The Tollygunge Club witnessed an enthralling concert by the Eastern Naval Command Band on November 18. The music ranged from Rabindra Sangeet to popular Indian and western film medleys alongside patriotic songs. The concert was arranged in the run up to the Navy Day on 4 December. Earlier the band has also played at the Kala Mandir and South City Mall.
The band showed its skills on the tabla, flute and a typewriter.
The chief guest for the occasion, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM (Retired) was ushered in while Vande Mataram was played. While felicitating the band, he said, “The musicians of the naval bands played an important role in military diplomacy when Indian Navy ships travelled to foreign shores. In fact, the band would make efforts to pick up local tunes to play and forge a connection with the host country. The band musicians received the best of training and the best quality instruments. Tolly Club has become one of our favourite venues to play in the city.”
The master-of-ceremonies was Biplab Ganguly. The highlights of the day included Carnatic Raga Shanmughapriya arranged in fusion style by I.D. Rao, Last of the Mohicans, Perez Prado’s much-loved Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White. The band also did eloquent renditions of Tagore’s well-known songs, Anandoloke Managaloke, Mayabonobiharini Harini and Ami Chini Go Chini. The Hindi film music medley, aptly named ‘Yadein’, conducted by Commander Manoj Sebastian featured Raj Kapoor’s well known tunes. The variety of musical instruments on stage ranged from the usual trumpet, saxophone, flutes and drums to mridangam, tabla, piano, xylophone and also included a typewriter. As K.J. Alford’s Mac and Mac, played on the xylophone and Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter was performed using the typewriter, the crowd was left mesmerised.
The Naval Band performing at the Tollygunge Club
President of Tollygunge Club, Sujoy Banerjee, noted, “It is a privilege to host the naval band in the club premises. This has now become an annual event of the club and our members look forward to it each year.”