Chic Chocolate

Chic Chocolate, born Antonio Xavier Vaz in 1916 in Goa played an important role in introducing and developing jazz in India. A trumpeter par excellence, he played the violin, saxophone, piano, and rhythm instruments with equal virtuosity. He was heavily inspired by Louis Armstrong and was often referred to as the “Louis Armstrong of Bombay”. Long after he’d made a series of successful wartime recordings, the trumpet player Chic Chocolate became a regular at the Taj Mahal Hotel in downtown Bombay. One season, he joined forces with Chris Perry, the genius who was in the process of reinventing Konkani pop music.

As an assistant to several music directors and also as their arranger, conductor and musician, Chic Chocolate contributed greatly to the phenomenal success of Several Indian Film songs. He assisted Bollywood music directors like C Ramchandra and Madan Mohan and even composed music for three Hindi films – Nadan (1951), Rangeeli (1952) and Kar Bhala(1956). His music had all the hallmarks for distinction- a fabulous sound, a flawless technique, and a versatile style.