NOTES & CROSSES

Music is his life
If at all there was an award for the most prolific music director, it would surely have gone to Babu Kishen, who’s busy recording songs throughout the year. Son of a baul singer, he wasn’t keen on following into his father’s footsteps and continue the family tradition. “Initially, my father was upset that I wasn’t interested in traditional music. But he understood that I had my own ideas which I needed to work on,” says Babu, who has worked with international musicians like George Harrison. His first private album was O Haseena followed by Tera Ghungta and Kesariya Rang. Sometime back, his album Zara Hath Ke was released, which features all the leading singers, and the music director has a busy schedule ahead. “I will be composing music for two films, Lady Tarzan and Paanch Bijliyan. Then I will be cutting an album of folk songs with Sapna Awasthi, which will have folk songs of U.P., Bihar and M.P. There’s another pop album which will have songs sung by Sapna Awasthi, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu and Vinod Rathod. I have composed music for a devotional album on the Kumbh Mela titled Ganga Antaram. Right now I am recording songs for Humsafar, a romantic album which will have songs by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik. Another romantic album in store is titled Mausam Hai Pyar Ka which has songs sung by Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurthy,” says Babu. At the end of this, all we can say is, whew! great going indeed.

Sony Music launches third Hindi album
On February 17, Sony Music launched the music album Dance Masti, at the Piano Bar, Mumbai. This is Sony Music’s third local release after AR Rahman’s Vande Mataram and Lata in Concert.

Producer Farhad Wadia and singers Loy Mendonsa and Ehsaan Noorani (Instant Karma) were present at the Piano Bar to celebrate the event with wine, music and dance. Shaan sang his solo song Dil kya kare from the album, after which guests were treated to the video of the song on TV monitors placed strategically around the small venue. Dance Masti is yet another remix album with cover versions of old Hindi film classics like Dekha na and Mungda.