The Breast cancer concert at Lamcy Plaza on 30th October was a great success.

GLENN PERRY JAZZ CONCERT IN GOA

Glenn Perry to 'jazz' up Goa this Saturday

Nigel Britto, TNN Aug 16, 2012, 01.34AM IST

Two years ago, life came to a halt in Haiti. When the 7.0-magnitude quake struck the Caribbean nation, the conscience of the world shook with it. Around that time, forty-something Glenn Perry was with his beloved guitar in New York, doing what he usually does-writing songs, recording and producing them. From the Atlantic, humanity beckoned, and the jazzman didn't say no. Music, his first love and inheritance, would have to wait. He took off immediately-Destination Haiti. Structures still brittle, Mother Nature wasn't quite done yet. That realization dawned on Perry like a brick, as he lay beneath the rubble of a building which collapsed on him. When he emerged from the quagmire of concrete and dust, he was partially paralyzed, his playing hand the main casualty. Without it, his orange and black, custom-crafted electric guitar was forced to retreat into a box.

Two years later, it will reunite with its master in the land of his birth. Glenn, who is the elder son and a staunch disciple of Goa's jazz & tiatr colossus Chris Perry, will lead a quartet comprising his brothers Miles and Giles, as well as a Dutch trumpeter, in Panaji on Saturday. This will be his first concert in Goa, a place where his stature still pales before that of his legendary father.
Glenn Perry is known for his MTV hits 'Laila', 'Tonight', and 'I'll keep on loving you', but is quick to add that those (pop) days are behind him. "The concert will exclusively feature classical jazz," he told TOI. In life, that's the first genre he encountered. While his childhood friends crawled and bawled to Yankee Doodle, he was immersed in the trumpets of Miles Davis, the blistering keys of Chick Corea, and the reedy sax melodies of Charlie Parker. The consequence? At two, he was already exploring his home piano's black and white territory.
Years later, the names he saw and heard so much about made it to his own albums. When he released Reincarnation in 2006, he had Dave Weckl, Eric Marienthal and Bunny Brunel (all of whom were associated with Chick Corea) with him. His second record, Nostalgia, boasted the likes of Lenny White (of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew fame) and Ron Carter (also a Davis man, and perhaps the most recorded bassist in jazz history).
When it comes to inspiration, though, none of the maestros he's played with can match his father. One needs only to utter the name, and the superlatives come flying thicker and faster than an Yngwie Malmsteen arpeggio. "To me, he was the greatest musician in the world," he says of Chris Perry. "He didn't need a piano to compose. He did it all mentally; the piano was in his head." Greeted with a very skeptical look, he justifies-"God put certain people in certain parts of the world: Mozart, Bach and Beethoven in Europe, and Chris Perry in Goa." For most of those who have experienced the magic of Goa's Mozart, disagreeing with Glenn is not an option.
Today, Glenn Perry is not all about his guitar, and deconstructing him is no easy task. He lives in a bigamous relationship with music and "peace activism", and is quite unsure about which spouse he loves more. "My heart is in the slums," he confesses. The shift from full-time music to activism started around 2002, when Chris Perry passed away. Following Saturday's concert, he will fly off to help out in the Philippines, where floods have wreaked havoc, just as he's done in several other countries when tragedies had befallen their shores.

In happier times, he spreads music in slums. "I want to give back to the world the way I got from the world," he says. With this in mind, he's set up 20 music centres around the world. "I've given them instruments and provided them teachers." He hopes the kids he helps can one day be stars. "A centre in India, too, is on the way," he adds.
He may be an established musician in his own right, but by virtue of being Chris Perry's son, one question is inevitable-that of his disinterest in Konkani music. "I've known my dad as a jazz musician," he clarifies immediately. "I've got my experience playing with him, and he's my mentor."
Why, then, isn't Glenn Perry recording a Konkani album? The answer isn't forthcoming. He's silent for a moment, and then the diplomat in him comes to the fore -"When the time is right, I won't stop myself," he says.
(The Glenn Perry Jazz Band will perform at the ESG Auditorium in Panaji on Saturday, August 18)

GLENN PERRY CHARITY CONCERT

PHILIPPINES FLOOD AID
CHARITY CONCERT

Glenn Perry will be performing a charity concert
in aid of Philippines floods. The concert will be held at the Ramada hotel in Dubai on 13 September at 8 pm
For details contact Dubai Music School 04-3964834

WORLD PEACE DAY concert

WORLD PEACE DAY concert

The world peace day concert kicked off on a good note at Stargate - Zabeel Park. At 6 pm the Kids started painting. It was nice to see the many people who joined the Yoga session. On the side stage entertainment began with drummers Nikhil and Faisal who both beat the drums excellently. Avena and Maria took the stage to perform a duet which was well appreciated. Then Aroma, Athina and Avena performed Beatles 'Help' and received a great applause. Next to step on the podium was the popular Nicole who belted out complicated and got the crowds attention. When Musical Youth of Dubai stepped on stage the raoom was filled to watch this super group comrising of 8 guitarist and about a dozen singers. They gave a brilliant performance of Cold Play's 21 Guns, Zombie by Cranberry and another song. This group definitely deserved the applause they received. Next was Sheikha and Hind who performed very well.

The audience then rushed to the main stage performance area where the big acts were performing. Glenn Perry (me) opened the concert with Knocking on Heavens Door.
It was heartwarming to see so many people of different cultures present. It proved that we can live in peace and harmony in this world. The moment everybody waited for the perofrmance by the Dubai Childrens choir. They surely rendered a brilliant performance of Michael Jacksons "We are the World". They had the crowd eating out of their hands. It was the little 4 year old Ruth who stole the show.

It was a great concert said everyone whom I met. I was happy that I was able to bring people together under one roof united for peace.

Staring at the sun

I woke this morning staring at the sky
I've been kinda hazy about the sun
The rudeness in the wind
Blemished my appearance