narenmusic

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  Hariharan/ Jaan Meri Lyrics : Farhat Shahzad Genre : Ghazal Label : Sufiscore Rating : **** Having completed 50 years in the music industry, singer Hariharan is in the news for the launch of the book Ustad-e-Ghazal Hariharan , written by Anand Kakkar. He's also released his new album Jaan Meri , which features words by the brilliant Farhat Shahzad, known for writing Mehdi Hassan's record Kehna Usey. Hariharan's oice texture has naturally been suited to the ghazal, and there have been numerous articles on how he mastered Urdu diction, though he comes from a south Indian family with Carnatic music following. He maintains that supreme command over the medium, and the five songs of Jaan Meri are testament to the riyaaz he does. The album begins with some lighter songs before getting heavier in lyrical content. The title track uses saxophone, flute and sitar, and some vibrant arrangements as Hariharan sings, "Jaan meri ek nahin sau baar karke dekh lo, k...

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR U2/ Days Of Ash (EP) Genre : Rock Label : Island Records  Rating ; **** 1/2 It's been a while since Bono and his buddies created something new, the last set of original U2 songs coming in 2017's Songs Of Experience . It's been years since they wrote hard-hitting political songs - classics like 'Sunday Bloody Sunday, 'Bullet The Blue Sky' and 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' hark back to the 1980s, and the Bosnian war-themed 'Miss Sarajevo' was out in 1995. So it came as a surprise that the Irish biggies chose Ash Wednesday, February 18, to pop out their new six-song EP Days Of Ash without any advance notification. Even more significant, the songs mean serious protest, whether they talk of the Trump administration, the invasion of Ukraine or tragedies in Iran. Of course, it's important to know the context of the songs for better appreciation. The EP comes three weeks after born-in-the-USA hero Bruce Springsteen released ...

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  Isheeta Chakrvarty / Naina Taras Gaye Language & genre: Hindi/ UP dialect, love song Label: Self-released  Rating: **** In 2020, vocalist Isheeta Chakrvarty had collaborated with Anhad + Tanner on the song 'Naina', from their album In Other Words . The singer now recreates the song as 'Naina Taras Gaye', with a fresh arrangement and extra verse, shooting the video as a live recording. The song uses the thumri format with contemporary instrumentation comprising Ria Modak's guitar, Harmeet Manseta's keyboards and Ishan Jadwani's drums. The subject is longing and desire, with Isheeta and Ginny Dewan writing the fresh words. The main lines are, "Naina taras gaye morey, piya ki suratiya dikhe na". Isheeta's voice complements the melody beautifully, and the subtle arrangements are just right to bring out the song's emotion. Tanuj Manchanda/ Ishq Soch Ke Language & genre: Punjabi, sad romantic song Label: Self-releas...

  BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  John Mayer/ Solo, Live in Mumbai Genre : Pop-rock/ singer-songwriter  Presented by : BookMyShow Live  Details : Mahalaxmi Race Course, February 11 Rating : Jenny *****/ Jiggy *** On February 12, still nursing their feet after the endless walk at the Mahalaxmi Race Course the previous evening, Jenny and Jiggy got into their next argument. Both had contrasting views on the John Mayer concert, and their interaction could make for some interesting battle studies. Let's hear them. Jenny : Wooow, what a show!! John Mayer is so good-looking. Have never seen anyone hold a guitar like that. And his voice !!! Ooohh!! Mwahhh!!! Jiggy : Are you crazy? I've seen all those rave reviews you and your friends have splashed all over Facebook. What rubbish. I'm not saying he was bad or anything. Actually, he was fabulous as a musician. No doubt about that. But I've seen far better shows. Roger Waters. Scorpions. Sting. Michael Jackson. Jenny : You're just showin...

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Lucky Ali/ Tu Jaane Hai Kahan Language & genre: Hindi, love song Label; Tips Originals Rating: *** 1/2 It's been over 29 years since Lucky Ali released his hit album Sunoh . Even today, he comes up with good melodies, as is evident on his new release 'Tu Jaane Hai Kahan'. Mike McLeary and Suraj Gulvady compose the music, which has catchy guitar and flute parts. It's a simple tune, and lyricist Kausar Munir does a fantastic job on the lines, "Darta hai dil mera, paas aane se tere, darta hai dil door jaane se; Karta hai dil mera, reh jaaoon sang tere, darta hai dil chhoot jaane se". Samten Bhutia's video, featuring Lucky with Breshna Hamid, Nikita Chandak and Dinushan S, has some smart outdoor videos, of the sea, hills and desert. The whole look complements Lucky's persona perfectly. A.R. Rahman & A.R. Ameen/ Bheegi Bheegi  Language & genre: Hindi, love song Label: Rooh Records/ Warner Music  Rating: ** 1/2 First, there wa...

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Billy Kilson Trio/ Live in Mumbai Genre: Jazz Details: Tata Theatre, January 31 Rating: ***** In his formal half-jacket, enjoying his chewing gum, eyes wandering into distant space, Billy Kilson looked straight out of a Christopher Nolan film. He sat behind his drum-kit like a king, moving from gentle feather-touch flourishes to sudden energetic tom-tom bursts within the blink of an eyelid. And he had like-minded company. Pianist Geoffrey Keezer and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet completed the Billy Kilson Trio, bringing their own brand of genius and virtuosity to the table. While it wouldn't be fair to compare this show with other great jazz performances Mumbai has witnessed over the past year or two, Saturday night's gig at the Tata Theatre stood out for its sheer artistry and soul.  The great music was accompanied by nostalgia too, as Kilson recalled how the great pianist Ahmed Jamal had told him 40 years ago to visit India, and yet, this was his first tour of...