Listen Up!

It's 'Sun'day!!

We had a nice bright sunny day after the dark, bleary snowy days that we've had for weeks. The temperature...well, let's not talk numbers! Anyway, it made me wonder about all the songs that have the word "sun" in their title! Inspiration comes from the weirdest places, I guess. So staring out the window as I watch the sun setting, I put down a few titles at the top of my head that come to mind...

Here comes the Sun: Made immortal by The Beatles, there's also another version by Nina Simone that gets a lot of airplay every time the Sun pops out from underneath the clouds. It's a nice, Sixties pop ditty that will always remain associated with The Beatles in mind.

Walking on Sunshine: This one is always reserved for bright sunny days where you feel you can conquer all. Created by Katrina and the Waves in the Eighties, this track reminds of big hair (you know we're talking about BIG hair when we are thinking about the Eighties!!) and big shoulder pads, bright make up... the list goes on. Incidentally there a few versions of the same track and there's even one track by Eddy Grant that sounds nothing like Katrina's version. How's that for trivia!

Ain't no sunshine: This one is by far my favourite. A motown track that has been part of several movie soundtracks, most famously "Notting Hill," featuring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. It's such a lovely romantic track and it's the distinctive vocals that make it special for me. Originally sung by Bill Withers in 1971, this song has lived on through the decades. PS: I found a cool version by Sting on Youtube which I didn't know existed! Check it out sometime... Below is the original in all its glory, taken from a live show in 1971.

Sun is shining: I'm a huge Bob Marley fan! And I love this song. I loved it even more once I heard the coolest club remix a couple of years back that was played at hotspots all around the world. The first appearance of this track was on the 1971 Marley album "Soul Revolution."

Staring at the Sun: Made famous by the lads from Ireland - U2, this song has an amazing video which I'll never forget. Staring at the Sun was taken from the 1991 album "Pop" and attained top rankings on most major charts around the world. The track has seen two versions by U2 themselves: the first was on the original album, while the second album appeared on the Best of collection released around 2000.

You are the Sunshine of my life: Sung by the very talented Stevie Wonder, this one is as mushy as they get. An icon in popular culture, Wonder has several award-winning tracks to his credit, most famously I just called to say I love you. There's an acoustic version by Babyface on a live album that is simply mersmerising. Interestingly Babyface and Wonder have collaborated on another great track "Gone too soon" which features on Babyface's MTV Unplugged album in the early Nineties.

Don't let the Sun go down on me: The flamboyant Elton John made this song famous as did his live collaboration with George Michael for the Queen concert in the early Nineties. I'm not a huge Elton John fan but I don't think this one gets as much airplay as Sacrifice and some other more sentimental numbers. Then again, maybe I'm wrong!

Third stone from the Sun: This one if I remember correctly is by the legendary Jimi Hendrix taken from the album "Are you experienced?" Man, did he know how to play the guitar! He's arguably the best rock musician in history - dead or alive. He lived a relatively short life and one can only imagine what his body of work would look like, had he been living today. His life was marked with drug abuse and that allegedly was the cause of his premature death. Not quite a bright, sunny life but his sheer genius is undisputed.

Counting down the days

They finally arrived in the mail last week. After much anticipation and excitement, my tickets to the Zakir Hussain concert made their appearance and are now safely nestled in my desk drawer. Woohoo! Scheduled to play on May 9, 2008 at the Roy Thompson Hall, the Masters of Percussion promise to take the audience on an exhilarating ride in the world of rhythm. And then you have Zakir Hussain headlining the event. What more can one ask for!

Every month I promise myself that I'll save some money and will not splurge on music - concerts, CDs or any other events. But I fail. And funnily enough, my guilt lasts for a few seconds, if at all! Buying the Zakir Hussain concert tickets didn't even cross my mind as an indulgence. His concerts are electrifying, his witty repartee often has his crowd laughing all the way through. And despite all that, the music reigns supreme. His improvisations are simply outstanding and his interaction with fellow musicians onstage is magnetic. Having attended a benefit concert a while back, I have to admit that his energy levels on stage are remarkable!

My earliest image of Zakir Hussain was thanks to my father who is a great fan of Ustad Allahrakha Khan. I only learnt about Zakir Hussain because my father proudly stated that the son of a legend would also be a star in his own right. And turns out, Zakir Hussain has created a niche for himself in world music. He has been often credited for being India's first representative at the world music stage. Some even consider him to be the father of the world music scene altogether. His collaboration on Shakti is something that every world music fan should listen to at some time in their life. I know I have, several times over!

Currently Zakir Hussain tours the world playing at world-renowed concert halls, with illustrious musicians. When not at the concert hall, he trades his tabla for a teacher's pen as he gives lectures at universities in the US. Luckily enough for us, he will be playing live on May 9 and this concert should be interesting as I'm told it involves drummers from Manipur, a northern state of India. For all those interested in a crash course in raga and tala, LISTEN UP! to the Masters of Percussion.

Photo: Susana Millma

A classical touch

With summer around the corner, there's bound to be plenty of entertainment for music afficionados. And to kick start the festivities on the classical route will be a concert by Sitar Maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. The concert is being organised by some young Canadians whose main focus is to raise awareness about South Asian heritage, more specifically about classical music.

The Sitar itself is famous for being associated with Ravi Shankar, Sixties legends The Beatles as well as more recently, with Anoushka Shankar. The Shankars performed here last year and the concert was breath-taking, and made me look at the Sitar with renewed respect. This concert is another opportunity to listen to the sheer majesty of the Sitar. Whether you listen to classical  music on a regular basis or not, this concert with Ustad Shahid Parvez should be a fascinating experience, on account of his vast musical knowledge and his natural ability to connect with his audience.

Having been actively involved in training young Canadians in this ancient and revered art form, Ustad Shahid Parvez is a wonderful representative for this cause. He will be performing with Toronto-based artist Vineet Vyas and Montreal-based Shubhojyoti Guha on April 5th, 2008 at the Medical Sciences Auditorium at the University of Toronto. The concert is part of Ustad Parvez's North American tour which boasts of over 20 concerts.

It is important that concerts like these are supported because they give the audience a glimpse of the arts that our community is known for. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the Sitar itself, apart from merely knowing about Ravi or Anoushka Shankar. Despite popular notion, classical music has many takers in this city and I know of several talented musicians who take great pride in being a proponent of classical music - vocal or instrumental.

Apart from the concert itself, there is a free lecture-demonstration on the basics of Indian Classical Music. This will be held at 5.30 PM before the concert. To participate in the workshop, please contact Ipshi Kamal at ipshi.kamal@gmail.com or call her on 613.255.3557 to book your spot. Thanks to events like this, classical music is alive and kicking in Toronto. LISTEN UP! to Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan.

Repeat loop anyone?

There are times when I love listening to the radio and long weekends are a great excuse to crank up the radio. And with the sunshine we had, I pretended we were already into summer and ignored the mounds of snow outside my door.

Funny thing is that every station had some tracks playing over and over and over again! It's almost like some big conspiracy to black out all other artists and force the listeners to listen to the same tracks over and over and over again! (Repeat over for emphasis! ;)

"For the nights I can't remember" by Hedley is one such song. If the title doesn't strike you as familiar then this will: "I do wanna love youuuuuuu. I do wannnaaaaaa tryyyyy." Now I'm sure you know which one I mean! Initially I though it was the lead guy from the yesteryear brotherly trio Hansen brothers who sang it 'cos they sound remarkably similar but it's good ol' Canadian rock at work here.

"Like a tattoo, I'll always have you" sang Jordin Sparks over and over again. Let's see. She sang that when I ate breakfast. She sang that while I cleaned my closet. And just to make my day complete, she sang it while I was just about to sleep! Whether I like it or not, the song is tattood in my head for sure!

Chris Brown, "With you," I've had enough!!!! Really! I started out liking this song and I liked it a whole lot better when I didn't hear it every two songs! Sheesh! A very talented guy who acts, dances a la Usher, and sings well too. Interesting all the way around including his Michael Jackson special at a recent music award show.

Please don't write him a love song! Sara Bareilles makes a splash with this guitar-folksy number on love and heartbreak. Taken from the album "Little Voice," she is getting monster plays on all radio stations. As to me, I'm not writing any love songs any time soon! But this musician will find takers all over the world with her easy-going, something serious tone. Great stuff here!

Race to the finish!

"Race" is the title of the newest multi-star film that's set to hit theatres soon. Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Sameera Reddy play central roles in this caper. I'm not sure how the film will do at the box office but here's a rundown on the soundtrack created by Pritam, responsible for monster hits like Dhoom amongst others. He has the notorious reputation for making songs "inspired" by international songs. Anyway, moving swiftly along...

Dekho Nashe Mein is a fast-paced track, vaguely reminiscent of the Latino-inspired track in "Dhoom." There's another remixed Latin fiesta version, which didn't quite hit the spot. The track by itself is stuck in a middle ground - it's not extremely exciting that I'd want a replay but it's not terribly boring that I'd forget it altogether. All in all, average would describe it best.

Mujhe Pe To Jadoo features Apache Indian after a very long time. Accompanying him are Taz (from the erstwhile Stereo Nation) and Sunidhi Chauhan. The song is a easy, laidback reggae-bhangra song. I have always liked Taz's voice and think he is a highly under-rated singer. This song has a typical Stereo Nation feel to it. Sunidhi doesn't have much scope to belt out her thunderous vocals. Apache is dependable as he ever was.

Pehli Nazar Mein is possibly the highlight of the album, featuring the ever-so-talented Atif Aslam. His voice has this mersmerising quality, in the same league as his other blockbusters such as Tere bin, Woh Lamhe. The song is already on its way to being a chart-topper back in India and Pakistan. Definitely something I'll be adding onto my faves list.

Race is on my mind is another track that will be a popular pick. It has a rock-inspired feel. There's something about it that reminds me about Jackson's In the Closet (think it's the bassline that is vaguely familiar with In the Closet). Sung by the ever-reliable Sunidhi Chauhan, the video will probably see the ladies shaking their booty to this track. Why? Lyrics that say something about "shake your body like a snake!" ;) Neeraj from Bombay Vikings accompanies Sunidhi in singing this track in his inimitable style. That this is the title track is just as well because it has a rock-Bond influenced vibe to it, which I have a feeling will play at opportune times during the film! Race In Saanson ki is merely a hindi-version of the previous song. I couldn't tell much of a difference between the tracks! Even the hindi-version has a liberal smattering of English words! So I'm not entirely sure why this additional track made it to the final cut.

Zara Zara Touch Me is the track that's playing on promos at this time featuring Katrina Kaif. If it sounds familiar, it's because it is "inspired" by Stagga Lee's Rock your body, albeit a slowed down version of that club hit. There's a man singing on the track who is attempting a Shaggy-like vibe and it's an interesting attempt to say the very least. Monali does a pretty good job at sounding unique and holds her own well. Too bad, the song isn't the most original. However, I'm sure a million remixes will follow this song. There's another version called the Asian RnB version which I actually liked better than the original, simply because it has a more pronounced bass line. Apart from that, again, not sure why this track made it to the soundtrack.

All in all, the album is average with a couple of tracks that stand out. It's worth one listen, not sure how much repeat value it will have in the years to come. Somehow I don't think creating a classic was on the music director's mind ;)

Win or Defeat

Zameer Rizvi is no stranger to being in the spotlight. Popularly known as Zameer, this talented South Asian-Canadian musician has worked his way towards attaining mainstream acceptance on the basis of his talent and global appeal. I recall watching him on Much Music to promote a benefit concert called Sing for South Asia, which was aimed at creating awareness about the earthquake-stricken region of Kashmir. And it is his association with worthy causes that drew my attention to this talented artist, apart from the fact that he plays the guitar with ease.

Apart from being profiled on leading media channels, Zameer has performed alongside artists like John Mayer which adds to his credibility as a musician. Adding to his list of achievements is his being chosen as a showcasing artist for Rogers Music Store Canadian Music Week 2008, competing against 1300 applicants! He won the competition held by Canadian Music Week and OurStage.com which gave him a unique opportunity to showcase at this year's event.

He is now working with five-time award winning producer Steve Thompson who signed him up in 2007. His debut single Win or Defeat is being shot by Marc Andre Debrune and features gold medalist Paralympic Sledge Hockey Player Bradley Bowden.

Talking about his new single, Zameer says, "The goal of my video is to help drive home the message that everyone who works hard to pursue a dream is a star. At the end of it all, it doesn't matter whether society deems you successful or  not. It's all up to you."

Proceeds from the sales of his single will go to the Canadian Paralympic Athletes group, a cause he believes in. He says, "This song is especially dedicated to people that don't receive due recognition for following their dreams. We need to change our ideas of success. I don't understand why the Paralympic Games do not receive as much recognition and support as the Olympic Games, even though the athletes work just as hrd and have the same ambitions."

The single Win or Defeat will be available through all digital retailers as well as music stores like HMV and Chapters. You can also listen to it on his website, www.zameermusic.com.

When you don't feel like feeling...

I listen to music when I'm happy. It allows me to enjoy the simple things in life and makes my head bop to happy tunes. There's nothing like listening to a great song when you're happy.

But I also find refuge in music when I feel like I've been kicked in the gut. Music also usually helps to work my way through profound loss. But this time has been different. I lost someone very dear to me in late February. And somehow the music stopped.

We grew up together as childhood friends and saw each other through pigtails to the worst disastrous perm! Supporting each other throughout the years. And our friendship was fuelled by our love for music. I remember how she gravitated towards punk-rock while I preferred the mellower-vintage kinds. She loved the drums and a thumping bass line while my heart always prefers a soulful guitar anyday. Such different tastes and we'd spend hours debating the latest songs or music to hit the scene.

Music has an amazing way to create fond memories. Her first heartbreak and hating "Power of love" thereafter. Or the times she drove around playing "Encore" from Linkin Park" determined to prove that girls can drive fast too! Such bittersweet memories that leave so much unsaid.

The last couple of weeks have been tough. Toughest actually. And I don't quite know how to make things better. But I remember her pointing out that no matter who dies, the music never stops. She's right, I know that. Music is eternal and plays on much after we're gone. There's a great track from REM (listen below "Everybody hurts") that she and I both loved, reserved for days that didn't quite work out the way we wanted them to.

While music won't point me towards any kind of solution, I know somewhere she's listening to something and bopping her head in unison :)