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| Don and Sonia Saigal on stage; (below) club members dance down memory lane. Pictures: Sayantan Ghosh |
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Pam Crain was on everyone’s mind as her husband Don Saigal and step-daughter Sonia Saigal poured their hearts out at Remembering the Diva: Pam Crain, presented by The Telegraph, at The Bengal Club recently. The concert was all about songs that the ‘diva of Park Street’ loved or performed. A free spirit, Pam always picked the latest in jazz and pop music from the ’50s through ’70s.
Don and Sonia went down memory lane with a set of classics. Songs like I Keep Forgettin’ We’re Not In Love Anymore, Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye), I Love To Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance), Strangers In The Night and Sway not only underlined the warmth of the concert but also stirred up memories.
“My dad (Don) would sneak me into Blue Fox and I would watch Pam perform from the back while I had a club sandwich and milkshake,” said Sonia. Before singing a heartfelt Neither One of Us, Sonia reminisced how Pam loved Motown, soul and especially this Gladys Knight & The Pips song. “I like it mostly because of the lyrics. I’m sure she is smiling from up above,” said Sonia.
Don picked up the tempo with songs like La Bamba and Jamaica Farewell, which were received warmly by the audience. Before launching into Kung Fu Fighting, he said that the song brought back memories (Don used to teach karate!). “You want me to go a little faster? Who wants to jive?” asked Don, before moving on to Whole Lotta Shakin’. Taking the audience back to the Blue Fox days, the father-daughter duo wrapped up the concert with Something Stupid, Feelings and Isn’t She Lovely, a song that Don would sing for Sonia in the 1970s at Blue Fox.
“Thank you all, you made my night,” he smiled, moved by the heartfelt applause.
It was great fun! I grew up on these songs. It took me back 40 years. I feel young again.
–– Jayant Kripalani, actor and author
Nothing is better than when the family comes together. It was a brilliant concert. I was brought up on this music. My mother (Sonia Saigal) and grandfather singing together created magic!
— Shloke Andrew, first-year, St. Xavier’s College
It was a great experience! You don’t get to listen to such lovely music these days. Sonia Saigal has such a strong voice, and she excels in the soulful, mellow songs.
–– Aaron Claudius, first-year, St. Xavier’s College
