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UK SPECIAL: DIWALI

Tune In The Soul

By S. Sahaya Ranjit

KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM

Sony Music, Rs 60

In the age of marketing, everyone seems to believe that a stringent promotion campaign is the key to success. Sony Music did likewise and decided to give the mantra a try.

FAMILY TRIP: The cover of K3G

When it came out with a single-song edition of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in September, it was only the hors d'oeuvre. But to make an elaborate Diwali feast, the full course is now ready with 10 tracks. Plus, a mixed bag of playback singers-Lata Mangeshkar, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Subramaniam; music directors-Jatin-Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya and Aadesh Shrivastava; and lyricists-Sameer and Anil Pandey.
The title song by Lata Mangeshkar has a strong sentimental theme that holds the film together. Bole choodiyan is a peppy group song which has resurrected the sagging career of Kishore Kumar's son, Amit Kumar. The love song, Suraj hua maddham, by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik is a typical-and mushy-film love song. And for his fans, Shrivastava, Aby baby's voice, has composed Say shava shava. What stands out in the album is the emphasis on melody. And in equal measure, the Indian family music formula that weaves romance, tears, marriage and dance.

DHAROHAR
TIMES MUSIC, RS 65

One question often encountered by experts, exponents and writers at various musical forums pertains to the perpetuation of classical music: who are the faces constituting the new generation of Hindustani classical music? Invariably, the names that hold promise for the future are Kala Ramnath, Kalapini and Shrinivas Joshi. Times Music has updated its Dharohar series by releasing solo albums showcasing the immense talent of these nascent names together with Piu Sarkhel, Maharajapuram Ramachandran, R. Thiagarajan, Sandip Chatterjee and Rajat Prasanna. Here's a peek at the three who lead the band.

FATHER'S SON: Shrinivas with Pt Bhimsen Joshi

Shrinivas, the youngest son of Pt Bhimsen Joshi, was exposed to classical music at a very young age. An engineering graduate from IIT, Delhi, Shrinivas could not resist the lure of classical music and eventually succumbed to its irresistible charm. In this album he has sung three ragas-Bhimpalasi, Tilak Kamod and a thumri based on raga Tilang. The thumri, Jahe ko neha lagaye, was made immortal by Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and has been a forte of Kirana gharana musicians. One detects that he is not strictly adhering to the Kirana tradition but has developed his own unique, individual style.

Ramnath also hails from a family of musicians and is a disciple of Pandit Jasraj. She plays khayal compositions on the violin. "I don't play the gayaki ang but gayaki itself," says Ramnath. In this album she has delineated raga Jaijaiwanti and chaiti based on raga Manj Khamaj. A soulful presentation.

Kalapini has sung Ye mora man haro re haro, composed by Kumar Gandharvaraga. It is based on raga Bihag, a late night melody. On the flip side she has sung raga Bhupali, a sombre raga emphasising the shanta rasa aspect. The taans are scintillating and have shades of Kumarji's gayaki.

It is a good series that holds out much hope.

DIFFERENT STROKES
HMV, RS 70

A DIFFERENT APPEAL: Jagjit Singh

Jagjit Singh has predominantly been a ghazal king for several years. But this album is different, making the title apt. Different Strokes contains short compositions compiled from various live recordings based on ragas like Rageshwari, Darbari and Bhairavi. Apni garaj pakar leene is based on raga Rageshwari, a derivation from Khamaj thaat. Out of the eight compositions, six are based on raga Bhairavi-supposedly the feminine raga, the spouse of raga Bhairav. In Baju band khul khul jaye, Singh evokes the shringar rasa while Babul mora maihar chhoto jaay, is a thumri representative of viraha rasa and depicts the pangs of separation. A must for Jagjit Singh fans.

SHRI DURGA SAPTASHATI
MUSIC TODAY, RS 200

Music Today's new release-Shri Durga Saptashati-a three-hour-long recital by renowned classical musicians-coincides with the festive season. Each recitation is based on classical ragas-Durga, Shudh Kalyan, Saraswati, Shankara, Gorakh Kalyan. Pt Rajan and Sajan Mishra have sung chapters five to 13 along with the moving and conclusive, Kshama Prarthana. Vachaspati Mudgalya, a Sanskrit consultant, lends his voice to two chapters of the collection. The bilingual booklet provided with the collection renders the shlokas lucid and easy to follow. For a layperson, the translation adds meaning to the whole exercise. A good buy for the festive season.

NEW RELEASES

Saawariyan Teri Yaad Mein (Universal; Rs 65) Popular Navratri singer Falguni Pathak trying yet again to reinvent herself.	Hari Kirtan (Times Music; Rs 65) Hare Krishna, Om Namah Shivay chants. Music for meditation by Ashit Desai.	Swar Varsha (BMG Crescendo; Rs 75) Vishwa Mohan Bhatt plays ragas Hem Bihag and Basant on Mohan and Vishwa veena.	Sounds of the Sitar (Music Today; Rs 75) Compositions by Shujaat Khan, Shahid Parvez, Nishat Khan and Budhaditya Mukherjee.

Festive Flavour

Vibrant dances, swirling ghaghras, catchy melody, glowing lamps, the tantalising taste of sweets ... Diwali time has come around again, bringing with it those distinctive sounds of celebration. A look at the melodious platter whipped up by the giants of the music industry.

MUSIC TODAY: Celebrates Diwali melodies in a twin album-Mangalswara, by noted classical singer, Shubha Mudgal, and the Benares gharana vocalists, Pt Rajan and Sajan Mishra. The album contains all the traditional songs associated with Diwali-from Ganapati Vandana to Dhanteras, the season venerating wealth and celebrating the gracious nature of the givers of wealth-the three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati.

TIPS: Just out is Shri Laxmi Poojan (Rs 30).

T-SERIES: It has come out with Deepawali Pooja ( Rs 32). Besides the traditional prayers, it also provides information about the various rituals.

"I know the scene from all three viewpoints"
Biswajit Roy Chowdhury

Biswajit Roy Chowdhury has had had many gurus, with his first lessons in sitar and sarod from father Ranajit. Later, he learnt under Indraneel Bhattacharya, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and the doyen of the Jaipur Khayal style, Mallikarjun Mansoor. He continues to receive guidance from Sumati Mutatkar and Balasaheb Poochhwale. But the student is also a teacher-at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi. And a performer. Music Today recently released his album, Maestro's Choice. Experts from an interview:

Q. Why did you choose the rainy season raga, Gaud Malhar, as the main piece in your album?
A. Due to the challenge it offered. It's rare and complex in nature. One has to combine both intellect and taleem (training) to do justice to it. Also, few instrumentalists have attempted it.

Q. You have been receiving taleem from various gurus and gharanas. Isn't that unusual?
A. No, it is not unusual at all. It is intellectually stimulating. I keep distilling my music by continuing to learn from various gurus.

Q. How do you manage the roles of guru, performer and disciple?
A. It is a tough balancing act. I like teaching because I feel I have to give back to the world what I have received. A performer, on the other hand, has to be egoistic by nature. He has to be lost in himself. As I still consider myself a student, I know the scene from all three viewpoints.

-S. Sahaya Ranjit

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