Beat It!

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Be it a box, a bottle or a water can, he makes music with anything he can find. Gino K Jose clearly was born and lives for music. This ace drummer from Kochi is often termed as 'Junior Sivamani' in the band circles. When he gave his solo performance five years ago in Guruvayur, his role model Sivamani was all praise for him and called Gino 'Mani Siva'. “Receiving his blessings was enough for me,” says Gino. That was a beginning for this drummer who has been in the profession for the last 24 years. After that meeting, Gino's next encounter with Sivamani was during the marriage of renowned pianist Stephen Devassy. “I provided the instruments for Sivamani and also performed with him for the first time,” recollects Gino. There was no looking back for Gino who went on to have four performances with Sivamani. “I was scared as hell while performing with Mani sir. He is a very rough and rude person at first glance but when you get to know him personally, he is a gem,”  Gino has clearly learnt a lot under Sivamani. “He is a perfect Guru. A drummer usually has his trade secrets, which he won't share with others. After all, that is what makes their art so unique and different. But I got to learn so much from Mani sir,” Jose says. Gino now teaches 23 students at his residence. “If any schools, students or musical institutes are interested, I am ready to teach them with professional instruments.” He now has an ample store of musical instruments which are all imported from the places of their origin. His star possessions are drums from different countries and the seven cymbals of different 'shrutis'. He also owns Conga drums from Cuba that costs more than 10 lakh. Other instruments are octave band, high toned Timpaleys, bongos, derboke from the Gulf, roto drums and the tambourines. Gino started  to jam on the drums from the time he was in the fifth class. “My grandfather used to play the harmonium for the Latin mass in those days at Koothukad village in North Paravur and his passion for music got transferred to me,” he says.This professional drummer has strived hard to reach here. Initially after completing ITI, his father, a retired army man sent him to his uncle's place in Bangalore to look for a job. “I got a small job, but I had to live in the garage, sharing space with a boxer puppy and a Fiat car. I managed to live on Rs 15 a day. That was when my cousin’s friends came to practise there for a music competition. The drummer absconded just before the competition. I had been itching to play the drums.  When I did, they liked it and I even got the 'Best drummer' prize at that competition,” says Gino. Whenever he performs on stage, he uses 33 varieties of instruments that include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Latin and Arabian instruments, as he specialises in the fusion of various percussion. Adding to his achievements, Gino was also been a part of the Star Singer show in USA and Road Show of Asianet. He has also given performances with violinist Balabhaskar, Attukal Balasubramaniam and Raj Chandran.