TT-born leader of Canadian orchestra comes for concert

As the head of this band, Ramdass has had the good fortune of providing music for many of the established singers coming out of India. “I learned from the best in Trinidad and I am happy to say my band is able to match the best of India as far as film and folk music go,” he said.

Since his childhood days growing up in central Trinidad, Ramdass has been fascinated by drums generally. “I was always beating the table or the pots and pans in the kitchen,” he said, adding that he got his skill from his mother, Basdai (now deceased), who was well known for beating the dholak (hand drums) and singing folk songs.

Ramdass was also drawn to the Mala Sangeet Orchestra which frequently practised opposite his house. He said he would “eagerly wait until the session was over before I could get a knock at the big drums.”

He followed the band to its performances and it was on one of these occasions that he got a lucky break. “The drummer didn’t turn out and the bandleader told me it was my chance to play,” he said.

He grasped the opportunity with both hands, so to speak, and proved that he had what it took to provide rhythms for the top-class singers of the band. He quickly secured a place in Mala Sangeet and was on his way to establishing himself as a drummer of excellence. Later he joined the Beena Sangeet Orchestra and then moved to the JMC Triveni Orchestra under the leadership of the well-known Nasserloo Ramaya. Some time later Harry Mahabir (now deceased) of the BWIA National Indian Orchestra heard Ramdass on the weekly cultural show, Indian Variety, and invited him to join the band. Ramdass toured extensively with the orchestra and while on a trip to Canada decided that was where he would soon settle. Eventually, Ramdass moved back to JMC Triveni and played with that band until he migrated to Canada in 1987.

In 1989, he joined the Canadian National Orchestra, under the sponsorship of Vishnu Sookar. It comprised ex-members of the BWIA National Indian, Dil e Nadan and Triveni Orchestras. The original members eventually moved on to different things but Ramdass “reinvented” the band when he became its leader in 2003.

The Canadian band has accompanied many of the chutney artistes from the Caribbean including Terry Gajraj, Kris Ramkhelawan, Sundar Popo, Drupatee Ramgoonai, Ramraji Prabhoo, Rikki Jai, Rakesh Yankaran and Boyie Basdeo. Due to his versatility he has also been able to give back-up support to soca superstar Machel Montano, Preacher, Crazy and Leon Caldero. Among the international artistes with whom Ramdass has played are the legendary Hari Om, Nandani Sharan, Kumar Sanu, Anuradha Paudwal and Anup Jalota.