Thanks to the MS team for adding this category I had requested- in just 3 days. And I’m feeling sorry that it took me so long to actually get down to writing this review.
The weather in Mumbai is so enchanting nowadays—The gray clouds, the cornucopia of foliage that has grown at the behest of the monsoons, lightning that shimmers through the midnight-blue sky, the smell of freshly dampened mud titillating our olfactory senses, the tingling freshness of rain water on our body, moods that waver from childish excitement fueled by the downpours, to those low blues.... truly a SIX-SENSE Experience......Imagine……..Raindrops beating on your window panes, the monsoon breeze blowing your curtains awry, the fragrance of wet mud, boughs dancing to the tune of the winds, Sunlight dimmed out by the heavy water laden clouds, You with a person with whom you would love to share this lovely moment gifted by Nature, over steaming mugs of Hot Chocolate or Masala Chai and aromatic candles, final touch for that absolute romantic atmosphere with your favorite music playing in the background……..The Confluence is one such album which will lend that finishing touch to such blissful moments……….
The Confluence
The Confluence is a fusion of the East with the West , the santoor versus (or rather-with) the Piano, Rahul Sharma and Richard Clayderman.
About Rahul Sharma:
To introduce him – Son and youngest disciple of India’s greatest Santoor* Vaadak Shiv Kumar Sharma. Started learning the Santoor when he was 12 and first performance at 24 (Norway festival 1996), he has come a long way in a short span, today being the most sought after santoor player-not only in India, but all over the globe. Extremely innovative and experimentative, Rahul is sure Maestro in the Making !
Santoor is a Persian instrument (in Persian – it means a hundred strains) introduced in Indian classical music during the 15th century, very similar to the hammered dulcimer. A flat instrument made of a wooden box, the santoor has 30 to 40 groups of 3 iron strings, played with two metal forks. In Sanskrit , its called the Shata Tantri Veena - or the hundred stringed flute
About Richard Clayderman:
Richard Clayderman has done what virtually no other French act has ever done..... established a truly international career as a best selling recording artist and concert performer.
His father, a piano teacher, laid the foundation for his son’s later success and began teaching him how to play at a very young age. It is said that, at the age of six, Richard Clayderman could read music more adeptly than his native French.
It was the start of what has become an outstanding success story, and since that time, Richard Clayderman’s distinctive piano style has earned him superstar status all over the world. Today he has recorded over 1, 000 melodies
Tracks
Each track is a masterpiece by itself, would be an impossible task to compare them with each other. Each one would evoke different feelings in different listeners depending on the mood and the surroundings and ofcourse vary with the person you are listening with………..
My personal favourite out of the 10 is Jaisalmer and hence the special details !!
1. Together - Piano and Santoor
(Rahul Sharma)
2. Jaisalmer - - Piano and Santoor
(Rahul Sharma)
Here- one actually gets transported amidst the sand dunes, camels, the beauty of this place called Rajasthan- one can feel and experience the colour and the romance , the beauty of the deserts in its ultimate form. The santoor dominates in the major part of this track ! Exceptionally haunting and exquisite- If the beauty of Indian Deserts had to be done in a musical form, it couldn’t be done better than this.
3. Yeh hai bambai meri jaan - - Piano and Santoor
(O. P. Nayyar / Majrooh Sultanpuri / Jannissar Akhtar / CID)
4. Blues heaven - - Piano and Santoor
(Rahul Sharma)
5. Tere ghar ke saamne -- Piano solo
(Shankar Jaikishan / Harsrat Jaipuri / Asli Naqli)- It makes you realize the talent of Richard- at how seemingly effortlessly he plays this Hindi Film number as a solo, absolutely melodious.
6. Ecstasy - - Piano and Santoor
(Rahul Sharma)
7. Dekha ek Khwab - - Piano and Santoor
(Shiv Hari / Javed Akhtar / Silsila)
8. Norwegian wood -- Piano
(Lennon / McCartney)
9. Shangrila -- Piano and Santoor
(Rahul Sharma)
10. Celebration - - Santoor solo
(Rahul Sharma)
CREDITS:
Music Arranged by Kishore Desai
Keyboards, Rhythm programming Prasad Sashte
Bass Guitar Dominic Fernandes
Guitar Jayanti Gosher
Flutes Rakesh Chaurasia
Dholak and Tablas Bhavani Shankar
Produced by Paul de Senneville, Olivier Toussaint and Rahul Sharma
Snippets:
This kind of an album is the first of its kinds to hit the market
Album to look forward to:
Music of the Himalayas- Rahul Sharma- to be released in July
Not many are aware that Rahul Sharma was Music Director of the movie-Mujhse dosti karoge- The Rani-Kareena-Hrithik Starrer.
At the age of 29, Rahul Sharma has established himself as a Classical musician with 12 Music album releases to his credit
Play it (in addition to when its raining)….
As you wake up in the morning
As a music for meditation
As a de-stressor by itself
On long drives
Softly in the background at your Work-place / Cabin
Lounge Music in Hotels
Just about anywhere and everywhere !!
To end it all, it’s a must-buy/ must-hear, for connoisseur of Fusion Music, Indian Music, Western Music, in short for all music lovers. It will be a wonderful addition to anyone’s music collection and completely worth the buy !!
P.S.
Haven’t gone too much in details of the music as I am no authority on either santoor or piano, just felt like sharing my thoughts as a listener !! And this makes wonderful listening !
Love to hear your comments