Thanks a ton Vithur for sharing this! You rock... Cheers, Madhavan.R Love, Music, Peace,...and A R Rahman for Life.
On Fri, Jul 4, 2008 at 9:10 PM, Vithur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Rahmaniacs, > > Singer & Guitarist Rashid Ali talks on Rahmania show. ( UK Accent... was > really tough to gather his words.. spoke in a very low tone ) > > I had come down from London to Chennai, as I have been signed as the first > artist for the KM Music Conservatory. We are recording to do an album. It > would be quite soon. > > Q :- How did you start your music career ? > > RA :- Basically, my mummy is a singer. We were based in England, but she > was regularly performing in Concerts. She sings Hindustani. She did an album > with Ustaad Ghulam Mustapha azad. But Unfortunately, she became sick, and > couldnt continue, and I used to accompany her to these places, and he used > to ask me sing some covers.. , and thats how I started to sing. My parents > actually put me into a violin and guitar, at the age of 9. I couldnt take to > the violin, but took to the guitar, as it supported the same. Singing and > Guitar went on side by side. I was a singer and I took into guitar. > > As a kid, I started singing some great Bollywood tracks like Kishore Kumar, > MOhammed Rafi and all. I quickly learnt what Indian music is about. I also > got readied with western Music. Learnt and teaching myself the Guitar. ( > Self tutor ) . Whatever I have now, is whatever has been passed on my mom... > I guess. I didnt learn Hindustani, but it was always playing in my house, > and we get to hear so many tracks. Though, we were in England, we were in > touch with Indian Music, and a lot of Indians there also like Indian music . > > > I sometimes feel to myself, that I should have learnt Classical Guitar, but > if I would have been into that, then probably I would not have done my > improvisations and when you improvise, you create your own style. I never > listened to Indian singers thinking that I would want to like them.. I was > not formally Indian style, so what comes to me is a different style. I used > to listen to the elements of Steve Wonders. But I never wanted to follow his > style of singing. > > WHEN DID YOU MEET RAHMAN ? > > Actually, I met AR in 2001 in a concert. By chance, I mentioned that my > mother had worked with Ustad ghulam Mustapha Azad. Immediately, it struck > him, as my mother working with Ghulam Mustapha azad, had connection with his > sons working for Piya Haji ali with AR. I also said that I was a guitarist > and a singer, and loved Jazz Music. Immediately, he told me , " Oh. Thats > different. for an asian guy to love Jazz music and alternative connection > with Indian". He could relate to it, as he also has listened to those styles > of music. We just started work on Bombay Dreams. > > My mother and father are from UP. My roots are in India. I havent been > introduced to Classical Music, though as a kid, I also played th Tabla. > Then, I started focussing on the Guitar and singing, instead of having hands > on everything. I am trying to bring new elements, which I am exploring. > Initially, I was born in HYderabad. Essentially, I was brought up in the UK. > > > I have travelled with Rahman for concerts to the US. > > Experience working with Journey Home > > Really really good. It was nice to working with something close to home. It > had subtle Indian elements, though a lot of Western style of music. We had > some good sessions, with AR in night, and they were very very memorable. He > just set up a studio, where he was working from. We used to have fun , and > talk about a lot of things, and do the recordings. > > He essentially invited me many a times to come to Chennai. Then, we did one > particular Tamil song. Nadhir Dhinna from Paarthale Paravasam. Actually, we > recorded it in London to begin with. There were some spanish words in that ( > as he utters, it sounds like A.R. Rahman, A.R. Rahman... which was notified > by a member here before... ) > > I used to practice more of guitar, as a kid, and never used to practice > singing that much. I used to practice for hours and hours,Trying to emulate > various types of styles etc. I am not going to copy anybody, and am going to > try my own syle in the Guitar. Essentially, elements come out in Spanish and > Jazz. > > Jaane tu Ya Jaane Na > > Kabhi Kabhi > > That started couple of years back. Ar was looking for a kind of fresh > voice. I would call it an essentially a non typical Hindi track. The beauty > of that song is that it conists of varied elements of style in it. Its > essentially, a very light hearted happy number. He asked me to come and play > the Guitar in it, and he had me in mind, for singing it even. within 1 hr, > we did the scratch track, and eventually, the producers liked it. Kabhi > Kabhi is really really taken offf. Thats the first song in the album, and a > great one for me. > > ( Lyrics translates and tells... Sometimes in life you find someone, who is > for you. ) > > Kahin To > > I was actually asked to do another song, with Vasundhara . > > Ishq Ada - Its a completely different one, and people have been saying > that its so different. Actually, AR told me to sing it in a different style, > and its the characterisation in the voice which is most important. Its more > of a heart pleading song. Its been specially sung with a lot of emotions, > describing about emotional aspects of Love. > > Essentially, I want people to know what Rashid Ali is all about. I want to > add new elements to Indian music. The forthcomign album is my venture into > all this, and hopefully people would enjoy whatever I would offer them that > way. > > A lot of people in the UK take to hearing Indian music, and get attracted > to it. esp Bhangra music. They are really getting used to the sounds. > > -- > regards, > Vithur > > HELP EVER; HURT NEVER; > LOVE ALL; SERVE ALL > > >
