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| LEFT PHOTO: (L to R) Mercy Fernandes, Abdon Rodrigues and Melvyn Misquita. Framed photos in the background (L to R) are Arco Rodrigues, Gaspar Rodrigues and Johnny Rodrigues. RIGHT PHOTO: Abdon Rodrigues with the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone |
Have a look at this video clip featuring Sanvordem's legendary drummer Abdon Rodrigues (87) on the drums, his granddaughter Jesyln Rodrigues on the trumpet and Mercy Fernandes on the tenor saxophone at the Rodrigues house in Sanvordem on 21 August 2022.
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Also read the fascinating story behind one remarkable music instrument which was involved in this performance.
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Music and Musings:
When a saxophone revealed a fascinating story
By Melvyn Misquita
22 August 2022
It was yet another special visit to a special musician, Abdon Rodrigues (87), at his home in Sanvordem on August 21. Having visited him twice in the past few weeks, I decided to visit him a third time, this time along with a friend, the wonderful musician Mercy Fernandes, a former bandmate of Muzik Mann and Pure Magic.
There was a special reason for inviting Mercy.
Or rather, there was something prized in his possession which was once a part of two members of the Rodrigues family.
The Selmer Mark VII is no ordinary tenor saxophone and Mercy tells me it is a prized and valued saxophone, since it is no longer in production.
Here is the fascinating story behind the different owners who owned this remarkable wind instrument.
To be honest, I had never heard of the Selmer Mark VII saxophone. I first came to know about this particular saxophone when Mercy, Ravi, Kevin, Nadia and Aanora were rehearsing songs at the residence of my mother-in-law on 29 May 2022, ahead of their performance at the launch of my book, ‘Symphony of Passion’, on 2 June 2022.
After the rehearsal, Mercy was carefully and meticulously dismantling his saxophone when I happened to notice a small laminated piece of printed paper along with a photo neatly placed inside the saxophone case.
Curious, I asked Mercy about this printed paper and he replied: “This the obituary advert of the famous saxophone player, Arcanjo (Arco) Rodrigues, who once owned this saxophone. I keep this obituary advert in the saxophone case in remembrance of him. I am privileged and honoured to be using his instrument.”
I was touched. It was really nice and sweet of Mercy to remember a person who once owned the saxophone.
A few weeks later, Mercy even took me to meet Arco’s wife, Arminda, and she told me that her husband had owned three saxophones, a soprano, tenor and alto. She added that two of Arco’s saxophones, the tenor (Selmer Mark VII) and the soprano, were later purchased by Mercy.
But was Arco the original owner of the saxophone? Arminda felt I would get more details from Arco’s brother, Abdon.
I invited Mercy to accompany me on a visit to Abdon on August 21. But I had a request. I asked Mercy to bring along that Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone to Sanvordem
A short drive later, we were at the residence of Abdon. He was, as usual, very happy to meet us and immediately began with fascinating stories about his music and his association with musicians. He had fond memories of his friends, Toni Pinto, Ernest Flanagan and many musicians from ‘Music Lovers’, the band which was the focus of my book.
I then enquired about the story behind that Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone.
“You see,” said Abdon, “that saxophone belonged to a foreigner who was in Bombay. He wanted to sell the saxophone and someone suggested that he should check with my elder brother, Johnny (Rodricks) Rodrigues, if he was interested in buying the saxophone.”
“The foreigner went to meet Irmao (Johnny) and asked him to have a look at the saxophone. Johnny began to play the instrument so beautifully that the amazed foreigner is reported to have said, “You play so well. Please keep the saxophone for you”.”
“Irmao wanted the saxophone but refused to take it for free. We did not earn much money at the time, but he insisted on paying some amount for the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone.”
“Irmao then took the saxophone but he played the alto saxophone and did not have much use for it. He later handed over the saxophone to Arco, who took great care of it and used it beautifully for many years,” recalled Abdon.
We clicked a few photos of the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone with Abdon and he was pleased to hold the instrument, which once belonged to his two brothers.
Now that the instrument was assembled and fully loaded, I suddenly put forth a suggestion.
“Mercy, how about jamming up with Jesyln for one song?”
Now, 15-year-old Jesyln Rodrigues, the granddaughter of Abdon, is a gifted trumpet player, who has won much admiration for her skills on the trumpet.
Mercy was ready. So was Jesyln.
Abdon did not want to be left behind. He was quick to suggest that he would accompany them!
Jesyln quickly got her trumpet ready while Abdon was gently escorted to the second (perhaps, even first) love of his life: his drum kit.
Within a few moments, the three musicians from three different generations were ready for an impromptu performance.
The song, ‘Molbailo Dou’, the timeless Konkani classic by the legendary Goan musician Frank Fernand
It was a splendid performance. Jeslyn played the lead, while Mercy backed her with the harmony and Mr Metronome Abdon kept perfect timing. We enjoyed every moment of this performance.
Both Savio (Abdon’s son) and his sister Severina, who also happened to visit her home along with her daughter, told us that their father was so happy to have chatted with me, as it brought back very fond memories of his music days.
We thanked the entire Rodrigues family for this special interaction and we proceeded back to Margao.
“Well Melvyn, I will tell you how I came to own the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone,” said Mercy, as we were driving back to Margao.
“It so happened that I fell in love with the music of Kenny G and wanted to have a soprano saxophone. Seby Fernandes (Seby and the Wings) once met me and told me that a soprano sax was in the house of Arminda and since Arco had passed away, she could consider selling it to me.”
“I went to meet Arminda and she told me that Arco owned three saxophones, a soprano, tenor and alto. I offered to buy the soprano as it would help me performing Kenny G songs. However, the soprano saxophone needed some service as it had not been used for some time, since the demise of Arco. I then sent the soprano saxophone to Amol in Bombay, who did a wonderful job in restoring the soprano saxophone to a pristine condition.”
“Some time later, Arminda suggested that I could also buy the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone. I had known about the superiority and quality of the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone and I decided to buy it from her as well. It too needed a service and it was promptly sent to Amol in Bombay and once again, he did a fabulous job in restoring the saxophone,” said Mercy.
“Having owned two of Arco’s three saxophones, Arminda suggested I should also take Arco’s third saxophone, to complete his entire collection. I already have an alto saxophone and politely declined her offer.”
“Some years later, I was performing at a show when a foreigner came up to me and enquired if my saxophone was a Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone. When I confirmed, he offered to buy it from me and said it is a classic with considerable value. I casually enquired about the estimated value and he said the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone in this good condition today would be worth about Rs 5 lakh!”
“I am very happy with this Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone, especially since it was once owned by two acclaimed saxophone players, Johnny and Arco Rodrigues. Since I bought it from Arminda, I have the obituary of Arco laminated and it will always lie in the case of my saxophone as a remembrance of this great musician.”
When Mercy played the Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone at the launch of my book ‘Symphony of Passion’ on 1 June, two former owners from the Rodrigues family would have been so proud of Mercy and must have showered their blessings on him. For performing on their beautiful wind instrument and more importantly, for keeping a part of their legacy, their beloved saxophone, alive.
Some coincidence here: Johnny Rodrigues was an artiste who performed in some shows with musicians in the ‘Music Lovers’. The saxophone once owned by Johnny Rodrigues was now being used at the launch of a book which focused on the ‘Music Lovers’. A part of Johnny was in performance at this event, though none of us would have known that at the time.
Sometimes, remarkable stories emerge from musical instruments. The Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone and its four owners is one of them.
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