When two musicians unite

City-based bassist Dee Wood has roped in his old friend and globally acclaimed Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista for a performance tonight at a Bandra venue

The duo first met when they were both performing in Boston in 1981. All the time spent on and off stage, jamming with percussions and bass, helped forge a bond between Cyro Baptista and Dee Wood that went beyond music. Such that now, almost four decades later, Bapista — who used to sporadically stay with Wood when touring in Boston — is coming to Mumbai, Wood's home for three decades, for a special gig happening tonight.

While Wood has set-up base in Mumbai, helping build the jazz scene in the city, and by extension the country, Baptista has been touring the world and recording for Herbie Hancock's Grammy Award-winning album Gershwin's World and Yo-Yo Ma's Brazil Project, which won two Grammy Awards. "I got lucky. Especially since today, it's not easy to make music. I learnt something from each of them — they were so patient with me. And so humble, despite being such big names," says Baptista, who grew up in Brazil in the '60s, when music was really picking up there, before he discovered Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis.

"He's an old and dear friend and after he left the states to go to Brazil, he proceeded on to become quite a well-known and respected musician. He has been playing consistently with great mentors, but he always had that Brazilian street energy and had talent, even when we met all those years ago," recollects Wood.

Dee Wood

Tonight, together with Emmanuel Simon (percussion), Aron Nyiro (drums) and Karim Ellaboudi, the two will perform Latin American jazz standards with a lot of Afro-Brazilian and Cuban grooves, with three percussionists on stage.

So, what's it like playing together after all these years? "There are so many emotions, it's amazing; plus it means a lot to have a close friend for so long. He's always been an inspiration, as a musician as well as a human being. I've found playing with him to be a learning experience," Baptista shares. "It's so natural. We started our journeys together in the US. So, this feels like a homecoming," concludes Wood.

Tonight 9.30 pm to 11 pm
At The Bandra Base, Baitush Saraf Building, TPS 3, 29th Road, Bandra West.
Call 30916003
Cost Rs 400

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