Last year on October 10, music lost Jagjit Singh.
Sony has released this album to ensure some more ghazals reach out to us that were previously unheard by most of us.
The album starts with Tu Ambar ki Aankh ka taara and Jagjit Singh announces something that is impossible to put in here. This track is essentially treated like a ‘geet’ and is a live recording. Simply treated, easy https://lyrics. The second track Dekha jo aaena starts with a brief commentary by Chitra singh. This is a track that Jagjit Singh has sung many a times in other live concerts earlier. Still, this track starts with an alaap and instantly tugs at your heart. Brilliantly penned and as usual exquisitely executed by the maestro. The next ghazal jao ab subah honay waali hai also starts with an alaap by Jagjit Singh. A new ghazal and even though the context, treatment, lyrics and theme is not related to the ‘savere savere’ ghazal(featured in the album ‘Come alive with Jagjit singh’), I was instantly reminded of that ghazal. This ghazal however, is sad and heartbreaking, a genre that Jagjit Singh excelled throughout, without a doubt.
Ro lete to achcha hota sounds very familiar tune wise. Simple tabla and minimal guitars with the velvet voice of Jagjit Singh. The Santoor makes the setting even more familiar to the ears. The is the shortest ghazal(little over 4 minutes) of the album. Some might call it sad, some might call this soulful…decide for yourself when you listen to this beautiful composition. Aahon mein asar starts again with a brief commentary by Chitra singh. It is a crime for me to ‘pick a favorite’ from the album, but this ghazal is what we ‘devotees’ identify Jagjit Singh with. Liberal use of Violin, breathtaking words(light ghungroos in the background). If you are reminded of the ‘Mukhda’ from the ghazal ‘Aankhon mein jal raha hai kyun’(From Marasim), listening to this ghazal, don’t be surprised.
Rone se ishq mein aur bebaak ho gaye is quite easily an old(or not recent) recording and you can identify it by the voice quality. Sitar is a bonus although I wish the recording was clearer. Stillness isn’t a plus point of this track. Slow, yet in a hurry…never losing the sense melody anyway. Tu jo aa jaaye has the typical ‘By the harmonium and violin’ beginning and then sounding mildly like ‘Dhoop mein niklo ghataon mein naha kar dekho’(from Sajda), the ghazal just quietly captivates you. Insanely romantic and sung very intimately by Jagjit Singh.
The ever so golden Ghalib nazm Wo firaq aur wo visal kahan gets a different treatment(And a new set of lines which weren’t present in the Mirza ghalib album before). Composition is very by the strings. The atmosphere that Jagjit Singh creates with this one is melodiously pensive.
This is not a review. It can never be.
Just a celebration of another new set of pearls that we have come across from someone who kept on fooling us by making us believe that he is singing with his voice…whereas what we heard always was his heart that took over the microphone and mesmerised us, made us smile and made us weep…
A ‘must have’ album for those who know his body of work and a ‘should have’ album for the rest.
Sir Jagjit Singh, Thank you for the music.
- Thank You! We appreciate your effort.
