Discover why Mumbai's saxophonists are passionate about the wind instrument

Updated On: 12 July, 2024 06:51 PM IST | Mumbai | Nascimento Pinto

Mumbai boasts a rich history of jazz and diverse musical genres, all aided by the saxophone. To celebrate the wind instrument, mid-day.com spoke to three saxophonists from Mumbai, delving into their profound affection for the craft

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Every year, Saxophone Day is celebrated on November 6. In Mumbai, Ryan Sadri (left) and Rhys Sebastian (centre) have been playing the instrument for a while, and Harsh Bhavsar (right) is the newest entrant. Photo Courtesy: Ryan Sadri/Keegan Crasto/Harsh Bhavsar

When Ryan Sadri was studying at St Xavier`s College in 2001, his mother had just started learning the saxophone from Mumbai`s famed saxophonist Micky Correa, who played at the Taj Hotel in the mid-1940s. While she found it a little hard to learn at her age, Sadri got attracted to the instrument which was lying around in his house at the time. Even though Correa was already in his 90s by then, the Mumbaikar used to teach college-going Sadri regularly. "It was lying around in the house and I would see it or I would have never even thought about it or considered it. But Malhar had just happened and I loved the whole band culture. We were a nice group of friends who used to play basketball and then we thought, `Let`s start a band`. Everyone flipped a coin and picked an instrument." It’s no surprise which one Sadri took to.

Every year, Saxophone Day is celebrated on November 6 on the birthday of Antoine-Joseph `Adolphe` Sax, who invented the saxophone. Mumbai has had a rich history of music and saxophonists like Mickey Correa and Jazzy Joe, who have played at iconic venues like the Taj Mahal Hotel and Jazz By The Bay in South Mumbai. It has always showcased a unique side of the city`s rich music culture and Sadri is only one of the many that have taken to the instrument over the years. In fact, a year after the Independence Rock music festival returned to the city, this writer witnessed not one but two acts that showcased music by Bengaluru-based saxophonist Gautam David for T.ill Apes, as well as fellow Mumbaikar Rhys Sebastian with Tough on Tobacco.

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