Lata Mangeshkar Sings For R.D. Burman

this article is from 2002 where legendary composer Naushad Sahab commented....

Lata Mangeshkar Sings For R.D. Burman
Times Nework

You can’t help but agree with O.P. Nayyar’s statement that “R.D. Burman reserved some of his best compositions for Lata Mangeshkar’’. As the CD unspools, you are transported to the halcyon past of Aaja piya tohe pyar doon (Baharon Ke Sapne). To a time when life was unhurried and minus the scourge of remixes, a time when cyclo-styled tunes didn’t scar the souls forever. The special R.D.-Lata chemistry lends itself to a heady potion.

Savour the eddies and currents Lata whips up in the Baahon mein chale aao (Anamika) ditty, which is so unlike the bowdlerised new versions of circa 2002.

The Pancham-Lata jugalbandi is best encapsulated in Mere naina saawan bhaadon (Mehbooba), where the songstress brings glorious light and delicate shadings to even the simplest of tunes. Hear Kishore Kumar and her swing through the notes of Bheegi bheegi raaton mein (Ajnabee).

Neophyte music directors would be well advised to snag a few tips from R.D.’s lush arrangements on Tune o rangeele (Kudrat). Armed with word power and an aching voice, the Anmol Ratan series creates an album which is laidback, yet excites at the same time.

The album keeps its eye on the main aim: a good tune. Ergo, you have Bahut door mujhe (Heera Panna), Dev Anand’s utterly forgettable movie made memorable by its music and the swinging Zeenat Aman.
The nearly forgotten Ae ri pawan (Bemisaal) shows up in the compilation. Anand Bakshi’s lyrics: Badal se tera kya hain kuch naata...baawri si tu phire, kaun hai tera sajan, make you wistful. The album is rounded off with Gulzar’s Tujhse naaraz nahin zindagi (Masoom). When Lata croons Jeene ke liye socha hi nahin dard sambhaalne honge, time stops for a generous bout of gooseflesh.

The inclusion of Sharm aati hai (Padosan) is a bit of a downer. Also, you wonder why the company chose Lata’s Paas nahin aana (Aap Ki Kasam) duet with Kishore Kumar, when the Karvatein badalte rahe number from the same film is far more fetching.

And as far as definitive duets go, why didn’t they include Tum aa gaye ho (Aandhi) or Tere bina (Ghar)? Also, songs like Jaane kya baat hai (Sunny), Do nainon mein (Khushboo), Thodisi zameen (Sitara) Sili hawa (Libaas) and Kuch na kaho (1942-A Love Story) would have added sparkle to this compilation. But these are minor warts in an otherwise flawless album.

'RD Burman was made of music'

Indo-Asian News Service
Saturday, January 5, 2008: (Mumbai) :

The legendary R D Burman, who revolutionised Hindi film music since he debuted as composer with comedian Mehmood's 1961 movie Chote Nawab, is almost a forgotten man today.

But the songs he composed continue to live on in the minds of all music lovers.

Those are Bollywood's imperishable treasure trove, more particularly, perhaps, for the music companies cashing in on his composing genius.

His 13th death anniversary on Friday went almost unnoticed in Bollywood, the hub of entertainment, to which the maestro devoted all his years.

R D Burman, or Pancham to his friends and contemporaries, was born into music. No wonder, he could compose tunes as a toddler.

In fact, S D Burman was so impressed by a tune his nine-year-old son had composed that he later used it in the Kishore Kumar-starrer Funtoosh in 1956.

A whizkid, R D Burman dabbled in music even before he could speak.

He was probably the only composer, who could play all musical instruments available during his time. He remained a student till the last day.

Paying his tribute to the man, who is often credited with introducing modern music in Hindi movies, music director Anu Malik says R D Burman was "made of music".

"The variety that he introduced in film music has remained unmatched till date. He could do so because he was classically trained and at the same time, he kept abreast with modern musical trends all over the world," recalls the young composer.

According to him, R D Burman was so much in tune with his time that he could compose Piya tu ab tu aaja from Carvan and Chingari jo bhadke, to saawan usse buzhaye from Amar Prem with equal ease.

His range varied from the catchy Aaja aaja, main hun pya tera to the soulful thumri Hame tumse pyar kitna by Parveen Sultana in Kudrat.

The mischievous Ek chaturnari, badi hoshiyar from Padosan to the melodious Tere bina zindagise koi, shikwa to nahin from Aandhi.

Hit gaana hai! Shabash, bete! Raj Kapoor

“Raj Kapoor came as a pleasant surprise after Guru Dutt,” agreed Pancham. “Dharam Karam came to me through son Randhir Kapoor with whom I generationally vibed. Picture my mental state when told it would be Raj Kapoor okaying the film's theme-song!”

“Nervous as hell felt as I readied six tunes for Rajji to pick from - for that piano-song situation in Dharam Karam. After the Guru Dutt experience, I mightn't have accepted Dharam Karam at all, had I known it meant facing Raj Kapoor!”

No second takes

“But Rajji had outlined the situation so clearly to me that I was hopeful. Yet fearful. I now played the first of my six tunes, as Rajji sat hoveringly in front. I'd barely started playing my first Dhun when Rajji burst out: “Situation ke liye perfect tune hai! Chalo, okay-bottle kholo! ”

Not only that, Raj Kapoor proposed a toast to me for the way I'd composed what later became, via Majrooh Sultanpuri, 'Iik Din Bik Jaayega Maatee Ke Mol, Jag Mein Reh Jaayenge Pyaare Tere Bol'.

“Raj Kapoor added, by way of a highly fulfilling bonus: “Hit gaana hai! Shabash, bete! ”

Tribute To Panham - 8th Feb, Kala-Mandir, Kolkata

Friends,
please note that there will be 8 original musicians of R.D.Burman who will perform live on stage.

Euphony a group of passionate Rahul Dev Burman fans who met on the World Wide Web is organising their 3rd event on the 8th February at KalaMandir,Calcutta from 6pm onwards. Kolkata would see a host of original Pancham-da musicians who played with HIM for more than 30 years will be enthralling the audience on the 8th of February.

Dfinitely be one of its kind.

You can view the poster of this event by clicking on this link below:

http://euphony.co.in/events/index.php



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Tickets for 8th February show will be available at the following outlets in Kolkata from tomorrow i.e. 22nd of Jan/2008:

• Music World,Park Street - 22164228
• Bonanza - Salt Lake - 9830189975
• Alaap,Hedua - 9903394405
• Double Channel,Sealdah - 23605795 / 9433247161
• Super Audio,Gariahat - 9830375132
• Pal Audio,Ballygunge - 9433096322
• Gupta Electronics,Bhawanipur - 24552579 / 9830162738
• Sargam,Ganguly Bagan
• Commune Electronics (Manton Super Mkt),Behala - 24452085 /24985161
• Bapi Casettes & CDs, Jadavpur 8B Bus-stand
• R.G.Electronics,4/1 Dum Dum Road (Dum Dum Nager Bazar)
• Nefertiti - Dakshinapan,Dhakuria
• Karuna North - 13,Bhupen Bose Aavenue,Shyambazar - 9830038053

For any further information please check www.euphony.co.in or else
can contact us at +919836927479

Clips of "Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai"

Friends,
here's the link to the clips of "Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai", documentary by Brahmanad Singh-ji -- what can one say??? It's an excellent domentary...a must watch and buy, if available in DVD...

Dear Brahmanand Singh-ji,
Congratulations and tons of Thanks from bottom of our heart for the Documentary. Just finished watching clips Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai at IndiaFM...can't thank you enough for the enormous task you'd undertaken. Many Many Thanks. BoSS from Heaven is showering you HIS blessings....




or link out to
http://www.indiafm.com/broadband/video/Special-Features/Qv918r90/1/Pancham-Unmixed-Mujhe-Chalte-Jaana-Hai-Excerpts.html