Jadu hai NASHA hai
Jazz maestro Ben Fernandez and drummer Mark Menezes are specialists in their fields with numerous years’ experience in the industry in India and now in New Zealand. They are now both behind a revolutionary Auckland-based Bollywood band, “Nasha”, focused on providing entertainment par excellence in New Zealand starting August.
ARVIND KUMAR talks to the musical duo.
Ben, what is Nasha all about?
Nasha is a brand new band formed here in New Zealand. It comprises a group of very talented individuals (some of whom have worked extensively in Bollywood) who have joined together to provide a feast of Bollywood music and dance to entertain both our ‘Desi’ and ‘Videshi’ brothers and sisters . We will try and capture the music, excitement, the colours , the exuberance, the dance and the magic of Bollywood.
What has been your background in music?
I am a trained classical pianist (Trinity College of Music, London) and have a Post Grad Degree in Jazz from the NZ School of Music. I also compose music for Advertising jingles, Film soundtracks, Corporate Films, TV shows, Audio-Visuals and have played for many musicals and theatre productions
What do you do in New Zealand as far as music is concerned?
I perform regularly at events and functions all over NZ. Have a music production company and compose music for jingles for TV and Radio. Also work as a session musician for studio projects. Have produced Music Albums for local Kiwi singers and have released three of my own CDs in NZ. In fact am releasing a new Solo-Piano CD next week. I teach the piano at Pinehurst School - Albany, Stella Maris School - Silverdale and also at my home studio in Browns Bay, Auckland. Also conduct regular workshops on Jazz improvisation.
What’s your musical experience in India and New Zealand?
Have performed with many of the leading artistes in Bollywood including Lucky Ali, Shaan, Mehnaaz, Leslie Lewis, Louiz Banks, Shaimak Davar and have performed at venues all over the world. Some notable performances were at the Cannes Film Festival, France; World Trade Centre Dubai, Microsoft- Sri Lanka, Afro-Asian Games Closing Ceremony, Hyderabad, Party for President Bill Clinton in Mumbai and many more.
Played the keyboard with the band on the popular TV show “Movers and Shakers” hosted by Shekhar Suman. I still do travel to India often for gigs and conducts jazz piano workshops every year in major cities in India. Have produced many jingles and soundtracks including ones for Elf, Essar, Marico, Mobitel, Parachute, ICICI bank, Vicks, Singapore Airlines. The jingle I produced for StarMovies won Gold at the Pro-Max A/V Awards –Singapore.
In NZ, I play the piano at leading venues including the SkyCity Grand, Stamford Plaza. I also play with many leading Kiwi bands/ musicians . I have my own Jazz Quartet and have performed at most of the leading Jazz and Music Festivals in NZ and for functions for the Governor General, the Prime Minister and also for the All Blacks at Mt Eden.
You can visit my website www.benfernandez.net for further info.
Mark and Ben, how did the concept of Nasha come about?
Shankar, Loy and Ehsaan (SEL) invited us to their gig when they performed here in Auckland. I couldn’t go for the gig but met some of the band members at Sound-check before the gig. Mark went for the gig and was so surprised to see the great response that the band received from the audience. People of all ages were on their feet for the entire duration of the concert – singing along with the band. The whole place was filled with music. Mark telephoned me and Rahul (the vocalist) the next morning to discuss the idea of setting up a Bollywood Band. We all felt it was something we wanted to do and met the following week to plan and build up a team of like-minded individuals. We had auditions for various roles in the Band and are very happy with the Set of musicians and performers now on board.
What sort of support have you received so far for it in terms of performers and participants?
Excellent support all-round. Everyone is really excited about this project and we are all committed to making it work. We’ve put out a Facebook page “Nasha - The Band” and we’ve got a lot of friends who have come forward in support. What is even more surprising is the enthusiasm from our kiwi friends and the support they have offered.
Various people have stepped in to help us with our project.
Natalie Fox, a professional photographer, has shot some excellent photographs of the band and Graphic Designer Sherina Mendes helped design the logo for ‘Nasha’. Sherina is also helping with the design of the website and we have also been offered support in webdesign by Rohan De’Souza .
Positive vibes have emanated from all that we’ve met or spoken to and recommendations that we are on the right track. With good marketing and PR, we could cater to not only our migrant Indian brothers and sisters, but frenzied Bollywood enthusiasts, our Fijian and South African counterparts….and even Kiwis ….with Bollywood literally going global.
The meeting with Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy: what did it all mean to you?
Ehsaan and I go back some 30 years in friendship as well as Loy and the Mendonca family…it’s a brotherhood, so when they visited Auckland, Ehsaan came over for lunch and was surprised I wasn’t coming to see their show. Living overseas for 25 years…I had not really heard any of their music…so he insisted and I went. It was a turning point…as I could not believe how much Bollywood had changed in that time…it was really westernized Pop with a lot of dhol loops…very rhythmic and very catchy tunes. They had the crowd mesmerised and dancing for 3 and half hours..this was the trigger that got me to think…we can do this here in Auckland with an abundance of local talent…and I immediately approached Ben as we knew each other from back in the day in Mumbai…
A week later I informed Ehsaan about the project and he was thrilled…gave me his support for anything Nasha would need and his blessings…what more could I ask for from an old friend?
Did they provide you with the platform for Nasha?
The idea was instilled from seeing their performance…looked like a lot of fun…which we could share and spread around NZ and around the Pacific…if a budget exists.
You also know the musicians for Sonu Nigam and KK?
Yes, we do know and are good friends with many of the musicians who work with some of Bollywoods leading performers including Sonu Nigam, KK, Kunal Ganjawala, Adnan Sami, Suneeta Rao, Kailash Kher, Lucky Ali, Niladri Kumar and many more.
Who are your vocalists for Nasha?
Rahul who is a very experienced singer. Performed with many leading bands in India before moving to NZ six years ago. In India, Rahul performed with singers like Anaaida, Mehnaz, Boman Irani, Vishal. He has sung for background scores for Bollywood films and advertising jingles and has also performed with the band on the TV show “Archana talkies”.
Our female singer is Ashmitha Menon. She is a trained Indian Classical singer. She was a runner-up in the Miss IndiaNZ 2012 beauty pageant.
The dancing group? They are Kiwi. How did you manage to get them on board?
They are a professional dance troupe choreographed by Anna Mortlock. a trained dance teacher with her own dance school on the North Shore. She brings in a wealth of experience both from training and choreographing local Musical theatre and dance productions. Mark has worked with Anna in the past for various music productions and knew that she and her team would be just right for this project. Anna and her troupe are very happy to be part of team “Nasha”. They are super excited and their professionalism will surely be an added bonus to this project.
What is the band’s profile on the Auckland music scene?
Nasha is a unique band and we do not think that there is any other similar band here in NZ that offers the same spectacle of Music, Dance and lights that we offer.
Nasha’s inaugural show?
The band has been invited to play a couple of fundraising events at the end of August and early September 2012 to a mainly kiwi based audience as even the kiwis have taken Bollywood into their hearts with a lot of Bollywood Dance schools sprouting around the school circuit with competitions and shows, run by kiwis! The band is hoping for a proper launch for Diwali 2012…Nasha is in talks with local promoters at the moment.
The Nasha team
Rahul Cardoza – Lead & Backing Vocals
Ashmitha Menon – Lead & Backing Vocals
Ben Fernandez – Keyboards & Programming
Liam Smith – Vocals & Guitars
Dean Rodrigues – Bass & Guitars
Mark Pinto de Menezes – Drums, Percussion and Programming
Manjit Singh – Tabla, Dhol, Dholak and Indian Percussion
Anna Mortlock – Choreographer
Katie Moore – Dancer
Emily Oldfield – Dancer
Jordyn Briearn-Wilson – Dancer
Kelly Rebecca Harris – Dancer
Zoe Elizabeth Rogers – Dancer
Rebecca Crowhurst – Dancer
John Preston - Dancer
Jazz maestro Ben Fernandez and drummer Mark Menezes are specialists in their fields with numerous years’ experience in the industry in India and now in New Zealand. They are now both behind a revolutionary Auckland-based Bollywood band, “Nasha”, focused on providing entertainment par excellence in...
Jazz maestro Ben Fernandez and drummer Mark Menezes are specialists in their fields with numerous years’ experience in the industry in India and now in New Zealand. They are now both behind a revolutionary Auckland-based Bollywood band, “Nasha”, focused on providing entertainment par excellence in New Zealand starting August.
ARVIND KUMAR talks to the musical duo.
Ben, what is Nasha all about?
Nasha is a brand new band formed here in New Zealand. It comprises a group of very talented individuals (some of whom have worked extensively in Bollywood) who have joined together to provide a feast of Bollywood music and dance to entertain both our ‘Desi’ and ‘Videshi’ brothers and sisters . We will try and capture the music, excitement, the colours , the exuberance, the dance and the magic of Bollywood.
What has been your background in music?
I am a trained classical pianist (Trinity College of Music, London) and have a Post Grad Degree in Jazz from the NZ School of Music. I also compose music for Advertising jingles, Film soundtracks, Corporate Films, TV shows, Audio-Visuals and have played for many musicals and theatre productions
What do you do in New Zealand as far as music is concerned?
I perform regularly at events and functions all over NZ. Have a music production company and compose music for jingles for TV and Radio. Also work as a session musician for studio projects. Have produced Music Albums for local Kiwi singers and have released three of my own CDs in NZ. In fact am releasing a new Solo-Piano CD next week. I teach the piano at Pinehurst School - Albany, Stella Maris School - Silverdale and also at my home studio in Browns Bay, Auckland. Also conduct regular workshops on Jazz improvisation.
What’s your musical experience in India and New Zealand?
Have performed with many of the leading artistes in Bollywood including Lucky Ali, Shaan, Mehnaaz, Leslie Lewis, Louiz Banks, Shaimak Davar and have performed at venues all over the world. Some notable performances were at the Cannes Film Festival, France; World Trade Centre Dubai, Microsoft- Sri Lanka, Afro-Asian Games Closing Ceremony, Hyderabad, Party for President Bill Clinton in Mumbai and many more.
Played the keyboard with the band on the popular TV show “Movers and Shakers” hosted by Shekhar Suman. I still do travel to India often for gigs and conducts jazz piano workshops every year in major cities in India. Have produced many jingles and soundtracks including ones for Elf, Essar, Marico, Mobitel, Parachute, ICICI bank, Vicks, Singapore Airlines. The jingle I produced for StarMovies won Gold at the Pro-Max A/V Awards –Singapore.
In NZ, I play the piano at leading venues including the SkyCity Grand, Stamford Plaza. I also play with many leading Kiwi bands/ musicians . I have my own Jazz Quartet and have performed at most of the leading Jazz and Music Festivals in NZ and for functions for the Governor General, the Prime Minister and also for the All Blacks at Mt Eden.
You can visit my website www.benfernandez.net for further info.
Mark and Ben, how did the concept of Nasha come about?
Shankar, Loy and Ehsaan (SEL) invited us to their gig when they performed here in Auckland. I couldn’t go for the gig but met some of the band members at Sound-check before the gig. Mark went for the gig and was so surprised to see the great response that the band received from the audience. People of all ages were on their feet for the entire duration of the concert – singing along with the band. The whole place was filled with music. Mark telephoned me and Rahul (the vocalist) the next morning to discuss the idea of setting up a Bollywood Band. We all felt it was something we wanted to do and met the following week to plan and build up a team of like-minded individuals. We had auditions for various roles in the Band and are very happy with the Set of musicians and performers now on board.
What sort of support have you received so far for it in terms of performers and participants?
Excellent support all-round. Everyone is really excited about this project and we are all committed to making it work. We’ve put out a Facebook page “Nasha - The Band” and we’ve got a lot of friends who have come forward in support. What is even more surprising is the enthusiasm from our kiwi friends and the support they have offered.
Various people have stepped in to help us with our project.
Natalie Fox, a professional photographer, has shot some excellent photographs of the band and Graphic Designer Sherina Mendes helped design the logo for ‘Nasha’. Sherina is also helping with the design of the website and we have also been offered support in webdesign by Rohan De’Souza .
Positive vibes have emanated from all that we’ve met or spoken to and recommendations that we are on the right track. With good marketing and PR, we could cater to not only our migrant Indian brothers and sisters, but frenzied Bollywood enthusiasts, our Fijian and South African counterparts….and even Kiwis ….with Bollywood literally going global.
The meeting with Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy: what did it all mean to you?
Ehsaan and I go back some 30 years in friendship as well as Loy and the Mendonca family…it’s a brotherhood, so when they visited Auckland, Ehsaan came over for lunch and was surprised I wasn’t coming to see their show. Living overseas for 25 years…I had not really heard any of their music…so he insisted and I went. It was a turning point…as I could not believe how much Bollywood had changed in that time…it was really westernized Pop with a lot of dhol loops…very rhythmic and very catchy tunes. They had the crowd mesmerised and dancing for 3 and half hours..this was the trigger that got me to think…we can do this here in Auckland with an abundance of local talent…and I immediately approached Ben as we knew each other from back in the day in Mumbai…
A week later I informed Ehsaan about the project and he was thrilled…gave me his support for anything Nasha would need and his blessings…what more could I ask for from an old friend?
Did they provide you with the platform for Nasha?
The idea was instilled from seeing their performance…looked like a lot of fun…which we could share and spread around NZ and around the Pacific…if a budget exists.
You also know the musicians for Sonu Nigam and KK?
Yes, we do know and are good friends with many of the musicians who work with some of Bollywoods leading performers including Sonu Nigam, KK, Kunal Ganjawala, Adnan Sami, Suneeta Rao, Kailash Kher, Lucky Ali, Niladri Kumar and many more.
Who are your vocalists for Nasha?
Rahul who is a very experienced singer. Performed with many leading bands in India before moving to NZ six years ago. In India, Rahul performed with singers like Anaaida, Mehnaz, Boman Irani, Vishal. He has sung for background scores for Bollywood films and advertising jingles and has also performed with the band on the TV show “Archana talkies”.
Our female singer is Ashmitha Menon. She is a trained Indian Classical singer. She was a runner-up in the Miss IndiaNZ 2012 beauty pageant.
The dancing group? They are Kiwi. How did you manage to get them on board?
They are a professional dance troupe choreographed by Anna Mortlock. a trained dance teacher with her own dance school on the North Shore. She brings in a wealth of experience both from training and choreographing local Musical theatre and dance productions. Mark has worked with Anna in the past for various music productions and knew that she and her team would be just right for this project. Anna and her troupe are very happy to be part of team “Nasha”. They are super excited and their professionalism will surely be an added bonus to this project.
What is the band’s profile on the Auckland music scene?
Nasha is a unique band and we do not think that there is any other similar band here in NZ that offers the same spectacle of Music, Dance and lights that we offer.
Nasha’s inaugural show?
The band has been invited to play a couple of fundraising events at the end of August and early September 2012 to a mainly kiwi based audience as even the kiwis have taken Bollywood into their hearts with a lot of Bollywood Dance schools sprouting around the school circuit with competitions and shows, run by kiwis! The band is hoping for a proper launch for Diwali 2012…Nasha is in talks with local promoters at the moment.
The Nasha team
Rahul Cardoza – Lead & Backing Vocals
Ashmitha Menon – Lead & Backing Vocals
Ben Fernandez – Keyboards & Programming
Liam Smith – Vocals & Guitars
Dean Rodrigues – Bass & Guitars
Mark Pinto de Menezes – Drums, Percussion and Programming
Manjit Singh – Tabla, Dhol, Dholak and Indian Percussion
Anna Mortlock – Choreographer
Katie Moore – Dancer
Emily Oldfield – Dancer
Jordyn Briearn-Wilson – Dancer
Kelly Rebecca Harris – Dancer
Zoe Elizabeth Rogers – Dancer
Rebecca Crowhurst – Dancer
John Preston - Dancer
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