Music in their Jazz

Fresh out of collaborating on a song and background score for the movie Straight, father son duo Louiz and Gino Banks sit down for a tete-a-tete

WHEN we step into their spacious Santacruz residence, Louiz Banks greets us with a warm handshake and in a role reversal asks us some questions about being a journalist and our passion in life. His 26-year-old son, percussionist Gino Banks saunters in with a cuppa and takes a seat next to dad.
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Talking about his son's interest in music, Louiz says, "When he was seven years old I bought a record of Arturo Sandoval called Flight to Freedom. He is one the greatest jazz trumpeters. My father used to play the trumpet which he handed to me. Gino listened to the record so intensely that he began to mimic the sounds. He could not play the trumpet because he was so young."

Louiz says that Gino's tryst with the trumpet continued for a while along with piano lessons, which he picked up so quickly that he was way ahead of the teacher. "Then he began banging on a drum kit and he really had a gift for it. I was touring with my fusion band and took him along to play when he was nine years old. He knew all the pieces," says Louiz proudly.

Then the bomb dropped, Gino lost interest in music around his teen years and movies completely took over his life. Gino says, "I wanted to become a director, the next Steven Spielberg." He no longer was the guy who sat next to dad on stage during a concert and watched him play. This disappointed Louiz as he hoped that his son would follow in his footsteps.

Louiz had little to worry about as a few years later Gino's interest in music returned with a vengeance. But by then they had sold their drum kit and he had to make do with what percussionist and dad's friend Sivamani gave him. "I began to understand music more," says Gino whose claims that he has a nerd like interest in drums. "Why did you take up the drums?" asks dad Louiz to which Gino shrugs like he really cannot think of an answer. Louiz continues, "Then there would have been two piano players in the house. The fact that he is a drummer turned out to be great." Gino admits to learning to play the piano again with dad's assistance of course.

Of his son's 'nerd like' interest in drums, Louiz says, "Parents hope that their children take up something, then there comes a stage when you don't have to force them to do it but have to force them to stop doing it! He practices seven to eight hours a day." Gino gives all credit to dad, though, saying, "They have never forced me. The interest should come from within."

Like any kid who is in the same profession as their parent would, Gino admits that it was easier for him to break into the industry but there was a lot of pressure to maintain a certain standard. "It's hard work. I'm not in it for the icing on the cake, I want the cake," he laughs. But once Gino got going nothing really stopped him. Concerts all over the world with his fusion band Yuva and providing music for Bollywood films have followed.

Of their collaboration on the music of Straight, Louiz says, "I knew the director, Parvati Balagopalan, who used to tell me that she was waiting for the right film for me to give music. And then one day she came over and told us about Straight." Gino adds, "I am very involved in what is happening musically at home. So I helped out as well."

The two bring different aspects to the music table Louiz his experience and Gino his youth and fresh ideas. They are also collaborating on three new albums. Gino says, "Dad composes and I arrange the music. I decide who plays on which track." Louiz laughs and asks if their new album, which is new age jazz-rock music, will win a Grammy? Gino pulls a face and confidently states, "No". He reasons to a rather taken-aback Louiz that this is how the music industry works. It's no longer art for art's sake.

They might be related but when two creative minds get together there is bound to be friction. They both nod in the negative. Louiz says, "He has inherited my temper. I don't panic or get agitated." He claims that while on stage the two know each other so well that they can preempt their next move. Gino adds, "I will start something and dad will carry it forward or he will start and I will carry it on."

We pick up our discussion about passion when we spot a painting of Gino done by Louiz. "You recognise who this is? It's Gino painted by his dad," laughs Louiz when we claim that we did not know about him being an artist. "It's my passion. What's your passion Gino?" he asks his son. "I don't know," replies Gino. "I think it's women," teases Louiz. We add that we have heard that girls love drummers. "So have I, so have I," says Gino.u00a0
It must be great for father and son to work with each other in such a laidback environment. Louiz claims that he enjoys Gino's company and his critical appreciation while Gino says the best thing his dad has told him is to be honest with his work and music.