bleak horizons

Fans of R D Burman's music as also any college bassist trying hard to at least replicate all the wondrous patterns that underscored his 80s-and-post songs will have heard of Tony Vaz, the bass guitarist of choice for the late RDB, as well as music directors and arrangers like Uttam Singh and Vishal. What may be news to most is that Tony Vaz is in extremely bad shape and will probably pass away in neglect. Back in Pune, I have seen similar fairly famous sessions musicians living life the bad way, while the people hiring them made all the greens. Luckily, people like Vishal, whose scores for Maachis and Godmother had an extra something thanks to Tony Vaz, are helping out. Will the Music Directors' Association in Bombay wake up before it's too late? Or has talent and art already lost out to glamour and moronic ephemera?