NEW RELEASES

WOH KAGAZ KI KASHTI
HMV, Rs. 55
A compilation album featuring 10 of Jagjit Singh’s choice ghazals from films and private concerts. All of them make for a great hearing, but the ones on Side A really tug at your heart-strings since they are beautiful compositions with sensitive lyrics. You have Woh kagaz ki kashti in Part I and Part II from the film Aaj. Sudarshan Faakir’s lyrics on childhood memories remind you of your own childhood. Next comes the popular ghazal from the film Saath Saath, Tumko dekha to yeh khayal aaya, which has Javed Akhtar’s exquisite lyrics on love. Kaifi Azmi enthralls you with his poetic thoughts in Jhuki jhuki si nazar from the film Arth. The touching Anand Bakshi written Chitthi na koi sandes from Dushman comes next. On the flipside there’s Hothon se choo lo tum from Prem Geet, followed by Hum to hain pardes mein (with Chitra Singh) from Ae Mere Dil which has good lyrics by Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza. The remaining three are popular ghazals performed at concerts - Jhoom ke jab rindon ne pila, Duniya jise kehte hain (with Chitra Singh) and Kal chaudhvin ki raat thi. A treat for Jagjit Singh fans and ghazal buffs.

MOHABBAT - PANKAJ UDHAS
Universal, Rs. 130 (two cassettes)
Pankaj Udhas is among those few ghazal singers who is equally popular with the young and the old. And that’s because of his voice and singing style which is instantly endearing. His ghazals on love have won him a big fan-following, and Universal here comes out with a two-cassette set which compiles the singer’s 16 such ghazals, the past and the latest ones. Vol. 1 has Ankhon mein tear, Dil ne dhadkana, Salaam kare, Aaj wohi geeton, Phoolon mein rehte, Ishq nachaye jisko yaar, Yaad and the popular Chandi jaisa rang. Vol. 2 includes Niklo na benaqab, Hansta chehra, Kis pe jaan dijiye, Khuda ne dil banakar, Hum aise tanha, Kisne bhige hue, Choom kar madhbhaqri and Chumunga. All of them make for a great hearing, rendered by Udhas in his unique style, with those subtle nuances. What more do ghazal-lovers need?

POP DANCE 2001
Milestone, Rs. 75
There are still two more months to go before we step into 2001, but music companies have got to think ahead of time to keep up with the competition. So Milestone releases this album for 2001 which has “15 sizzling dance mixes.” What you get to hear is a remix of the recent popular Western hits of Madonna, Shania Twain, Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias, Vengaboys, all of which have been re-sung by unknown singers. Well both, the re-mixing and re-singing jobs have been competently done, so the album sounds good. The songs featured here include Smooth, Don’t be stupid, Bye bye bye, Oops...I did it again, Be with you, Shake your bon bon, Sha la la, American pie to name a few. Numbers which will compel you to shake a leg. Good buy.

SHRI LAXMI NAMOSTUTE
Sangeet, Rs. 35
A devotional audio timed with the Diwali fest, specially Laxmi Pooja. The prayers in Sanskrit are in the voice of Ravindra Sathe, who is a perfectionist in so far as prayer renderings are concerned. The music composing has been credited to Kishan Roy. The album opens with a vandana to Goddess Laxmi, and is followed by the ritualstic ceremony of Laxmi Pooja. Side A concludes with a traditional aarti. The flipside begins with the Laxmisukta, followed by the chanting of the japamala 108 times, concluding with the Jai aadya shakti aarti.

LAXMI POOJAN-CHOUPDA POOJAN
Krunal, Rs. 35
This is again an album which has been timed for Diwali, the festival of lights, specially the Laxmi Poojan and Choupda (account book) Poojan part of it. The manner in which the ceremonial rituals associated with Laxmi Poojan and Choupda Poojan are to be performed, is described in complete details. The idea appears to be that an individual wanting to perform these poojas can do so by playing this cassette without the aid of a priest. The entire exercise is in the voice of Maharaj Vinod Rawal. The album contains Shri Ganeshpoojan, Kalashpoojan, Shri Devi Laxmika poojan and Shri Devi Laxmiki aarti.

SAI AMRIT VACHAN
Venus, Rs. 30
The contents of this album are of special importance to the devotees of Sai Baba, whose teachings are presented in the voice of well-known singer Suresh Wadkar. The lyricist is Subhash Jain ‘Ajal’, while the composers are Triveni-Bhavani. While Side A is devoted to Jag mein sooraj chand sa, Patzad ka mousam lage jaise khila basant is on the flipside. The renderings are interspersed throughout with the Om Sai Ram chant.

KAALA KAALA NIVATA KHAARINCHA
Venus, Rs. 30
An album of Dhammal Koligeete presented by Vesavkar Aani Mandali, a well-known group in so far as fisher-folk songs are concerned. The lyrics are written by Vijay Kathin, Kashiram Chinchay and Vishwanath Chinchay, and set to music by Vijay Kathin. Tik tik tik motyaachi rendered by Shrikant Narayan, Kaala kaala Nivata, the title piece sung by Sudesh Bhosale and Vaishali Samant and Saat jani porya by Santosh Nayak and Shakuntala Jadhav (all on Side A), in addition to Chandra basali daara rendered by Shakuntala Jadhav and Santosh Nayak, and Natalche sanaala by Sudesh Bhosale, both on the flipside, are the pick of the eight songs presented in the audio.

MUMBAICHI PARU
Swami Music, Rs. 35
An audio cassette which offers eight fisher-folk songs (Koligeets), which have been penned by Parish Thakur and also set to music by him. All are marked by fast pace and have been rendered by Jolly Mukherji, Uttara Kelkar, Vaishali Samant, Tyagraj Khadilkar and Santosh Nayak. All the four songs on the flipside, Toryaat dultoy amba by Vaishali Samant, Yere yere pawasa and Mumbaichi Paru both by Uttara Kelkar and Tak tak takara by Jolly Mukherji are eminently hummable. A must album for lovers of folk music.

KHADA MARU NAKO MATHALA
Swami Music, Rs. 35
The songs contained in the audio are in the nature of gavalani, centering round the childhood pranks of Krishna involving milkmaids. Vaishali has sung four of these songs, while Sushama and Bhimrao have rendered two each. The last-named singer has sung the title piece. The writing of songs and the composing of music is credited to Dattuba Bhaadve. Deserving special mention are Tuza Shrihari by Vaishali, Aal naka ghewoo by Sushama and the title number sung by Bhimrao.

KAWADCHYA NAKYAWAR
Sangeet, Rs. 35
An audio of seven Adivasi-Warli folk songs, the writing of which has not been credited to anyone. While Anant Panchal is the music arranger, the singers are Malati M Kudu, Anandi Kamadi, Vishnu Choudhary, Rajendra Bendu, Ladaku Kamadi, Eknath, Sanjay and Arun Ambavne. The songs are not dhammaal as has been claimed. If at all, their appeal is limited to the Warli adivasis.

GAVRAN KAMMAL
DHAMMAL
Sangeet, Rs. 35
Yet another audio of six Adivasi-Warli folk songs which are interspersed with dialogue in the Warli language. No credit has been given to the writers of either the songs or dialogue. Anant Panchal is the music arranger, while the singers are Malati Kudu, Tukaram Kathe and Ashok Kolekar. In this case, too, the appeal of the songs is limited to the Warli adivasis.

Reviewed By Salma Khatib And Pandit Shimpi