Jerome Thomas Veleeparambil, more popularly known by his stage name Jerry Amaldev (born 15 April 1939) is a three-time Kerala State Film Awards winning Indiancomposer of film scores who has given music to some of the most important motion pictures of Malayalam cinema. He is noted for his lyrical and expressive melodies together with simple but rich tonal compositions of Indian music.[1][2][3][4][5]
Biography
Jerry Amaldev was born into a Malabar Latin Catholic family[6] belonging to the Archdiocese of Verapoly[7] on 15 April 1939 in Kochi, Cochin State, to V. C. Joseph and Mary Joseph. He completed his high school education in 1955 at St. Albert's High School, Ernakulam.[8] He Obtained the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy from the Papal Athenaeum, Pune. He is considered one of the evergreen music directors in Mollywood, even though he worked for a small span. His notable films as a music director are Manjil Virinja Pookkal, Aparahnam, Ennennum Kannettante, Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku, Nokketha Dhoorathu Kannum Nattu, and Guruji oru Vakku.. He received "Kerala State Film Awards" three times as a music director. However, he suddenly disappeared from the Malayalam industry in and around the time of the millennium, for unclear reasons, leaving his rich composition for Malayalam films.[9]
Film career
Jerry Amaldev debuted in the Malayalam industry through Fazil's Manjil Virinja Pookkal in 1980 and won the Kerala State Award for Excellence in Music Direction for the same. Before that, he used to work as an assistant to the great Indian Music Director Naushad. He was trained in North Indian Vocal Music under Madhusoondan Patwardhan of Vishnu Digambar Sangeet Vidyalaya, Pune. Since the debut was a hit in Malayalam he got really busy in Mollywood and had worked for around 75 films. He conducted a musical ceremony during the Pope's visit to India with a choir of 500 and an orchestra of 40. He also composed songs for some Bollywood movies.[citation needed]
But during the early time of the millennium, he suddenly disappeared from Malayalam industries. No.1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North is the last known film that he had composed for any Malayalam films. After quitting the Malayalam film industry he started teaching music at the American International School, Chennai. He is now working at Choice School, Cochin, where he teaches school students music along with composing music for various socially relevant films and television serials. He now teaches at the Asian Christian College of Music – www.accm.org.in, Kottayam as the professor of History of Music & Conducting where he is the academic adviser.
He made a comeback in 2016 by being the music director for the songs in the film Action Hero Biju directed by Abrid Shine, and starring Nivin Pauly.
Family
He was married to Jolly Jerry Amaldev and has three daughters Meera, Sangeeta and Dahlia. His wife died in 2008 due to cancer. Currently, he lives in Palatty, Kannachanthodu Road, Kochi.
