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MUSIC: MUSINGS
REVERBERATIONS
Footsteps Of Fame
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Footsteps Shounak Abhisheki
Music Today:
Rs 75 |
Usfret
Trilok
Gurtu
Times Music:
Rs 100 |
When Pandit Jitendra
Abhisheki died in 1998, people wondered whether his son Shounak would
take to singing professionally. Now, listening to his debut offering,
one can safely say he has. Shounak, a law graduate, was initiated by Kamalatai
Tambe of the Jaipur gharana and later received training from his father.
In this album, he has sung a composition in raga Gavti-Aas lagi tumhare
charan ki-a beautiful composition by Pandit Ramashray Jha in which Shounak
displays a variety of improvisations with sargams and botaans.
He also sings a tarana in raga Shree and the
rare Jaipur composition Kalindi Saraswati Ganga in the triple-layered
raga Triveni. Apart from khayals, Shounak is trained in thumri, tappa,
natya sangeet and bhajans. His versatility is displayed in the concluding
dadra, Laga sawan mujhe dukh dene, in raga Mishra Khamaj, composed by
his father. A promising artiste indeed.
Another son of a classical stalwart, but this
one has consciously chosen to trek off the beaten path. Trilok Gurtu,
percussionist and creative music don, is the son of thumri queen Shobha
Gurtu. He started playing the tabla from the age of six under the tutelage
of no less a master than Ahmed Jan Thirakwa. In Usfret, released last
week, he gives free reign to his musical imagination while remaining true
to his Indian roots. Starting with Shangri La/Usfret, Gurtu's formidable
percussion skills-drums, congo and creative devices such as dipping resonating
gongs in water-blend with an immaculate sense of timing and sonority.
The bols of tabla spelt out aloud make for a beautiful fusion between
jazz and Hindustani music. Not to be missed is the accompaniment of Shankar
on the violin. In Shobharock, Trilok's mother sings a composition, Aaj
more ghar aayila balmwa, in raga Malkauns. Interspersed with trumpets
and the layering technique, the track makes for delightful listening.
—S. Sahaya Ranjit
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HOT TRACK
Eternal Asha
 (Sony
Music;
2 Cassette Set: Rs 150)
Remember her wondering aloud about
what she would do at the Channel V awards a few years back-among
little girls in little skirts? Remember when you first heard her
as a child and thought, this is a teenager singing? Then remember
you turned a teenager yourself: you knew who she was by then, but
she still sounded like a teen? She does now too in this album from
last year's Asha Bhosle concert in Mumbai (her first in 15 years):
those classical intonations from Umrao Jaan; the mischievous inflections
in her voice in Jhumka gira re; the youthful vigour of Le gayee
le gayee and Zara sa jhoom loon main. It all adds up to the eternal
Asha sound. Babul Supriyo ably supports her in Jaane jaa from Jawani
Deewani. Govinda makes a spirited though not adequate attempt at
the memorable "Monica, O my darling" cry. And Lucky Ali
proves yet again that without the back-up of the miracles that modern
studio gadgetry can work, he's just not good enough. Now that was
a mistake.
—Anna M.M. Vetticad
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SCREEN N SURF
Net Melody
 The
recently launched site www.musicofthemovies.com offers more than just
a collection of downloadable Hindi film tracks. It allows you to move
through the history of Hindi music, either by time periods or by individual
biographies of musicians. The site works only with the Flash Player version
5. And don't worry if your browser does not have the plug-in, simply download
it from the doorway page. However, song lyrics and biographies of the
great masters are missing.
—S. Sahaya Ranjit
Arrivals
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KHUMAAR
(BMG Crescendo;
Rs 75 )
Compilation of Jagjit Singh's hits, including Baat niklegi to phir
door talak jayegi.
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MAHALAKSHMI
(Times Music;
Rs 65)
Aarti from the Mahalakshmi temple in Mumbai. With apt commentary.
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UNWIND
(Sony Music; Rs 150)
Mixed collection. Includes Sade's No ordinary love and the evergreen
Chariots of fire.
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RARE
RAGAS
(NA Classical; Rs 150)
Two volumes of the evening ragas Jait Kalyan and Shree by Mallikarjun
Mansur. |
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METRO TODAY
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Exclusives
