PanchamMagic Show Report : At Pune, 4 th January 2005

For all the followers of panchammagic, 1 st January is not the celebrating time for new year but its on 4 th January where festival of music is held to remember great genius on his death anniversary. This festival is different from normally what we see and listen elsewhere, not only it has information but the authentic information and great insight about RDB's music and its intricacies. Its love for Pancham's music which keeps growing day by day.


HOUSEFULL crowd outside the auditorium was well expected by all of us and as usual guests were also taken to surprise for the turnout for such an audio visual show also.

This year we had Nitin Shankar as main guest supported by friendly appearance of Pradeepto sengupta (Mandolin) and Manoharida (This time not on saxophone but on Alto flute). Theme for the show was RHYTHMS with lot of demonstrations by Nitin and his team on percussion instruments.

Every person in the audience was thrilled by looking at number of music instruments spread on the stage which although looked like an orchestra preparation but after listening to what was played on, took people directly to RDB's music take in film center….!!

Programme started with different aspects of rhythms used in panchamda's songs like pick-ups, like one in Kehdoon tumhe from Deewaar, Theka, Toda, entry and exit of some special instruments in some particular songs, how the side rhythms were effectively used like Reso Reso in Padosan's Mere Samnewali Khidki Mein, People also got to listen to slower version of Mere Samnewali, which is minus reso reso and how different it sounds.

Bass guitar & Tabla as pickup to rhythm of Jaane Do Na from Saagar, Tabla pickup of Ek Main aur Ek Tu from Khel Khel Mein, again Bass guitar and resoreso in Dil diya Hai from Ashanti, Claaping sounds, patting sounds, flenged guitar, variety of Khanjiri in Khatooba song from Alibaba Aur 40 chor, etc..

Music clippings were played where normally we don't notice all these details, but were very effectively explained by Ankush. Normally this Theme session becomes very informative for common listeners and their view of music listening and pleasure is heightened. This time there were about 28 track clippings for variety of RDB's specially crafted songs.

Nitin shankar graced the stage hereafter and he was magic on rhythms with his equipments. This year Mahesh ketkar also shared the stage with Ankush for compeering with his part of questions to Nitin Shankar. Nitin Shankar is an artiste on rhythms with Marutirao Keer as his guru and has been playing with Pancham Camp since the film Gurudev. He has thereafter worked with Panchamda till 1994. His contribution in rhythms at such an young age is tremendous, and is always excited about creating rhythms for big banners like Dharma Productions, Yashraj films etc. he was involved in the music of films like Bazigar, Khiladi, Yes Boss, and many Jatin Lalit musicals as well as Veer Zaara off late. It was his greatness to accept how he used RD's rhythm of Chadhti Jawani from Carvan in Mere Khwabon Mein Jo aaye from DDLJ.

Nitinda has seen and worked keenly with Panchamda and has taken a liking for creation of something different as always. Hence he knew what exactly used to go into making of great sounds, and he readily showed different instruments to audience and replicated some of panchamda's complexed rhythms to thuder applause with interesting anecdotes like panchamda used to give 100 rupee note to musician whenever he delivered the best of his ability in playing an instrument.

Nitin shankar painstakingly showed how the rhythm of Karvate badalte rahe from Aap Ki Kasam sounds raw when played without reso and madal. Then he added those two instruments and it sounded exactly like what we listen to original track. Such a small visualization and addition makes so much of difference to ears. That was the genius of Panchamda. Similarly how duggi used in Bangle ke peechhe and Gori Ke haath mein from Mela made difference in enhancing rhythms. Nitin was just fabulous on any instrument he touched on stage. He showed us the rhythm pattern of Mehbooba in Sholay minus the Madal and then with Madal….gosh…it was so complexed and played with such an ease and sounded terrific.

People went frenzy when they saw these actual acoustic instruments used by pancham and what world of difference it made to his compositions. Generally, people are unaware about the instruments, they know the sound but don't visualize how an instrument like madal or duggi looks like and makes such beautiful sound. People got to see rare instruments which were actually played in RDB's creations, those were Hudka, Pedal Matka, Bell tree, Murgesh, Dimdi, etc.

Hudka is an instrument which is held like a small dholak and pressed in the center to change the sound inbetween by applying different tension to the top surface.Ae ri pawan from Bemisal has Hudka played in it, Daiyya re Daiyya from Carvan has it. It has that typical sound of Dholak with rubbing like sound while playing.

Pedal matka was actually got from Viju Indulkar who originally played in Samne ye kaun aaya from Jawani Diwani. This instrument was specially made and later also used in Mutthukodi Kawari Hada from Do Phool and some other songs. This has big leather cap with matka below and leather strings tied around with Pedal below. When pressed on pedal and played on top, it stretches the surface and when pedal releases it makes impactful sound like Dhommpaaakk….which you hear in samne ye kaun aaya…RD used to call it “Dhompak” only.

Mugesh was the south Indian player who played Ghatam that is Clay Matka with leather ring on top also sounded different and RD had named that instrument as MURGESH only..!!

Dimdi is like a miniature Duff normally played in Bhajans etc..but RD used it so effectively in his westernized compositions too. Ishk Mera Bandagi Hai from Ye Vaada Raha has dimdi in it.

Bell tree had cycle bell caps of different diameter fixed on one on top vertically and played by stick by moving from top to bottom on the edge of caps. This sound we listen to in Tere Liye Palkonki Zalar from Harjaee…it sounds somewhat near to Chimes normally, we see played now a days…again this Belltree was a specially made instrument.

Nitinda played all these equipments with such a finesse, also told about Manohar or Manya Barve, who used to play such rare and different instruments with pancham and then we played actual original pieces on tracks which people really understood as how much innovative was the use made by RD in musical creations..& no wonder we listen and try to find all this treasure by listening to his gems time and again.

Musical instruments are alright, how about non musical sounds in Pancham's songs? Ankush had a trivia question just before interval as to recognize what was the instrument played in He saba from Manzil Manzil….we knew people will go crazy when they see this instrument and demo…On return from interval, same track was played, and then Nitin took out a simple Balloon from his bag and played in round motions in two hands…rubbing of fingers on ballon skin made the exact Bugu-Bugu sound in front of microphone…hats off to lord..!!! in the same song there was patting sound for which our group member Mahesh Shinde was sitting bare back in front of Nitinda and Nitin patted on his back ditto to Pancham's patting on Amrutrao Katkar's back in the original..!!!! what a sound wow..! Nitin also showed how Besura Dholak was played in the rhythm of Jeevan Ke Har Mod Par from Jhootha Kaheen Ka…they kept it upside down and played rhythm on it and that's why they called it Urdu Dholak..in urdu language, its right to left reading.. ..Ulta!! People got to listen to original sitting version of the same song in Panchamda's voice, courtesy Gulshan Bawra. This is always a feast to audience, and every time we play some new song in the context of the show.

Nitin Shankar was absolutely fantastic in this session with about 25 plus demonstrations like, Bongo rhythm of Mera Naam Hai Shabnam from Kati Patang, fabulous tabla piece of Parveen Sultana's Hume Tumse Pyar Kitna from Kudrat, Intro tumba piece of Hum Kissise Kum Naheen Competition, Anup shankar, his brother was also not far behind when he played a drum stick bounced on tabla in Pyar Hua Chupkese from 1942 ALS.

This was followed by friendly appearance of Pradeepto sengupta's mandolin rendition of Tum Bin Jaun Kahan from Pyar Ka Mausam and what a sweet mandolin to top it all it was played in front of original player of this mandolin in Pyar Ka Mausam is none other than our Manohari singh…he appreciated every bit of it seated in a first row. Pradeepto also praised panchammagic group for keeping alive RDB's creations and making aware common listeners to some good music knowledge and how difficult it is to creat such an impact in a 5 minute song. Also giving a platform to musicians who are not credited elsewhere for their fabulous work. Actually Pradeepto also had a wonderful preparation for Jaise Ko Taisa song Abke Sawan Mein Jee dare and Pyar Ke Mod pe from Parinda…but due to lack of time we had to do without it. I was sharing a room with Pradeepto in hotel and had privilege to listen to his many creations for panchamda like parinda, Jeene do etc. He was also supported by Kaustubh Ghaisas on Keyboards and Nitin Shankar on percussions. Pradeepto also told people as how Panchamda used to encourage new musicians and listened patiently to them.

Manoharida was next with his alto flute this time playing O Hansini from Zehreela Insaan…. whatever instrument Manoharida plays is always sounds fantastic in sound and style…we are grateful to Manoharida for his appreciation of our efforts and the situation in which he came for our show with his son in admitted in ICCU and in critical condition…on the return journey we had unfortunate and sad news of his demise.

Show as usual went very well with the audience and on the note to meet on 27 th June 05, again people went fully satisfied with 2005 new Pancham calendar in their hands.

Sincere thanks to all the Panchammagic hands who helped this show a great success and hats off to Raj, Mahesh, Ashutosh and Ankush for this wonderful conception..!!

SANDEEP  KULKARNI

Panchammagic.org  

VCD / DVD Available of the instrumental program on 31st October.
VCDs @ 250/- (Set of 3)
DVDs @ 450/-

Contact : pancham@panchammagic.org