To grow up in Bandra is to hear music as routinely as conversation. It is the rare home that does not hum with soaring melody, riff and song. Budding musicians here have always revelled in a tradition of learning from the best Goan maestros.
Our household was no exception. The wonderful music tutor whose presence was palpable everywhere, Josic Menzie, taught my brother Phiroze the violin. Dubbed the Sultan of Sax, Menzie left an indelible impression on legions of solo and ensemble artistes. They assembled, from childhood, for individual and group violin, piano, saxophone and clarinet lessons at his flat in Building 2 of Little Flower (this colony of scattered buildings, located in the parish of St Theresa, is named for the patroness saint Therese of Lisieux, also known as the Little Flower of Jesus).
Josic Menzie. Pic Courtesy/micky correa family
Menzie displayed a unique skill, composing short technical studies at the crack of dawn, before group lessons commenced. He chalked these notations daily on huge classroom blackboards. Careful focus on them and competent practice was rewarded with hot milk and chocolates.
Seychelles-born as Josico Menezes, the Goan multi-instrumentalist was urged to drop the “o” in his name and compress Menezes to Menzie by pianist Teddy Weatherford, in whose band he played. “It’s too much to call you Josico,” complained Weatherford apparently.
Naresh Fernandes describes Menzie’s trajectory in his seminal book, Taj Mahal Foxtrot: The Story of Bombay’s Jazz Age. The accomplished violinist and saxophonist trained in England with the London Symphony Orchestra violinist Professor Sweeting. After leading his own band in Karachi and conducting an orchestra for the Maharaja of Bikaner, Menzie arrived in Bombay where, under the baton of Jules Craen, he accompanied silent film screenings at Capitol Cinema.
At ease with Western classical and jazz, Menzie was among the first Indians recruited to play with American jazzmen at the Taj Hotel. “Menzie formed part of the six-member saxophone section Weatherford put together when he felt like showing off,” Fernandes writes. “He would be summoned to the front line along with Roy Butler, Rudy Jackson, the Green brothers (Hal and Henry) and Weatherford.”
Menzie conducting a show of the Pops Symphony Orchestra which he founded. Pic courtesy/Myra Shroff
Menzie founded the Pops Symphony Orchestra in the latter 1960s, performing classical and popular works he and his pupils conceived. A prominent protege, Celeste Cordo, nee Fernandes, who runs the Glee Hive children’s choir, acknowledges, “He encouraged me to arrange music for varied ensembles when I was very young. Skilled at discovering a child’s unique strength, Josic focused on ear training using solfege, rhythm patterns, sight reading and playing together with others.”
Of his admired master’s dedication to ticketed concerts for charity, my brother says, “Josic wouldn’t hesitate to spend from his pocket for shows. Selfless, he just wanted students to enjoy music excellence as part of their personal journey.”
Hundreds of Menzie’s stellar students have achieved significant milestones of global relevance. Star talents he groomed to wow the international music scene include virtuoso violinists Marian Pinheiro and Glen Paes who went on to shine at New York’s Juilliard School of Music, and his cellist sister Gloria Paes. Closer home, Menzie’s lead violinist Uttam Singh is a big-ticket music director in the movie industry.
Menzie converted his two-bedroom apartment into what was probably among the first dedicated music school spaces. Knocking down a wall, he created enough room for a Baby Grand piano and welcomed students filing in from as early as 6.30 am.
With maestro Antonio Figueredo (right) in Goa in the early 1970s. Pic courtesy/Myra Shroff
Architect Clement DeSylva, Menzie’s neighbour a floor below, recalls waking to interesting sounds, ranging from screechy violins bowed by nervous learners to lovely orchestral harmonies from the more advanced. “Josic had a fiery temper if he sensed indiscipline. Bad music really got to him,” says DeSylva. “Prankster boys once erased and changed notes he wrote on his famous blackboard. He was bewildered and then angry.”
From the same building, Alan Menezes says, “I could never get away from practising my clarinet and had no excuse being late for a lesson. That extended to the habits of reliability and punctuality in life. Totally involved with his music, Josic was pretty single-tracked and focused. One day he called to say his gramophone wasn’t working. Though no tech person, I went up. Only to find the plug out of its socket. Genius musician he was, but couldn’t figure some basic stuff!”
Violinist and teacher Deborah Hamburger, nee Gonsalves, says of her mentor, “Wholly devoted to his art, he forged the foundation of our community’s musical spirit. As former students we are torchbearers of his vision, echoing it in our performances and work as teachers as we pass on his discipline and love for music. Those who knew him recollect his warmth and generosity. He lived, as he often joked, on chocolates and cups of warm milk, and took delight in treating us to these. Nurturing and inspiring generations with his passion, his legacy continues to resonate across the world.”
Hamburger’s sister Sandra Pinto adds, “Next door in Little Flower No. 1, I felt music fill the air every day. He stood at his window in the mornings, clapping to get my attention, reminding me to practise. His many violin students gave countless chances to refine my skills as an accompanist, eventually leading to my role as the pianist for his Pops Symphony Orchestra. He constantly encouraged me to grow as a soloist, even arranging pieces for me, which I still treasure in his handwriting. Besides, he helped nurture my singing abilities. His extensive collection of music magazines and LP records deeply enriched the teaching. I came to see Josic not only as a teacher but a ‘musical parent’.”
‘More than a mere music education’
Kenneth D’Souza, violin teacher in Auckland
When I was 5, my parents put me under Josic Menzie, whose weekly group lessons I diligently attended. Josic soon ‘fast tracked’ my progress, so I could assist him for group classes with younger pupils at his place and also take individual lessons at mine. I was 14 years old when I had my first violin student.
Having his ever-changing blackboard notes to study simultaneously bumped up our technique and sight-reading skills. He arranged a few swing pieces as well, which I loved belting out with enthusiasm. Josic’s sheer zeal and complete dedication to teaching was a great influence in my musical development. It created in me a strong desire to share what he taught me with my students. The outcome was gratifying.
I owe my violin teaching career to Josic and later his wife Myra when he passed in 1980. More than a mere music education, they taught me to be diligent in effort, fastidious in result, determined in outcome and creative in performance. These were life skills I learnt without realising so at that time, but shaped my entire life ahead.
‘An amazing human being and teacher’
Uttam Singh, violinist & award-winning film music director
Sixty years after being with this amazing human being and teacher, whenever I work on a violin solo, Josic Sir comes to mind, in particular his manner of explaining such a piece. I am surrounded by memories and signs of him – from the typical way he called out my name – ‘Uttaaam’ – to his Yamaha piano with the original chair that you can see in my music room.
Violinist and composer Uttam Singh in his Versova home. Pic/Satej Shinde
Our family kothi was in Lucknow. My father, BS Giany, who played and taught sitar, was ordered by his father to leave the house if he wanted to pursue his music dream. He did so, going about singing devotional kirtans for a livelihood, especially in gurdwaras where he halted in his wanderings. That’s how, at age four-and-a-half, I was exposed to tabla, sitar and singing.
In Bombay, the teachers before Josic Sir entered my life were Felix Heredia who taught me how to correctly hold the violin and Pandit Ram Prasadji, the father of Pyarelal of the Laxmikant Pyarelal duo. Everyone has a Catholic music teacher sometime in life; Pyarelal was a violin student of Anthony Gonsalves, who had got his break with Naushad Saab. I reached Josic Sir’s class in 1960 thanks to Naushad Saab who so beautifully handled grand 100-piece orchestras in those days. His assistant, Mohammad Saffi, suggested I join the class at Little Flower.
Josic Sir completed my education, importantly introducing me to correct bowing, to Western classical genres like libretto music, to music giants like Paganini, Beethoven and Mozart. I appreciate the confidence he had in me — for instance, he made me pick up a 10-minute rondo capriccioso to replace another performer at really short notice.
Above all, he led by example. He taught me to think nothing of tirelessly putting in 18-hour workdays which started by 7 am. ‘Yes, you can do it’ was his mantra, ensuring we remained fully engrossed in 18 to 20 hours of pure music. I was spellbound by original alto sax compositions he dashed off, like a brilliant piece he titled ‘Saxolaugh’. His improvisation was magical. I want to tell budding musicians today that technology is limiting to lean on. Whether it’s AI or BI or CI — simply one thing will outlast them all. Creativity.
Author-publisher Meher Marfatia writes fortnightly on everything that makes her love Mumbai and adore Bombay. You can reach her at meher.marfatia@mid-day.com/www.meher marfatia.com