Posts Tagged ‘Jagjit Singh’

Book Recco : Baat Niklegi Toh Phir – The Life And Music Of Jagjit Singh

Posted: August 18, 2015 by moifightclub in books, News, reviews
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The book titled ‘Baat Niklegi Toh Phir’’ by Sathya Saran attempts to give us a peek into the man who mesmerized one and all with his innovative take on Ghazals. The book quotes liberally from another book that can be found here.

The book traces Jagjit Singh’s life from his childhood days. His name change, religious beliefs, his quirks, everything is mentioned liberally and for those who are long time followers of his work, it would be a good account to go through. I don’t intend to ruin the book for you but I didn’t know he was a good hockey player too.

The book beautifully captures his journey from college days to striking it big and becoming a genre in himself. As we go along this ride, there are moments of humor, insight and pain that shaped the man. The days of struggle are detailed  particularly  well. I didn’t know he was good friends with Subhash Ghai. Of course, after reading about this friendship in the book, I quickly reminded myself that about 3:29 minutes in Subhash Ghai’s ‘Hero’, you could hear a faint ‘la pila de sharaab ae saaki’ by Jagjit Singh. May be there is a story there. Anyway, coming back to the book, it also mentions a lot about other friends which you must find out as you go along the pages. There are only 200 of them so try to not finish them up quickly. There are a lot of pictures and trust me you haven’t seen most of them!

There is enough film world trivia in the book. Also, some ‘greats who had access to the industry’ and their rigidity is mentioned particularly well in the book. These days when people romanticize their ‘struggles’ on their smartphone and blame their bitterness to their ‘struggles’, it is heartening to see that the author hasn’t preached against the big bad film world. Keep in mind that Jagjit Singh was trying to make it big in the world of film music when the greats and their gatekeepers had defined what should a song sound like and no ‘exceptions’ were allowed.

The book bares all about the beginning of the relationship that Chitra Singh had with Jagjit Singh, and how it blossomed into a partnership which would go well beyond music. I don’t know about you but I always thought Chitra Singh had a prior knowledge of Urdu. I was wrong. Her Urdu diction was corrected by Jagjit Singh, and my God, was Chitra Singh a superb student or what!

What came as a surprise to me was that Jagjit Singh established himself as a live singer and then went on to cut albums when the record company gave him a green signal. This means, there should be a lot more ‘private recordings’ in the world. I wonder how to get them all. Of course the book touches upon this as well. Apparently Chitra Singh is trying hard to collect all of Jagjit Singh’s recordings and present it to the world.

What I absolutely liked is the fact that the book doesn’t try to paint the man as someone who had no human flaws. Some people might find the details of his charities quite overwhelming. Remember, all this was done when there was no internet and no one was bending over backwards to prove that they are being human. Also, we are reading about all this four years post his demise.

There are bits which I didn’t quite agree with, for example – the author feels Jagjit Singh signed on ‘any record company’ towards the later part of his career which resulted in poor quality of music from him. I feel every album had at least 3-4 ghazals which made it a worthy proposition for ghazal lovers to buy the album which is a stark contrast from Ghazal albums of today. It is a known fact that Jagjit Singh always looked for lesser known poets and showcased their work through his albums. The book makes a fleeting reference to this. It would have been great to hear from those poets about their interactions with Jagjit Singh. There are also some not so good facts about certain albums which might disturb an avid follower of his work, but then what is perfect?

Towards the end of the book, a rather touching description is given about Chitra Singh of today. Author tells us that Chitra Singh has resigned herself to a world where she treads cautiously because it is filled with old memories and the pain they bring along. She doesn’t meet anyone.

Jagjit Singh ensured ghazals reach a larger audience, and presently, Chitra singh is trying hard to bring all the recordings of the legend to listeners and she is having a tough time doing that. Irony loved Jagjit Singh in more ways than we can imagine.

Since the day he has left the world, I have heard him less. Probably because I started listening to him when I was 12, there are ghazal albums etched in my mind and that is why I don’t need to hear his work to remember how he lent a voice to millions like me, our lives, our happiness, our joys, our rhythmic claps in his concerts (and sometimes in our living room, alone) etc. The claps have long gone, the echoes remain.

For me there cannot be a bigger reward to stay alive than any new piece of information or a ‘rare and unheard’ piece from Jagjit Singh because I have lived my life with Jagjit Singh’s ghazals in the background. There can never be one definitive work that can encompass the whole life of an artist like Jagjit Singh.

This book is a ‘must-have’ for commoners and collectors, just like his ghazals were a treasure for both the breeds of music listeners.

Dear Jagjit Singh, you once said

मेरी आवाज़ ही पर्दा है मेरे चेहरे का,

मैं हूँ खामोश जहाँ मुझको वहां से सुनिए…

We are listening, we always will.

– Rohwit

(Thank you Prashant, for gifting this book well ahead of its release. Indebted)

Price : Rs 699

Pages : 200

Jagjit Singh (08 February 1941 – Forever)

Posted: October 9, 2014 by moifightclub in music
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Not everyone listens to Jagjit Singh these days. Not everyone knows Jagjit Singh. For the those of us who have grown up with his ghazals, it is an impossible task to pick up the ‘favorite’ or ‘top 10 ghazals’ from the vast treasure-trove he left behind for us. On his 3rd death anniversary, this post is not an attempt to pick his ‘top’ ghazals.

Yours truly is known to gate-crash any music discussion about Jagjit Singh that takes place on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook. This post is a result of my secret excursions to various discussions about Jagjit Singh and how those discussions are almost always hijacked by somewhat ‘popular’ ghazals from the man. I am enlisting few ghazals which I haven’t seen being discussed much. I have deliberately chosen albums from the later part of his life because the ‘sound’ agrees more to a first time/new listener.

1. Aaj fir unka saamna hoga – This was first featured in the album Love is blind. By the time of its release, the ‘jagjit singh album release event’ was anticipated eagerly by ghazal lovers. The mood, the anticipation all pitch perfect here, I particularly love the first antara that goes

आसमान रो रहा है दो दिन से,

आपने कुछ कहा सुना होगा..

2. Aap se gila aapki kasam – This was featured in the album ‘Unique’. Hear the helplessness in Jagjit singh’s voice when, in the first antara the part comes that goes ‘उसकी क्या खता, ला-दावा है ग़म’ and you will know what I mean. Jagjit Singh is to be credited with bringing a better ‘sound’ (thanks to his earlier days collaborator, Mr. Daman Sood, the magician sound engineer), to Indian ghazals. Hear how the violin takes you to your loved ones, everytime it appears in the ghazal. That said, my favorite part in the ghazal remains

खीचते रहे, उम्र भर मुझे

एक तरफ खुदा, एक तरफ सनम.

3. Main Rahe Meena rahe – This was featured in Mirage for the first time and was an HMV release. I remember buttering my parents properly to pick up the ‘sheer magic’ version of this cassette. Sheer magic used to be a ‘better’ quality cassette by HMV. Side A, last ghazal it used to be. Just hear the rich use of rubaab in the ghazal along with the melancholic yet flirty flute to get lost in the magic of this beautiful ghazal. My favorite part remains

हश्र भी तो हो चुका, रुख से नहीं हटती नकाब

हद भी आखिर कुछ है कब तक कोई दीवाना रहे

4. Mausam ko isharon se bula kyu nahi lete – This was featured in the album titled Sajda. The pace is delicate, the words are probing and Jagjit Singh captures the tone of a lover in a charming way which we haven’t come across since he has left us. My favorite part remains

तुम जाग रहे हो, मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता

चुपके से मेरी नींद उड़ा क्यों नहीं देते?

5. Dushman ko bhi seene se lagana nahi bhooley – Yet another ghazal from the album Mirage. I rarely see this ghazal being discussed. Apart from the wonderful rubaab that starts the ghazal, hear the veiled anger of Jagjit singh in the antara that goes ‘कुछ लोग अभी आग लगाना नहीं भूले’. My favorite part remains

ये बात अलग, हाथ कलम हो गए अपने

हम आप की तस्वीर बनाना नहीं भूले

6. Dairo haram mein – This one comes from the magnificent album titled ‘face to face’. I haven’t come across many ghazals of Jagjit Singh which are composed in this tempo and sung with such attitude! Just hear Jagjit singh (ably supported by the wonderful backup vocalists) goes

तूफ़ान से हम टकरायेंगे

तुम अपनी कश्ती को संभालो

7. Ye kaisi Mohabbat – Featured in the album ‘Desires’, was released by Weston if I remember right. Penned by ‘Gumnaam’ (Surinder malik), it pretty much would be one of the best pieces of poetry that you will come across all ghazals from the maestro. My favorite part still remains

वो दामन हो उनका, के सुनसान सेहरा

बस हमको तो आखिर हैं, आंसू बहाने

8. Ishq ki daastaan hai pyaare – This was sung by Jagjit singh in Shimla concert If I remember right. It was then released by HMV in an album titled – Live with jagjit singh. I cannot remember any other ghazal  that used a seemingly ‘ghazal inappropriate’ word like ‘pyarey’ so well. My favorite part remains

हम ज़माने से इन्तेकाम तो लें

एक हसीन दरमियान है प्यारे

9. Din guzar gaya – The ghazal that Jagjit Singh sung along with Chitra Singh. It was featured in the album ‘Someone Somewhere’. There is love, submission and pain all in one ghazal. Hear it to know why it is perhaps the most heartbreaking ghazal of this list. I can never go beyond my favorite part which remains

उनकी एक नज़र, काम कर गयी

होश अब कहाँ, होशियार में..

10. Ye Zindagi – A somewhat gloomy Nazm which was featured first in ‘Insight’. In my view it somehow got overshadowed because ‘Garaj baras pyaasi dharti pe, phir paani de maula’ and this ghazal from ‘Neem ka ped’ was also featured in the same album. If there was ever a composition that made you pause and reflect, it is this!

I can go on and on but when Jagjit Singh decided to stop on 10 October 2011, it is impossible that I would enlist anything beyond the number 10 in this post. Do suggest your favorite ‘not so popular’ work from Jagjit Singh.

Not everyone listens to Jagjit Singh these days. Not everyone explores Jagjit Singh. I wonder why.

Rohwit

ग़ज़ल का साज़ उठाओ, बड़ी उदास है रात

Posted: August 3, 2014 by moifightclub in music
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मैंने ग़ज़ल सुनना तब शुरू किया था जब जगजीत सिंह की एक ग़ज़ल (बड़ी हसीं रात थी – ‘दा लेटेस्ट’ एल्बम se) मैंने किसी gathering में सुनी थी. ये शायद 1993 की बात है. उससे पहले बस ‘निकाह’ की ग़ज़लें सुन कर उनका मज़ाक उडाना काफी अच्छा लगता था. जो 1993 में शुरू हुआ फिर वो कभी रुका ही नहीं. जगजीत सिंह के एलबम्स आते रहे और मैं उनको खरीद खरीद कर कंठस्त करता रहा. Teenagers के intellectual वाले sub-group में काफी प्रचिलित थे जगजीत सिंह तब. माँ पापा ने काफी चिंता व्यक्त की थी क्यूंकि मेरे एक अंकल ने कहा था ‘रूप सुहाना लगता है’ सुनो, ये सब क्या मर्सिया जैसा sound करने वाला सुन रहे हो? खैर, वो अंकल शायद अपने बाल काले करने में लगे हैं आज तक. मैं सुधरा नहीं.

जैसे मेरे फिल्म वाले दोस्त आपस में लडते रहते थे – अमिताभ या विनोद खन्ना? कौन बेटर हैं? या फिर माधुरी या श्रीदेवी? सोनम सबकी undisputed फेवरेट थी मगर किसी ने ये बात पब्लिक नहीं की थी. इसी तरह ग़ज़ल सुनने वाले ‘बाबा’ लोग भी लडते थे – मेहदी हसन, ग़ुलाम अली या जगजीत सिंह? कौन बेस्ट है? (better का आप्शन नहीं था, सब को अपने idol को बेस्ट की पदवी ही चाहिए थी). ग़ुलाम अली और हसन साहब की classical पकड़ पे काफी कुछ कहा जाता था. जगजीत सिंह ने ग़ज़ल को ‘mainstream’ बना दिया – ये बात एक आरोप के तौर पे कही जाती थी. मानो ‘ordinary’ लोगों का ग़ज़लें सुनना जैसे पाप हो.

जब जगजीत सिंह जी थे, उन दिनों काफी लोगों ने ग़ज़लें गयी. लता मंगेशकर, आशा जी, हरिहरन, पंकज उधास, चन्दन दास,विनोद सहगल, सुदीप मुख़र्जी etc. ने खूब अच्छी ग़ज़लें और गीत गा कर ग़ज़लों को जिंदा रखने की खूब कोशिश की. यहाँ तक कि मनोज कुमार के सुपुत्र कुनाल गोस्वामी ने भी ग़ज़ल गायकी में अपने हाथ रवां करने की पुरजोर कोशिश की. इनके एल्बम का नाम ‘सुराही’ था और राज कपूर ने इनको ‘लांच’ किआ था. मैंने आज तक कभी इतना बेसुरा एल्बम नहीं सुना – ये और बात है. मुझे पूरा यकीन है कि मैं कुछ नाम भूल रहा हूँ. ग़ज़लें हमेशा से हिंदी फिल्म में भी शामिल की जाती थी. इन दिनों भी फिल्मों में ग़ज़लें खूब बजी चाहे दिल आशना है में पंकज उधास का ‘किसी ने भी तो न देखा’ गाना या फिर जगजीत सिंह का सरफ़रोश में ग़ज़ल गाना हो, सब काफी मशहूर हुई.

फिर जगजीत सिंह चले गए.

पूरे तीन साल हो जायेंगे अबकी अक्टूबर में उनको गए हुए.

इन तीन सालों में, ग़ज़ल एक genre के रूप में एकदम गायब होती सी दिखी. फिल्मों में भी ग़ज़लों का use काफी कम होता दिखा. शायद आयटम नम्बर्स के शोर में ग़ज़लों का कॉन्टेक्स्ट.

रेडियो को ही ले लीजिये. एक्का दुक्का ‘होशवालों को खबर क्या’ या फिर ‘तुमको देखा तो ये ख्याल आया’ बजाकर एक खानापूर्ती करते हुए सब लोग ग़ज़लें भूलते से जा रहे है. ‘ग़ज़ल सुनने वाली ऑडियंस रेडियो नहीं सुनती’ – ऐसा मुझे बताया गया था कुछ दिन पहले. शायद ये बात सही हो लेकिन हम फिर भूल रहे हैं की ये approach सिर्फ उन लोगों की बात कर रही है जो पहले से ग़ज़लें सुनते हैं. क्या नयी ऑडियंस को ग़ज़लें सुनना पाप है? एक दो रेडियो stations ने कुछ ग़ज़लों के प्रोग्राम्स शुरू किये हैं…तलत अज़ीज़ और रूप कुमार राठोड अलग अलग radio channels पे सुनाई देते हैं, पुरानी ग़ज़लें लोगों के लिए बजाते हुए.

इस दौरान कुछ एल्बम ज़रूर आये,  मगर कोई भी एल्बम पॉपुलर नहीं हुआ. ऐसा क्यों? एल्बम ख़राब थे? नहीं. मुझे ऐसा बिलकुल भी नहीं लगता. जो बात इससे भी ज्यादा disturbing है वो ये है कि काफी सारे एल्बम आये और चुपके से चले गए. कितनी बार नयी ग़ज़लें सुनने के लिए एलबम्स ढूंढे मगर जो मिला वो ६ महीने से ज्यादा पुराना निकला. कोई शोर शराबा नहीं, प्रमोशन के नाम पे एक छोटा सा प्रेस रिलीज़ और कुछ भी नहीं. हम सब में से कुछ लोग होंगे जिन्होंने शांति हीरानंद का नाम ज़रूर सुना होगा. अब अगर मैं आपसे पूछु कि आप में से कितने लोगों ने शांति हीरानंद का ग़ज़ल एल्बम सुना है? एल्बम का नाम है  ‘जो आज तक न कह सकी’. गए दिनों के कुछ ग़ज़ल एलबम्स आयेे.

श्रेया घोषाल के लेटेस्ट एल्बम का sound काफी फिल्मी था मगर एल्बम बुरा नहीं था.

अमीता परसुराम ने भी कुछ ग़ज़ल एल्बम रिलीज़ किये, जो की उन्होंने खुद लिखे हैं, इनमें से एक ग़ज़ल एल्बम में रेखा भरद्वाज ने भी चाँद ग़ज़लें गयी

सुदीप मुख़र्जी ने काफी कोशिश करी है और हाल ही में  गुलज़ार साहब के साथ मिल कर उन्होंने Prithvi थिएटर में कुछ ग़ज़लें present की.

शान्ति हीरानंद का एल्बम ‘जो आज तक न कह सकी’ भी एक अच्छा एल्बम था.

कुछ ग़ज़ल एल्बम जो मेरी समझ में आये, उनके बारे में यहाँ पढ़ सकते हैं आप.

http://almostareview.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/kahun-aur-kya-ghazal-album-review/

http://almostareview.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/ishq-lamhe-feat-ustad-rashid-khan-music-review/

http://almostareview.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/humnasheen-ghazals-by-shreya-ghosal/

http://almostareview.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/jagjitsingh/

http://almostareview.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/phir-bhi-sudeep-1995/

मुझे पूरा यकीन है कि आप के पास कोई एक और एल्बम होगा जिसके बारे में बाकी लोगों को मालूम नहीं होगा

मैं खुद को जगजीत सिंह का काफी बड़ा मुरीद समझता हूँ. मैं ये नहीं मानता कि जगजीत सिंह के बाद ग़ज़लें बनना बंद हो जाएँगी. एक genre किसी भी artist से कहीं ज्यादा बड़ा होता है. उसमें एक ठहराव आ सकता है मगर वो रुकना नहीं चाहिए. शायद ऐसा ही कुछ हुआ था जब नुसरत फ़तेह अली खान साहब का निधन हुआ था. क़व्वाली को ‘fuse’ करना थोडा आसान है इसीलिए क़व्वाली चले जा रही है. पर ग़ज़लों का क्या?

कुछ अक्लमंद लोगों ने ग़ज़लों में फ्यूज़न घुसेड़ने की काफी कोशिश की. मैंने हमेशा ‘purists’ की ‘rigid’ सोच का मज़ाक उड़ाया है. शायद ग़ज़लों को ले कर मैं एक ‘purist’ हूँ. मुझे नहीं लगता कि ग़ज़लों में ज्यादा फ्यूज़न मुमकिन हैं. अगर आपने नहीं सुना है तो हरिहरन का एल्बम ‘काश’ सुनिए. उसकी पहली ग़ज़ल को (जिसका टाइटल ‘काश’ है’) मैं ग़ज़लों में ‘fusion’ के इस्तेमाल का milestone समझता हूँ. हरिहरन ने धुन को नहीं छेड़ा है. बस कहीं कहीं नए instruments ला कर माहौल काफी ग़ज़लनुमा बना दिया है. इससे कुछ भी ज्यादा मेरी समझ के बाहर हो जायेगा और मैं उसे शायद ग़ज़ल न मानू.

आप क्या सोचते हैं?

कोई ग़ज़ल एल्बम recommend करिए, बड़ी उदास है रात ..

– देहाती उर्फ़ @Rohwit

After Pancham Unmixed, Brahmanand Siingh working on Kaghaz Ki Kashti – biography film on Jagjit Singh

Posted: February 13, 2014 by moifightclub in cinema, Documentary, film, Indie, News, Press release
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After the success of Pancham Unmixed, the National Award-winning film on RD Burman, filmmaker Brahmanand Siingh is now working on another feature length biopic, this time on legendary ghazal maestro, Jagjit Singh, titled “Kagaz Ki Kashti…”

“Kaghaz Ki Kashti…” is planned to be an evocative account of a down-to-earth small town boy from Rajasthan who became a legend in no time, but not without his share of struggle. In the process, the film will capture that extra something in his music that gave his compositions a certain polish and a soul at the same time which delighted millions of listeners across countries, cultures and age segments.

Through visual and sensory experiences, the film intends to take us on a journey of his choice of poetry — simple but touching world of Urdu lyrics that he chose to sing (sometimes nazms, sometimes ghazals), setting them to soulful tunes and introducing western instrumentation to make them textured, contemporary, and rich. The film will also take us back in time and trace the zigzag marathon run by a man with passion, fire, and soulful melodies within him, which kept him alight all through his luminous career as well as in some difficult personal times, all with a seamless and gripping narrative.

The lyrical film aims to use his music and the poems he chose to tell his own story of love and loss, of tribulations and triumphs. In the process, the film creates a warm portrayal of the man behind the visible, and the artist behind his creations.

Brahmanand’s previous film “Pancham Unmixed” went on to become a big success at film festivals and won two National Awards, among many others, and was a big draw at over 40 International film festivals.

– For all the updates on the film, click here to go to its FB page.

(via press release)

Tera Bayaan Ghalib – Ghalib Ki Bayaani, Jagjit-Gulzar ki Zubaani

Posted: February 28, 2012 by moifightclub in music, reviews, songs & videos
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One of my favourite albums of all time is Gulzar-Pancham. I bought the cassettes first and then the CDs. The 2-CD pack is compilation of songs written by Gulzar and composed by R D Burman. But what makes the album special is the introduction to every song by Gulzar. We all know that he can weave magic with words. But the way he narrates it, the way he pours out every bit of nostalgia in his narration, it creates an intoxicating mood. Years later he did another similar album – Amrita Pritam recited by Gulzar. The magic was still the same. And now, there’s a new album – Tera Bayaan Ghalib. Here’s Rohit‘s recco post on the same.

Anything, be it a new song or a poem recitation or a book release or a film by Gulzar sahab guarantees that it will have an aroma of freshness and nostalgia in it. This music album quietly made it’s way into the mind space and thanks to Pavan and Sa Re Ga Ma’s online store I could get a hold of the original tracks.

First up, please know that this is not a ‘tribute to Jagjit Singh’ sort of an album by Gulzar sahab. It goes a step further. Gulzar sahab has convinced Jagjit Singh to sit and recite/sing some lines for all of us and what tribute do we want anyway? Jagjit Singh is still there. Very much there. Gulzar sahab has read/recited Ghalib’s letters enacting as Ghalib and it is NOT a commentary on him. It’s a fact that we can’t get enough of Gulzar sahab‘s voice and when you hear him modulating his voice and enacting Ghalib, you will feel the words with him.

Since the album is aimed at giving a peek to all us in the life and times of ‘Ghalib’, Gulzar sahab has plucked many a gems from his TV Serial on Ghalib in the voice of Ghazaljit Singh.

The album starts with a track that was featured in the TV serial (but wasn’t available in music cassettes or CDs). After this, Gulzar sahab recites some couplets from Mirza Ghalib. The mithaas in his voice will remind you of the times when you were dipping your senses into your favorite food and talking about your favorite person. The album then turns to GhazalJit Singh’s rendition of ‘Har ek baat pey’. The difference (nitpickers like me will notice) is a faint note on the keyboard in the background which is unlike the versions already available with us all. This version ends where GhazalJit Singh ends the recitation in the original.

It won’t be fair to give out the flow of what Gulzar sahab discusses in the album because it will spoil the mood of anyone who listens it. So I won’t go into much detail. All I will say that there is a difference between telling and narrating. Gulzar sahab narrates. Beautifully. Many a times you won’t be able to realize that the ghazal has started and the narration has stopped. It’s all in the same fabric. Like for example, there is a part where Gulzar sahab is talking about the ‘patang baazi’ of Ghalib and the melodious flute makes an entry and GhazalJit Singh recites a line of ‘woh firaq aur wo visaal kahan’.  Listen how dearly and affectionately Gulzar sahab goes about telling us why Ghalib chose Ghalib and not ‘Asad’ as his pen name. GhazalJit Singh comes again to recite the beautiful couplet ‘Dost gham’ (which wasn’t available earlier in Music cassettes or CDs of the serial).

Using Ghalib’s lines to create the atmosphere of the old times is a great idea and GhazalJit Singh’s voice comes as a compliment. You can’t help but feel that it’s completely unnatural to live in a world where GhazalJit Singh is no more. The album is full of those unreleased nazms/couplets in the voice of GhazalJeet Singh.

The narrative spans across life and times of Ghalib including the 1857 and how Ghalib shut himself out during that period. And how Delhi was never the same, more or less like Ghalib. There is a lot of pain, especially when Gulzar sahab touches the ‘7 deaths’ in Ghalib family…of all his kids.

Towards the end of the album when Gulzar sahab speaks about old age, the depth of his narration will move you, and on top of it Jagjit Singh’s (unreleased) nazm might move you to tears. You will get goosebumps when you will come across the famous Ghalib composition ‘sab kahan kuch’ because Gulzar sahab accompanies Jagjit (Ghazaljit Singh) in the same. This is Gold. Probably purest form of Gold.

This is not a music album. It’s a melodious session with Gulzar sahab and GhazalJit Singh full of conversations, nazms and ghazals. Anyone with a mild inclination towards Gulzar sahab/Ghalib or GhazalJit Singh will find this album a treasure. A treasure which you will hold on to forever.

You are likely to come across a lot of familiar ghazals in this album but the difference is – this time you live the ghazal rather than just listening to it.

Buy it.

Album : Tera Bayaan Ghalib

Label : Saregama (2-CD pack)

Price : Rs 300 ( Available at Flipkart for Rs 255)

(Rohit blogs at http://almostareview.wordpress.com/)

VOTD : Gulzar remembers Jagjit Singh – Ek Bauchhaar Tha Woh

Posted: February 15, 2012 by moifightclub in music, News, video, VOTD
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Gulzar Pays tribute to legendary singer, Jagjit Singh, with a nazm that is included in the new album, Tera Bayaan Ghalib. The album features letters of Mirza Ghalib recited/enacted by Gulzar and Ghalib nazms in the voice of Jagjit Singh.

एक बौछार था वो शख्स
बिना बरसे
किसी अब्र की सहमी सी नमी से
जो भिगो देता था

एक बौछार ही था वो
जो कभी धूप की अफ़शां भर के दूर तक
सुनते हुए चेहरों पे छिड़क देता था…
नीम तारीक से हॉल में आँखें चमक उठती थीं

सिर हिलाता था कभी झूम के टहनी की तरह
लगता था झोंका हवा का है
कोई छेड़ गया है..

गुनगुनाता था तो खुलते हुए बादल की तरह
मुस्कुराहट में कई तर्बों की झनकार छुपी थी

गली क़ासिम से चली एक ग़ज़ल की झनाकर था वो
एक अवाज़ की बौछार था वो

And here’s a look at the booklet that comes with the album.

Tip – Pavan Jha

Ghazal singer Chitra Singh’s daughter committed suicide

Posted: May 29, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, etc, life, News
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First the news came out that Chitra Singh has committed suicide. Later on it was confirmed that its NOT Chitra Singh but Monica Chowdhuri, her daughter from first marriage. 

She was 47 years old and committed suicide by hanging herself. Today morning, her body was found by her son. Monica was leading a disturbed family life. She was  Chitra’s daughter from her first marriage to Debo Prasad Dutta. The marriage ended in a divorce and Chitra married ghazal singer Jagjit Singh later on. But Monica stayed with her mother and had a very cordial relationship with Jagjit Singh.