Heartbeatgoa.memories -Greatest Konkani Song Hits - Newsletter #6 - Francis Rodrigues, Toronto

The cabbie smiled. It was late, but his favourite passenger washere. Tall, handsome film-hero Celestino (C.Alvares) stooped into the tiny taxi at Bandrastation and........but wait! A stranger was getting into the back seat...... Alvares fumbled for a notepad and pencil, quietlytold the cabbie to take them both to his friendFrank Fernand's house, but to slow at every streetlamp. He conversed softly with the mysterious stranger. The cabbie was fascinated. As they drove, Alvares wrote a beautiful new songat breakneck speed. At every street-lamp hechecked it. When he hummed it, the stranger in the back-seatmurmured mysteriously. An hour later when they both alighted at Fernand'shouse, the cabbie saw Alvares title the finishedsong "Claudia" in his beautifully flowing script. An immortal classic was born. "Claudia" of course, is the great hit from "Nirmonn". But who was the mysterious stranger? Perhaps we shall never know. Many say it was amystery "R" - either Romeo Mendes (who was said tohave collaborated on the song) or Remmie Colaco. Both Celestino and Romeo are gone. God rest them. But what is here is........ You know it!!! ALL this great music and more - lots, lots more -in the "Greatest Konkani Song Hits" book releasing20 August. There's more - Goa's prestigious Kala Academy too is so thrilledat the quality of this work, THEY'RE hosting theGoa launch on Sunday 9 August (4 pm) at theirBlack Box in Panjim!!! You gotta be there early! No formal invites, it'sopen house - free seating, free concert, freerefreshments. And to those thousands of you who're writingdaily from around the world - we'll let you knowin the 2nd week of August, exactly how you too canget a copy wherever you are! Now.....enjoy! "Claudia"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20GX2Xhh9U0 Twenty-four days left to August 20th....... Musically Yours,Francis.P.S. Do keep those mails coming in - even if it'sjust a line of encouragement - we hope you'reenjoying these newsletters, and learning more ofour great tradition.