Search - Lata Mangeshkar :: Rough Guide to Bollywood Legend: Lata Mangeshkar

Siren's Voice of a Thousand Passionate Moods

Erika Borsos | Gulf Coast of FL, USA | 04/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one CD I could not pass up ... I already have two CDs where Lata Mangeshkar's voice is the most beautiful and spirited, therefore I had an idea I would be very pleased. Pleased? I am ecstatically happy!!! The incomparable voice, the rhythms, the instruments, the variety of films (1949, 1952, 1960s, at least one from 1970, several from the 1980s, and some from the 1990s), the tabla beat ... I could not ask more from any CD. My heartfelt thanks go out to Ken Hunt who selected the tracks. Additionally, this CD has the most extensive and informative liner notes I have seen in a long time. I can not find enough right words to praise the notes and musical selections on this CD.



REVIEW OF SELECTED CONTENTS:

Track #2 has a devotional theme. It is a magnificent way to begin any CD but especially with the poignant emotional voice of Lata Mangeshkar. It is in the "bhajan" style, which is a devotional hymn. It has a nice lyrical quality that hints at something exciting ... most likely the bright future of this very popular and talented Bollywood legend.

Track # 4 "Sare Shaher Mein" begins with a santoor which I am told is considered an "instrument of romance". There are fantastic clarinet-like or other wind instrument musical passages that sound like the Hungarian tarogato. There are hints of the Meditarranean with bouzouki-like improvisational sections and an intense tabla beat which provides trance-like qualities.

Track #6 "Aye-Dil-E-Nadan" also begins with the santoor and has wonderful orchestral arrangements along with a lovely violin section ... Again the Meditarranean music comes to mind. There are sections with soft waterfall like music which turns into more intense white water rapids at an unexpected bend in the flow of this river of sound.

Track #9 "Yeh Dil Diwana Hai" is very astonishing, exciting music. It is reminiscent of klezmer music and Israeli culture. There are definite hints of Sephardic, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors ... especially when the male voice accompanies Lata Mangeshkar.

Track # 11 "Kuchh Dil Ne Kaha" has Turkish sounding instruments very likely the flute. At times the musical passages change direction and become more Asian, in fact, very Chinese sounding with soft violins, flute music and tinkling instruments like chimes. The music and Lata's voice whisper of Asian sensuality ...

Track #12 "Nainon Mein Badra Chhaye" is among my favorites. Lata's voice is very sweet, accompanied on the santoor, again the thoughts of sailing on the Meditarranean arise. Her voice has unique trills and other variations ... accompanied by the heart beat of the tabla. Absolutely sublime music and her voice is joyful and serene.

Track # 13 "Yara Seeli Seeli" is my other favorite. The title is a refrain in the song and is highly addictive. There is an unbeatable rhythm and tabla beat. The song begins with an instrument which sounds like a Chinese erhu and totally takes me by surprise. There is a clip clop rhythm that develops which is hypnotic. Lata's voice expresses intense emotions. This selection is pure joy ... the listener can not but sing along.



Overall, the whole CD is truly an outstanding representation of the wide range of musical styles and talents posessed by this most famous and beloved playback singer of Indian films.

Erika Borsos (erikab93)"

Rough Guide to Bollywood Legend: Lata Mangeskar

T. Mitra | Aiken, SC United States | 06/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The rough guide to Bollywood LegendsBefore I thank World Music Network, I owe my respect to Jowi Taylor who conducts "Global Village", one-hour show on music from all over the globe. Global Village is a production of Radio Canada International. You can hear the program via Internet or if you have a short wave radio (every Sat, 7 PM to 8 PM, 13785 kHz).
Month of May was celebrated as the Asian Heritage month. In one program, Jowi honored, Asha Bhosle, a female singer from India with narratives. One of her songs was also played. There was a quiz about Asha. If anyone could answer the quiz could win three CDs offered by Jowi.
I did not have the answer for the quiz. I decided to buy them. That is when I had the chance to know World Music Network and their beautiful compilation of songs from Bollywood. I bought these CDs from Amazon.com. These CDs are produced in Great Britain. Each CD comes with a booklet nicely tucked inside the front cover of the jewel case for the CD.
This booklet is a piece of history of Bollywood's movie making and the role of fabulous play back singers. I do not recall history to be written so good, so methodic, on a movie making industry. All the songs have narrations to detail the situation, the mood.
Back cover of the jewel case has nostalgic posture photo, going back even half a century. I find another music lover and scholar, Ken Hurt, in addition to Jowi Taylor. A team of other experts has captured the vivid details about the human face behind the songs.
One not only gets the songs in a CD, but a good flavor contemporary Bollywood. This is not a typical CD, mass-produced, commercially. Price is right. You will love them, if you have any degree of passion about Indian filmy songs."

Goddess of Music

T. Mitra | 01/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Firstly I would like to say, that I have never herd or watched any Bollywood, movies, this all changed when I was in France, for a business trip. Well staying in my hotel I was reading an article in a French English paper. On the front page there was a full story about the Cannes film festival, they had a few pictures of a few Hollywood stars, but the one picture that stood out by far, was of this Indian actress Aishwarya Rai. By far the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life (apart for my wife, lol). It seemed the French media agreed with me, they also debuted her as the most beautiful women in the world. To cut a long story short, I went to watch the movie Devdas, with my wife, even though we did not understand the movie as it was in Hindi, reading the sub titles was enough. I can safely say that it is one the best musical movies I have ever watched. During the end of the movie my wife was in tears, the movie had a profound affect on both of us, so much so that we decided to visit India, during our summer holidays; words can't not describe the beauty of this country. There certain places in India, that can only be descried as heaven. I have to travel a lot for my company; India is by far the best country I have ever been to.



During our visit to India, we bought a few CD's. Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Lata Mangeshkar. Firstly my wife played the CD, I did not think any thing off it, but one day, during my day of work I was going through my CD collection, and came across this CD. I decided to play it, although I did not understand the meanings of the songs, some of the melodies can only be discarded has hypnotic.



The clarity and power of Lata Mangeshkar's Voice is amazing. She is one of the best female vocalists I have ever herd. On par and even better then Mariah Carey here in the states. I have downloaded a few songs. The best include "Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha", "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" and " Kuchh Dil Ne Kaha"



I would recommend that you purchase, this album, (try out the above songs by downloading them, you will be amazed)



I would also recommend that you watch Devdas, and Google up Aishwarya Rai (this women is stunning)



I would also recommend that you visit India, it's a huge country, we have been going for the past 3 years.

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