At age six — when someone's worldview can be summed up in one word ‘chocolates' — Hansel Dique wows audiences with his sweet voice. While the world marvels at his prodigious talent for singing country songs, the Anglo-Indians are not surprised.
Country music cuts across ages in the community and, apart from lullabies, country songs are the first sounds that fall on an Anglo-Indian baby's ears. Little Hansel is in the star line-up for Blazing Guitars 2 — a country music concert on July 9 at The Music Academy in aid of Anglos In The Wind (AITW) and its charities — which also includes stalwarts such as Tommy Smith from Australia, known as ‘Guitar Boogie' Smith for the style with which he plays the timeless song.
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Last year, AITW's founder-editor Harry MacLure decided on country music for a fund-raising concert (Blazing Guitars 1), because “ten out of ten Anglo-Indians like country music.” Given this following, these annual concerts are a sure bet to bring Anglo-Indians together and promote young talent. In the previous edition, Hansel had the audience at the Museum Theatre eating out of his little hand with “Mamma's Little Country Boy”, composed by his father Stephen Dique, who accompanied him on the mouth organ.
The most remarkable aspect of Blazing Guitars 2 is Tommy Smith's participation: the guitarist came here a few days ago, after facing a flight cancellation due to volcanic ash from Chile billowing across the Australian skies. “Smith has a long connection with the Chennai music scene and is happy to renew his ties,” says Harry. Before he migrated to Australia in 1973, Smith was with ‘Jades', a band that performed at the Connemara Hotel in Madras; he also had his own band, Caravelles. (He, along with jazz virtuoso Frank Dubier and inimitable keyboard player Cressy David, were honoured by Bryan Dalton, acting American Consul General, Chennai, at an event organised by AITW, in recognition of their contribution to Anglo-Indian music).
Other exciting names in the line-up are Paul Jacob, known for his espousal of alternative music and his ascending importance in the south Indian film music industry; singer-guitarist-songwriter Terry Misra, based in the United Kingdom; and Barrington D' Rozario, keyboardist and leader of “The New Horizons”, a band that reflects the heyday of Anglo-Indian music in Madras. The New Horizons will accompany many of the singers at Blazing Guitars 2.
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The three-hour concert, starting at 6.30 p.m., will feature at least 32 songs. For tickets, which are available at the AITW office, call 42080058.