27th June 2005
Guests:
Amit Kumar – Singer
Ramesh Iyer – Guitar
Joseph Moronsorate – Trumpet
This year popularity of the show has grown so much that we almost had demand for tickets at least thrice the capacity of Tilak Smarak Mandir which is almost 1000…!! So once again all of us at Panchammagic had toughest time to arrange tickets for all genuine fans from Pune and elsewhere. We are happy to see that more and more people are getting aware about enjoying R D Burman’s music which has so much of hidden treasure. On the other side we feel sad as we had to say NO to many regular genuine members in audiences as no tickets were left at all for distribution. The show was a total sold out much before we could anticipate due to feedback forms which were distributed in our last show in which people who were regulars had confirmed tickets.
The theme for 27th June was different in a way, and very interesting for normal listener as we had decided to touch Brass section of instruments normally we listen in Pancham’s music.
No other music director has used brass instruments as much and as effectively as Pancham where the impact is so lively and full of punch depending upon various situations on screen.
Many don’t even know as what Brass section means and normally what are the instruments come under this section. Trumpet, Trombone,Tuba, Flugel Horn, French Horn, Saxophone are the major instruments fall under Brass. These are used for background scores, title music and also in songs.
We had invited Joesph Monsorate who is a ace trumpet player today playing with many young generation of music composers. Joesph ruled the programme after the interval with his top class playing for some accompanied solos & demos of great pieces on original sound tracks. Joseph was a regular with Pancham along with late George who also played a lot of trumpet in his music. Both of their blowing styles were western and very much liked by Pancham due to his liking for western style of music. Pancham also had a very keen interest & knowledge of Jazz music which made his composing style different than others.
Joseph added that Pancham’s chorus score also many a times was derived from brass instruments phrases for example—Pa..pa..pa.aa…in Raja Rani or Mr.Romeo or Madhosh and many other films.That made his chorus also sound different than others in songs.
Joesph’s father was trumpet player too who played a lot with late Sachin Dev Burman and his famous score was in the film “Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi”. So we had combination of father & son musicians playing with father and son music directors namely Sr.Joeph with S D Burman and Jr. Joseph with R D Burman.
Joseph started with his solo playing of “Jab Andhera Hota Hai….from Raja Rani which was so effective and sounded interesting enough with his own notes added inbetween. Trumpet is an instrument with only 3 keys on which one has to get the entire tune which seems to be very difficult indeed. Instrument needs a lot of physical ability for blowing too and can sound very weird if not practiced enough daily. Fianlly, Joseph ended up playing “Vada Karo Nahi Chhodige”..from Aa Gale Lag Ja and “Duniya Mein Logon Ko”..from Apna Desh as full solos where Kaustubh Ghaisas accompanied him on keyboards and Ankush on light rhythms.
He had got with him Flugel Horn too which more or less looked like trumpet but has a soft tone and we find that in “Pyar Ke Mod par”.. from Parinda which was played by Joseph on stage with original track in background for accompaniment. It was absolutely mind blowing to see live instrument playing note to note same as in original score. Similarly Joseph also demonstrated exclusive trumpet piece in “Tujhsa Hansee “…..from Harjaee which got fabulous applause and a once more compliment by Ankush himself on stage..!!
He wooed the audience with demos of “Bachna Ae Haseeno”..from HKKN which has fantastic intro piece of trumpet actually played by George in original, than he showed us some accessories of trumpets namely Mute, Cup etc. these are used to change or sober down the tone of trumpet.
He played for us Coda, that is end piece of “Kitne Bhi Tu Karle Sitam”… from Sanam Teri Kasam so perfect and was played with muted trumpet. He showed us by putting a cup on his trumpet how the intro piece Competiton song from HKKN sounds ( a piece which is before “Chand Mera Dil”) it was so perfect in its tonal quality that everyone felt that wish Joseph carries on and on like that.
Another fabulous pieces which were played by him are from “Tumi Kato Je”… from Pancham’s Bengali pooja song, “Koi Diya Jale Kaheen”…from Dil Padosi Hai, “Sapna Mera Toot Gaya” & “Ek Main Aur Ek Tu”….from Khel Khel Mein, “Sach Mere Yaar Hain” …from Saagar etc.
For audiences we had played soundtracks like “ Chand Koi Hoga” from Inaam Dus Hazaar, “Chura Liya” from Yaadon Ki Baraat, “O Haseena Zulfonwali” from Teesri Manzil, “Ye Jo Nazar” from Jail Yatra, “ Ye Jawani” Jawani Diwani , “Dekho Hum Dono Ki Yaari” from Double Cross, with best of trumpet pieces and flugel horn pieces in it. It was a treat to ears on a fantastic music system to listen to all those music tracks.
Some tracks like khel khel mein, satte pe satta had novelties like trumpet pieces followed by singers pieces like Pa..pa..pa..pa and la..la..laaa and vice a versa where trumpet followed the singers..!!
Joseph also told audience as how dedicated Pancham was in his arrangements of score and how he used to encourage musicians to have their own suggestions incorporated. Off microphone, while chatting to Joseph we came to know that instrument like Trumpet costs as much as Rs.80,000/-, Saxophone for Rs.100,000/- plus and Tuba over Rs.200,000/-…that was amazing. There are hardly anyone learning to play these Brass instruments and not many are using brass instruments these days due to even lack of knowledge with composers.
Programme had started with Amit Kumar and Ramesh Iyer as guests supported by the concept of Kishore Kumar’s different styles of singing for different heroes under Pancham batten. Audio tracks like”Raatkali Ek Khwab Mein Aayee”..from Buddha Mil Gaya, “Rasta Dekhen Tera”..from Humshakal, “Ek Main Hoon” ..from Darling-Darling etc. were played.
Amit Kumar narrated some incidences with Pancham as how he came to Mumbai from Kolkata to get a chance in film industry, and in front of stalwarts of R D Burman musicians, Kishoreda he sang the Jhumroo number which Kishoreda didn’t like but Pancham called him that evening and gave him a break in Balika Badhu to have his first ever hit “ Bade Achhe Lagte Hain”. Then came Love Story’s “Yaad Aa Rahi Hai” which again Pancham told him taking him a corner—“Bada Bakwas Compose kiya hai maine…Bhajan Lagta hai…hai na? “….and that song became a super duper hit.
This incident showed how RD was true to himself and about his compositions..!!
Then many hits followed like “Teri Kasam”, “Romance”, “ Lovers”, etc. “ Hum Bhi To Hai Talafgaron Mein” from Dhuan was played for both Amit’s Pancham style singing and Ramesh’s fabulous Bass Guitar work.
Mainly Pancham was instrumental in giving Amit Kumar chance to sing for introducing heroes or of star-son launches like Kumar Gaurav for instance. Amit also narrated an incident where he was first introduced in a very unique manner on live stage show by Kishoreda and S D Burman was the chief guest in audience. When Amit sang his introduction asking Baba Kishore to go away and let him take the stage, Sachinda threw a garland in his neck from audience…!! Like Sachinda and Kishoreda were Guru-Shishya, similarly Panchamda and Amit Kumar followed the Guru-Shishya relationship.
We had a surprise video clip of Amit-Asha and Pancham singing a happy new year song in Doordarshan programme which hardly anyone knew about. Also an AV clip showing how Pancham narrated that he wanted to sit with Kishoreda for Jago Sonewalo song from Bhoot Bangla since that was only a serious song in that comedy movie.
Amit also narrated alongwith Ramesh Iyer as how Panchamda helped them out with mixing sound for their private album MAD some years back. Ramesh told us how keen Pancham was on acoustics of studio where he would record the sound, by noticing sound from every nook and corner where it sounds correct, he would position his musicians. Pancham praised Amit for MAD release function saying he was also ahead of times like him but taking him side told Amit that …” Per Tera Ye Album Chalega Nahee”….!!!! That was anti climax.
Another surprise of the show was Raj Thakerey , the youth Shiv Sena leader( & Nephew of Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thakerey) who graced the show upto interval not as a political leader but as a Pancham music lover. His father was also a music director in Marathi and shared 27th June as his birthday too..!! Raj was overwhelmed with the content of the show and was very down to earth in his bit two lines with Ankush.
As usual programme went very well with the audiences and yet another Pancham music treat came to an end with curtain falling with “Ye Zindagi Kuchh Bhi Sahi” in Pancham’s voice. This year’s backdrop of the stage was specially designed with Pancham’s portraits in different moods.
Thanks to all those who helped under the Panchammagic batten to execute this wonderful event. People always leave auditorium after well past midnight with satisfied mind but still wanting for more & promising their presence for January next year.
SANDEEP KULKARNI
