Anup Jalota on an ‘angrezi’ music mission
‘Bhajan samrat’ Anup Jalota who was recently honored by the MPs of the UK House of Commons with the coveted Annual Globe Award is currently on an ‘angrezi mission’ trip. For the first time in his illustrious sing-song ( bhajan-ghazal ) career, the jovial Jalota has some tracks up his sleeve which have an English title and even English lyrics. Reveals Jalota,”
To mark the Indian Independence Day, (Aug 15) vivacious Indi-pop singer Preety Bhalla has teamed up with me and we have just released this patriotic track which in a Utopian mood goes ‘Tomorrow the world will be known as India’. Following this venture there is yet another ghazal album composed by the eminent Bollywood music director Khayyam-saab ( of ‘Umrao Jaan’ and ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ fame).
This unique album is titled ‘Message of Love’ and has a variety of romantic as well as human bonding sentiments woven into the lilting songs,” he shrugs with a smile. The affable Anup jestfully feels its almost like a Ripley’s “Believe-it-or Not’ entry that the otherwise hard-to-please British Parliament members apparently went bonkers over him. “Its rather baffling that I was honoured with the prestigious British Parliament’s Annual Globe Award for my outstanding contribution to the global music industry. The coveted accolade was presented to me by Speaker John Bercow at a special function in the House of Commons. Post the felicitation, they made this special farmaaish that I should sing ‘live’ on the occasion,” he reveals.
But wasn’t it too cryptic for the British MPs to figure out what Jalota was belting away? Nodding his head he purses his lips,” Well, maybe they connected with the spiritual raagas, the aalaps, the sargams, the rhythmic metre etc of each of the song. They would respond with thundering aplause,” insists Jalota who unplugged his vocal ‘showmanship’ on the London-based foreigners. What came next is something that emotionally overwhelmed Anup Recalls the singer,”
“After the concert, the House speaker Mr Bercow announced on the stage that “ 45 minutes of Mr. Jalota’s concert was just not enough and we wish to have him perform next time around for at least two hours”.
Recently, the exuberant singer was also honoured in Chennai city (India) by the Shankaracharya Mission (along with noted Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj ). Asked to comment on his latest penchant for the angrezi bhaasha, the Jalota reacts. “ Its just a coincidence I guess.
But we also feel that the English element will have a much wider ‘global’ connect with NRIs, Asians and even foreigners who love listening to Indi-pop. Besides, the I-Day special single track is our humble patriotic salute to our revered motherland India. Jai Hind !” he signs off.
‘Bhajan samrat’ Anup Jalota who was recently honored by the MPs of the UK House of Commons with the coveted Annual Globe Award is currently on an ‘angrezi mission’ trip. For the first time in his illustrious sing-song ( bhajan-ghazal ) career, the jovial Jalota has some tracks up his sleeve which...
‘Bhajan samrat’ Anup Jalota who was recently honored by the MPs of the UK House of Commons with the coveted Annual Globe Award is currently on an ‘angrezi mission’ trip. For the first time in his illustrious sing-song ( bhajan-ghazal ) career, the jovial Jalota has some tracks up his sleeve which have an English title and even English lyrics. Reveals Jalota,”
To mark the Indian Independence Day, (Aug 15) vivacious Indi-pop singer Preety Bhalla has teamed up with me and we have just released this patriotic track which in a Utopian mood goes ‘Tomorrow the world will be known as India’. Following this venture there is yet another ghazal album composed by the eminent Bollywood music director Khayyam-saab ( of ‘Umrao Jaan’ and ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ fame).
This unique album is titled ‘Message of Love’ and has a variety of romantic as well as human bonding sentiments woven into the lilting songs,” he shrugs with a smile. The affable Anup jestfully feels its almost like a Ripley’s “Believe-it-or Not’ entry that the otherwise hard-to-please British Parliament members apparently went bonkers over him. “Its rather baffling that I was honoured with the prestigious British Parliament’s Annual Globe Award for my outstanding contribution to the global music industry. The coveted accolade was presented to me by Speaker John Bercow at a special function in the House of Commons. Post the felicitation, they made this special farmaaish that I should sing ‘live’ on the occasion,” he reveals.
But wasn’t it too cryptic for the British MPs to figure out what Jalota was belting away? Nodding his head he purses his lips,” Well, maybe they connected with the spiritual raagas, the aalaps, the sargams, the rhythmic metre etc of each of the song. They would respond with thundering aplause,” insists Jalota who unplugged his vocal ‘showmanship’ on the London-based foreigners. What came next is something that emotionally overwhelmed Anup Recalls the singer,”
“After the concert, the House speaker Mr Bercow announced on the stage that “ 45 minutes of Mr. Jalota’s concert was just not enough and we wish to have him perform next time around for at least two hours”.
Recently, the exuberant singer was also honoured in Chennai city (India) by the Shankaracharya Mission (along with noted Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj ). Asked to comment on his latest penchant for the angrezi bhaasha, the Jalota reacts. “ Its just a coincidence I guess.
But we also feel that the English element will have a much wider ‘global’ connect with NRIs, Asians and even foreigners who love listening to Indi-pop. Besides, the I-Day special single track is our humble patriotic salute to our revered motherland India. Jai Hind !” he signs off.
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