Andaz International ready for Carnival

Formally known as Naya Andaz, and Andaz Brass the band is now known worldwide as Andaz International. The word “Andaz” is a Hindustani word with the meaning “something new”.

In its early years the band also spun “Gayatones” whose band leader Capil Gayadeen was one of the early members of Andaz.

The band Andaz was formed by the late Frankie Nanan, considered a legend by many. He was a man well respected in the local Indian music industry and one of the pioneers responsible for elevating local Indian music to higher standards in Trinidad and Tobago. Starting with simply a hand organ, a drum set and a few percussion instruments, the band, following Nanan’s leadership and the commitment of his family and band members, has been able to keep the name Andaz alive and make a dream into a reality.

The crossover music has boosted the band, and in so doing has placed Andaz among the top five crossover bands in the country. Andaz started touring North America way back in 1985, when they did their first performance at Toronto’s Caribana.

The band’s leader Richard Nanan was only 14 years old then. Andaz continues to tour and has added Montreal’s and Hamilton’s Carnivals to its list. These days band members of Andaz International have been quietly working on new CDs which will be launched later this year.

According to the band leader Richard, Andaz is always trying something new and because Trinidad and Tobago is known as the land of soca and chutney, he continues to ensure that the music composed for his singers have that soca chutney touch to it, and believes that the music will create waves in the international community in the near future. He noted that the band has always used brass in its music, and this is what separates Andaz from other crossover bands.

He said that although the band is South-based, this has not prevented it from securing jobs for Carnival and in foreign countries where the music is lapped up, not only by Trinibagonians living there, but by foreigners as well.

He said in the early ’90s Andaz briefly changed its name to “Crossfire” to break into the “Soca and Soca-Chutney” arena. Andaz has done musical battles alongside bands like Shandileer, Blue Ventures, Atlantik, Traffik, Second Imij as well as other crossover bands like JMC Trevini, TTEC Gayatones, SSL Melo Bugs, Dil-E-Nadan and D Rampersad Indian Art. Musical battlefields included Carnival Village, Toronto and Montreal, Ontario Place, Lamport Stadium, London, We Place, Soca Village, Guaracara Park, Union Hall, Reinzi Complex, Samar and Anand Entertainment Centres, among others.

Band leader Richard Nanan told Newsday that during the ’90s Andaz continued their involvement in film, chutney, soca, reggae and pop music.

The band has toured extensively to Canada and the United States over the past 27 years. Frequent visits were also made to England, Guadeloupe, Suriname, and Guyana.

In 1998 the band made a change in their operating philosophy addressing the need to promote and market the service they provide by building and creating brand awareness.

This philosophy is represented in the release of the band’s first CD Millennium Uprising in 1999, which was carried live on Sangeet 106.1 FM, followed by a second CD Soca Invasion in 2000. Other notable achievements during 1999 and 2000 were playing for Mastana Bahar’s prelims, quarter-finals, semi-finals and all stars shows. Andaz launched their 2001 CD Smooth Style carried live on Radio Masala 101.1 FM. This was a prelude to the band’s tour to North America on June 30 2001.

Andaz performed for Caribana in Toronto; Carifesta in Montreal; Vancouver and New York. In 2002 Andaz started the year taking part in the first Chutney Brass Festival and provided live music for Ivan Kallicharan, the winner of the South Carnival Band of the Year for Carnival 2002, winning the “Best Sounding Road Band” of San Fernando Carnival. This year also saw the release of the CD Soca Invasion – II.

Again in 2003 Andaz played for Ivan Kallicharan and won Best Sounding Band in San Fernando Carnival. Andaz continued touring North America and played for Withfield Belasco in Caribana 2003 where they won “Best Sounding Road Band”.

Again in 2004 and 2005 Andaz took part in the Chutney- Soca Brass Festival. Andaz also made inroads into Port-of-Spain Carnival, playing live music on the road for Mas Band “Poison” in 2004 who was then 10,000 masquaraders strong.

In 2007 Richard also assisted his brother Stephen in the launch of the band “Destiny”. The members of this band are all ex-members of Andaz living in Toronto.

The band experienced a great loss with the passing of Frankie Nanan, the founder of the band on November 30, 2007. This saw a period of very low band activity, resulting in the departure of some former band members. In 2008 these members formed the band “Xtreme” . Other members went to a variety of other up and coming bands. Again Andaz needed to re-define itself. In the latter half of 2009 Asha Nanan Ramrattan returned to the band after a period of ten years which she spent in building her family. Asha now holds the position of Band Manager. She has released an original Soca Chutney single – “Culture Fusion”. A second original chutney single – “Licks” by Reshma Maharaj was also released.

The band has continued its studio recordings in 2010 after entering the Chutney Soca competition for the first time with “Culture Fusion”. Andaz also took part in“Battle of the Bands”. The band is now enjoying success with its popular hit “Katrina Gyul”, which was composed by Richard Nanan and sung by lead singer Chris Doodal. Another lead singer Rajesh Sylvester is also heating up the airwaves with his song “The Stinger”. The band will be performing at Jerry Junction, Carapichaima on Carnival Sunday.

In May the band will perform at a Mother’s Day show in Houston, Texas, and is hoping to work closely with some soca artistes as part of the cultural fusion in the coming years.