocktail was delivered overflowing with raw talent fizzing, crackling, sparkling, enveloping the audience with anirresistible daze that has everyone surrendering to the pulsating music, clamouring for more, reluctant to leave even when the hands of the clock joined hands at 12 midnight subtly suggesting departure from paradise.

The opening drumroll and explosive solo grabbed everyone’s attention with a flourish. There were many more extensive solos that showcased the wizardry of our Goan drummer, Lindsay D’Mello. He has performed at the Thailand Jazz Fest 1996 and in Los Angeles alongside the rock icon Aerosmith. Performances with Hindi pop artistes and in commercials, feature and short films are merely indicators of his staggering impact that night. The drum skins throbbed under his rapid pounding, the cymbals clanged and sang, the sound climbed in spirals of glory.

The entry of the guitars was cataclysmic. Benoy Rai’s melodic inventiveness danced over the tight bass of Dwight Pattison. The electric and acoustic guitars wove intricate patterns as Benoy’s finger mastery took charge of the tonal spectrum. Dwight’s solos projected the bass guitar as an impressive solo instrument. They have both performed with blues, rock and funky jazz outfits live and in commercials and albums. Their experience lives in their cool ease. Their flying fingers created the tight textures that fused the music making into a very powerful voice.

The night was very interactive with Tala plugging into the audience with verbal interjections “Let’s kick”, “Do you want more?” before burying us into the dark depths of his sonorous saxophone. The “singing exercise” in which the audience had to emulate the saxophone left the audience trailing behind in fits of laughter. And when it was time to go, the spirited compere, Sandy Pacheco, got everyone up on their feet, asked them to stack the chairs and let them dance to the hot rhythms of Tal Faral and the Groove Suppa (pronounced “supper”). It was certainly one of the best musical suppers I have savoured.