THAT PAGE FROM ROSITA
One day in 1996 when we were watching TV at my uncle's place,
I received a page from my old school friend, Rosita. She was singing for this
strolling group that plays for weddings & functions and said they were looking for a bassist. She thought that maybe
I could fit in. But, hey, wait a minute, I don't play bass. Well the money was very
attractive for sure and also they play oldies and I've always loved
oldies - Dean Martin / The Platters what have you. So I joined the band, with Jerry
the leader, on rhythm and Gilbert on lead. They were playing the
nylon strings/classical guitars and for the first time, I was amazed by this category
of guitars.
MY NEW FOUND PASSION
I've always thought that nylon strings / classical guitars are meant for those playing
lullaby music. I was very wrong, indeed. In fact, I became so amazed by the raw original
sound the classical guitar gives, I went out to buy a Yamaha plucked in nylon string guitar,
then a Spanish made guitar and now I own 5 nylon strings guitar - my favourite being the
flamenco. I began to listen to artists playing latin music like the
gipsy kings / paco de lucia / armik etc and was fascinated by flamenco which has
that unique strumming . My love for latin/flamenco music grew by the day.
I left Jerry in 1997 to concentrate on my new found love. A year later , at the age of 28,
I took up my first proper classical guitar lessons in Yamaha school and
continue to learn new flamenco techniques from various sources. I found that I was finally
on my way of being called a real guitarist. Of course, I was already a born singer ;-)
DEDICATED TO GILBERT
Mid of 1998, I called up Gilbert and was told that he had already passed away of a heart attack. He was 56. I had always like Gilbert and regretted not keeping
in touch with him more often. I was so saddened, I wrote a song for him that very moment.
