India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs bhajan falsetto genius
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Pyare Saheb — India’s Countertenor
Pyare Saheb was one of the most esteemed voices of turn-of-the-century Hindustani tradition. Singing always in a high falsetto, he recorded literally hundreds of 78 rpm discs and enjoyed high esteem amongst rasikas, especially for his sensitive handling of thumris. His music, alas, is now almost completely forgotten. Here are two samples of his singing — a popular devotional song (with some fabulous extemporized ornamental passages) and a beautiful rendition of the rarely heard raga Sorath.
Bhajan: He Govind He Gopal
Raga Sorath: Dekhori na mane Shyam
India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs musical theater
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: “Khaki Putla” — featuring Mianbhai and Mahomed
I can’t offer much beyond inferences about these two sides on the Zonophone label. My guess is that “Khaki Putla” was the name of a drama, and these two songs are part of the complete “soundtrack.” Mahomed, the singer on “Tap karna aaya,” has very nice technique.
Mianbhai: Aay maula arabhi
Mahomed: Tap karna aaya
India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs musical theater Parsi
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Sorabji Katrak of the New Alfred Company
These songs are part of the early 20th century culture of musical theater in Bombay. The New Alfred Theatre Company was founded in the late 19th century by Kawasji Palanji Khatau to present plays in Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi.
Kavasji belonged to a poor family and lived in the Sankary lane near ‘Dukkar Bazzar’ (pig market) around ‘Dhobi Talao’ area [a place very close to Metro cinema]. Amrut Keshav Nayak was the director of the plays staged. He staged several plays including Murad, Allauddin, Gorakh Dhanda, Mahabharat, Asir-e-hirs, Abhimanu, Chandraval, Harishchandra etc. Alfred company had many owners in 60 years: Nanabhai Rustomji Rana, Mohammad Ibrahim, Manekji Master. Later on Mr. Khatau once again owned it and renamed it as ‘New Alfred Theater Company’. The company was operational until about 1932 with last ownership of Jahangir, son of Mr. Khatau. Along with the Alfred Company, some amateur and professional companies also staged Urdu and Parsi plays and toured to Calcutta and Rangoon in Burma.
Around 1905, many record companies approached these companies and cut discs of songs and dialogues. Beka records, Sun Disc, Gramophone Company, Ramagraph, James Opera cut over 300 songs of renowned artists: Master Mohan, Master Bhagoo, Dayashankar Vasanji, Sorabji Katrak, Ibrahim, Bhurekhan, Meer Himmat Kalu alias Master Himmat, Murad Ali, Phiroz Shah Misrty and many others.
Sorabji Katrak was one of the popular male vocalists from the Alfred Company.
Gujrathi theater was full of actors from Saurashtra, North Gujrath and Mumbai. {snip} Among Parsi’s were: Sorabji Katrak, Sorabji Kerawala, Sorabji Dhondi and Ferdoon Irani.
I am assuming these lyrics are Gujarati — perhaps someone can figure out more?
India Indian music music: 78 rpm discs East-West fusion fusion music
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: K.C. Mookerjee and G.C. Chatterjee
Here’s an interesting oddity, an early piece of East-West fusion music. Mukherjee and Chatterjee are playing piano and violin, accompanied by tabla. The music is only accidentally Hindustani, although the tabla player, faute de mieux, is pounding out tintaal. The pianist’s approach sounds informed by Western music, while the violinist uses Indian-style slides. The repertoire is gat-derived, with “asthai” and “antara” sections, but any raag contours are obscured, and if there’s improvisation I’m not hearing it. The slight acceleration is typical of Hindustani style.
The same recording is featured on both sides of the disc.
humor India Indian music Jazz music: 78 rpm discs early jazz novelty music
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: The Manhattan Jazz Band
Here’s a change of pace: a disc from the “Manhattan Jazz Band,” released on the Calcutta-based Zonophone label. My best guess is this was from some point in the 1920s or 30s; the music is what was called jazz at the time — by people who didn’t know what jazz was.
In the late 1990s I picked up a great many 78s at a small store in Bombay’s Chor Bazaar. Among them were a few of these recordings of “English Music.” Apparently these were mostly recorded in England and released in India, for the enjoyment of the Brits. I had a brief fantasy that these were Indian musicians hired to play this repertoire, which would have been ethnomusicologically fascinating. Turns out that’s not what happened. Ah, well.
The amount of crud on the surface of the disc is beyond imagination.
Enjoy “Everybody’s Jazzing Now”:
And here’s “That Big Jazz Band”:
India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs Quawwali Urdu
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Mahomad Yacub and Fidai Premragi
Here are some early Quawwali performances, again part of the same collection of 78 rpm discs purchased in Udaipur in 2000.
Searching for “Mahomad Yacub and Fidai Premragi” yields only these videos; their names have faded into oblivion, at least until today.
Enjoy listening to two forgotten voices from an all-but-vanished world.
The handclaps on “Udhar the sab khudiwale” remind me of Philly Joe Jones’ famous on-the-fourth-beat rimshots, an association that in turn reminds me of just how narrow a demographic I actually occupy.
India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs bhajan Marwari geet
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: M.L. Choudhury and Sunita Devi
Gradually moving through my complete collection of 78 rpm discs on Marwari Records, we come to the duet team of M.L. Choudhury and Sunita Devi, who perform a long piece in two parts. This is identified as a “Shiv Lila Bhajan.” I would welcome clarification of the nature of this music in the comments — any experts out there?
As always, I love, love, love that tiger!
India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs Marwari geet
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Parvati and Party of Udaipur
More Marwari geets in the vivid low fidelity that appears characteristic of the output of “Marwari Records.” Parvati and Party get a nice groove going, and it is enjoyable to listen through the distortion to get a picture of what this music originally sounded like.
Lo-fi they may have been, but you’ve got to admit that Marwari Records had a damn cool label. I love the tiger, don’t you?
Listening to these 78 rpm discs is a wonderful experience. It’s like falling in love.
India Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs Indian folk music Marwari geet
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Dhirasen of Jodhpur
My wife and I were in Udaipur in 2000, and we discovered a tiny little out-of-the-way junk shop that just happened to have a big stack of old 78 rpm discs for sale. I picked up as much as I could carry. None of the names were ones I recognized; these were all regional songs in Rajasthani, Marwari and Urdu.
Here are two Marwari songs by a lady about whom I know nothing, Dhirasen of Jodhpur. The distorted sound is on the disc; Marwari Records was obviously not a top-of-the-line operation.
I find these recordings mysteriously evocative.
Indian music music vocalists: 78 rpm discs geet ghazal thumri
by Warren
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78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Ali Hussain Quawal
Here are two songs by an artist about whom almost no information is available. The record label simply states “Ali Hussain Quawal (Blind Singer).”
The short instrumental interludes between stanzas are fascinating.
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“Tum bina jiyara vyakul saiyan”
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“Pardesi saiyan manata nahin”