{"id":4230,"date":"2018-05-03T20:08:28","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T14:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=4230"},"modified":"2024-04-10T08:09:14","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T02:39:14","slug":"sebastian-dsouza-musician","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/sebastian-dsouza-musician\/","title":{"rendered":"Sebastian D\u2019Souza: The Master of Counter Melodies"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_4231\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4231\" class=\"wp-image-4231\" src=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/Sebstian-Rafi-Shanker.jpg\" alt=\"Sebstian (L) with Mohd Rafi and Shanker\" width=\"400\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/Sebstian-Rafi-Shanker.jpg 480w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/Sebstian-Rafi-Shanker-400x356.jpg 400w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/Sebstian-Rafi-Shanker-150x133.jpg 150w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/Sebstian-Rafi-Shanker-300x267.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4231\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sebstian (L) with Mohd Rafi and Shankar<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you listen to a film song composed by maestros Shankar-Jaikishan, O P Nayyar or Salil Chowdhury, you also hear a tune being played along with the song in the background. This parallel tune is created with violin, cello, piano, Spanish guitar or an organ.<\/p>\n<p>This \u201cparallel tune for a song\u201d technique, known as a Counter-Melody, was introduced in SJ music by a musician \u2013 a violinist from Goa \u2013 Sebastian D\u2019Souza. Sebastian D\u2019Souza was a pioneer in creating counter-melody in film songs. This technique became popular and from 1950 onwards Sebastian became a well-known and most wanted Music Arranger of many music directors of Hindi Film industry.<\/p>\n<p>Sebastian was born on 29 January 1906 in Reis-Megos, Goa. He learnt to play the violin and piano in a local church school. While learning these instruments, he also learnt to write music notation. It was during this time that he listened to the famous symphonies of well-known composers of the western world, namely, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Haydon and Richard Wagner.<\/p>\n<p>Deeply interested in violin and piano, Sebastian continued his learning and toured different cities such as Allahabad, Mussoorie and Delhi. In Delhi\u2019s Hotel Astoria, he started his own band and people appreciated it.<\/p>\n<p>In 1942, Sebastian went to Lahore, and started his own band in Hotel Stiffels. This continued until 1947. After partition, he moved to Bombay and started his career as a violinist in the film industry. He played for well-known music directors like Anil Biswas, Naushad, Vinod, Ghulam Haider, Husnalal-Bhagatram, S D Burman, Sajjad Hussain and Shankar-Jaikishan.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #c2150a;\"><em><strong>Preetam Aan Milo<\/strong><\/em> &#8211; O P Nayyar \/ Saroj Mohini Nayyar \/ C H Atma<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/153BNbmkf1M\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Sebastian&#8217;s first assignment as a Music Arranger was in 1948-49 with O P Nayyar when Nayyar recorded his first song <em>Preetam aan milo<\/em> sung by C H Atma and written by Saroj Mohini Nayyar (O P Nayyar\u2019s wife). After three years, Nayyar signed his first film, Dalsukh Pancholi\u2019s <em>Aasman<\/em>, as an independent music director.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4234\" style=\"width: 322px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4234\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4234\" src=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/SebastianShankar-Raj-Kapoor-and-Shailendra-1.jpg\" alt=\"Sebastian,Shankar, Raj Kapoor and Shailendra\" width=\"312\" height=\"215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/SebastianShankar-Raj-Kapoor-and-Shailendra-1.jpg 312w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/SebastianShankar-Raj-Kapoor-and-Shailendra-1-150x103.jpg 150w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/SebastianShankar-Raj-Kapoor-and-Shailendra-1-300x207.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 312px) 100vw, 312px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4234\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Creating memorable music (From L to R) Sebastian, Shankar, Raj Kapoor and Shailendra<\/p><\/div>\n<p>At that time he called Sebastian again to work as his Arranger. Sebastian, thus, started his career firmly as an arranger in film music with O P Nayyar in 1952, an association which continued till 1973. Their last film together was <em>Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye<\/em>, incidentally also the last film of singer Asha Bhosle with Nayyar.<\/p>\n<p>In 1952, Sebastian\u2019s friend Sunny Castellino, who worked as an arranger for Shankar-Jaikishan, introduced Sebastian to the duo. Amiya Chakravarty\u2019s <em>Daag<\/em> (1952) marked the beginning of Sebastian\u2019s work as music arranger with Shankar-Jaikishan. In <em>Daag<\/em>, Sebastian\u2019s most successful innovative work was the creation of a memorable counter-melody for a song sung by both Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar <em>Ai mere dil kahin aur chal.<\/em> According to Sebastian, in this song he used the accordion for creating counter-melody along with violin and mandolin. And the result was excellent. Sebastian used accordion for interlude music in a number of songs but its use as the main instrument for counter-melody was rare.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #c2150a;\"><em><strong>Aye mere dil kahin aur chal<\/strong><\/em> (<em>Daag<\/em>, 1952)- Shankar Jaikishan \/ Shailendra \/ Talat Mahmood<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1B9sm1HHAlQ\" width=\"100%\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Using cellos and piano to support his counter-melodies of violin obbligato, Sebastian arranged a number of memorable songs. A few examples:<\/p>\n<p>* <em>Kya hua O mujhe kya hua<\/em> (<em>Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti hai<\/em>)<br \/>\n* <em>Raat ke hum safar<\/em> (<em>An Evening in Paris<\/em>)<br \/>\n* <em>Aaja re aa jara aa<\/em> (<em>Love in Tokyo<\/em>),<br \/>\n* <em>Soja re soja<\/em> &amp; <em>Bol re Kathputli dori <\/em>(<em>Kathputli<\/em>)<br \/>\n* <em>Aaj kal men dhal gaya<\/em> (<em>Beti Bete<\/em>)<br \/>\n* <em>Aaja aai bahar<\/em> and <em>Janewale zara<\/em> (<em>Raj Kumar<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #c2150a;\"><em><strong>Raat ke humsafar<\/strong><\/em> (<em>An Evening In Paris<\/em>, 1967) Shankar Jaikishan \/ Shailendra \/ Mohd Rafi and Asha Bhosle<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OPaUm-UxdhY\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Another of his specialties was using chorus with violin, cello &amp; piano combinations.<\/p>\n<p>A few examples:<\/p>\n<p>* <em>Bol re Kathputli dori <\/em>(<em>Kathputli<\/em>)<br \/>\n* <em>Aa ab laut chale<\/em> (<em>Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti hai<\/em>)<br \/>\n* <em>Dil ke jharokhe mein<\/em> (<em>Brahmachari<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p>and the musical fountain sequence in the film <em>Around the World<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #c2150a;\"><em><strong>Dil ke jharokhe mein tujhko bithakar<\/strong><\/em> (<em>Brahmachari<\/em>, 1968) Shankar Jaikishan \/ Hasrat Jaipuri \/ Mohd Rafi <\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JHKFyeYyeG0?si=5C1FaR8iH1HB4mj8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While working with Shankar-Jaikishan, the first challenge that he faced was that both Shankar and Jaikishan preferred Indian classical Raga based tunes. And to create counter-melodies, interlude music as well as background music, he had to learn the basics of Indian classical music during his busiest recording schedules. Sebastian found this very interesting and it helped him very much during his career as an arranger.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4235\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4235\" class=\"wp-image-4235\" src=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/ShankarSebastian-and-Rais-Khan.jpg\" alt=\"Shankar, Sebastian and Rais Khan\" width=\"400\" height=\"304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/ShankarSebastian-and-Rais-Khan.jpg 480w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/ShankarSebastian-and-Rais-Khan-400x304.jpg 400w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/ShankarSebastian-and-Rais-Khan-150x114.jpg 150w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/ShankarSebastian-and-Rais-Khan-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4235\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From L to R) Shankar, Sebastian and Ustad Rais Khan &#8211; Combination of sitar, violin and cellos almost became a hallmark of Sebastian\u2019s counter-melody and interlude music<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you listen to SJ compositions such as <em>Koi matvala aaya<\/em> (<em>Love in Tokyo<\/em>), all the songs of <em>Basant Bahar<\/em> and <em>Amrapali<\/em> and many classical Raga based songs in which Sebastian created counter-melodies and interlude music, his mastery over both classical music as well as western music is well established.<\/p>\n<p>Combination of sitar, violin and cellos almost became a hallmark of Sebastian\u2019s counter-melody and interlude music. The last film that Sebastian worked on for Shankar-Jaikishan was <em>Sanyasi<\/em> (1975). It was a challenge for Sebastian as all the songs as well as the background music of the film was based on Raag Bhairavi. And he succeeded remarkably.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #c2150a;\"><em><strong>Koi matwala aaya mere dware<\/strong><\/em> (<em>Love in Tokyo<\/em>, 1966) Shankar Jaikishan \/ Shailendra \/ Lata Mangeshkar<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gq02gotqVUI\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Sebastian worked continuously with Shankar-Jaikishan for 23 years without break, creating a record of sorts for any arranger. And he enjoyed working with SJ thoroughly, calling it a great teamwork for the team had stalwarts such as Shankar, Jaikishan, Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri and Dattaram.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4236\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4236\" class=\"wp-image-4236\" src=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style.jpg\" alt=\"Raga-Jazz Style\" width=\"400\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style.jpg 585w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-390x400.jpg 390w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-146x150.jpg 146w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-300x308.jpg 300w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-150x154.jpg 150w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-293x300.jpg 293w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/shankar-jaikishan-raga-jazz-style-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4236\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vinyl, LP Back Cover of Raga-Jazz Style by Shankar Jaikishan\/ Rais Khan \u200e(Pic courtesy: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discogs.com\/Shankar-Jaikishan-Rais-Khan-Raga-Jazz-Style\/release\/3012577\">discogs<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>He remembered Shankar as a great song composer and Jaikishan as a rare background music composer. Sebastian, along with Jaikishan, Dattaram and Raj Kapoor completed the background music of <em>Mera Naam Joker<\/em> in 5 days.<\/p>\n<p>Shankar-Jaikishan being lovers of Indian Classical Music, composed a LP record titled \u2018<em>Raga Jazz Style\u2019<\/em> in which they presented 11 Ragas in a Jazz format. Sebastian arranged the music and wrote the notations. The 11 Ragas were Todi, Bhairav, Malkauns, Kalavati, Tilak Kamod, Miyan Malhar, Bairagi, Jaijaiwanti, Mishra Pilu, Shivranjani and Bhairavi.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #c2150a;\"><em><strong>Raga Jazz Style<\/strong><\/em> Shankar Jaikishan \/ Rais Khan &#8211; Label: His Master&#8217;s Voice \u200e\u2013 ECSD-2377\u00a0 of The Gramophone Company Of India Ltd. Arranged By \u2013 Sebastian D&#8217;Souza; Music Assistant &#8211; Dattaram; Bass \u2013 Eddie Travass; Drums \u2013 Leslie Godinho; Electric Guitar \u2013 Anibal Castro, Dilip Naik; Flute \u2013 Suman;\u00a0Piano \u2013 Lucilla Pacheco; Saxophone \u2013 Manohari Singh; Sitar \u2013 Ustad Rais Khan; Tabla \u2013 Ramakant; Trumpet \u2013 John Pereira <\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/playlists\/304183595&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Sebastian also worked for great music directors like Salil Chowdhury, Vasant Desai, S D Burman, Madan Mohan, Roshan, Dattaram and N. Datta. And he never forgot to express his gratitude towards renowned musicians such Robert Correa and Mike Machado (the Pianists), Albuquerque, Verga, Simplicio D\u2019Souza \u00a0and John Gonsalves (the Cellists), V Balsara and Goody Seervai (the Accordionists), Duorado, Narvekar and Karnard (the solo Violinists) and David (the Mandolin player). He would also fondly recall his contemporary music arrangers such as Johny Gomes, Castellino, Chic Chocolate, Ram Singh, Rizbert and Franky.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow individual music directors could maintain their originality as well as identity even when he worked for them as their Arranger?\u201d I asked Sebastian. He replied that he never interfered with their original tune.<\/p>\n<p>Sebastian\u2019s remarkable contribution was his ability to combine Western orchestra with Indian instruments. His are the songs which we remember even today due to the richness of his musical arrangements and the variations in his melodies.<\/p>\n<p>Sebastian was a complete musician. His music lovers will remember his music for years to come.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was first published in Shankar-Jaikishan <a href=\"http:\/\/shankarjaikishan.blogspot.in\/2006_08_01_archive.html\">Blog<\/a> run by SJ Yahoo Group.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>More to read on Shankar Jaikishan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/rhythms-shankar-jaikishan\/\">Rhythms of Shankar Jaikishan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/shankar-jaikishan-melodies-1971\/\"><em>Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana<\/em>: Shankar Jaikishan\u2019s Melodies of 1971 \u2013 18 Films, 104 Songs<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/shankar-jaikishan-hits-1966\/\">Flashback 50 Years (Part I): Shankar Jaikishan Hits of 1966 \u2013 <em>Bahaaron Phool Barsao<\/em><\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The \u201cparallel tune for a song\u201d technique, known as a Counter-Melody, created with violin, cello, piano, Spanish guitar or an organ was introduced in Shankar-Jaikishan&#8217;s music by a musician \u2013 a violinist from Goa \u2013 Sebastian D\u2019Souza. A tribute to a master musician.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":888,"featured_media":4239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[821],"tags":[1762,1803,534,1242,1047,1320,1802],"class_list":["post-4230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-makers","tag-asha-bhosle","tag-hasrat-jaipuri","tag-lata-mangeshkar","tag-mohd-rafi","tag-raj-kapoor","tag-shailendra","tag-shankar-jaikishan"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/888"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4230"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8520,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4230\/revisions\/8520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}