Ghulam Ali - Best Of
My introduction to Ghulam Ali is completely thanks to Sanjay Chennapragada, my mercurial friend from engineering college whose focus and passion I haven't seen in many. Sanjay picks something, he gets right into its soul, almost excluding everything else. A sharp, creative mind that's incredibly aware and grounded, he was the epitome of free-spiritedness - the guy who could ride bikes like a dream, the owner of the one Yezdi, national athlete, basketball champion, passionate about food, drink, music, of which he had this eclectic angle - ghazals. Not only did he know ghazals, but he also explained them to us with great patience, explaining the not-so-obvious with such wonder and exuberance that we were caught away in them. He started me on Pankaj Udhas but he always would say, Ghulam Ali, is the best.
Here then are some of those classics we heard over many nights.
Chupke chupke
Awargi
Hangama Hai Barpa
Zakhm-e-tanhayi
One of my most memorable musical events was taking my scooter on a lightly troubled night and heading off to his house at Musheerabad at 10 in the night. I had told him I was coming of course and he understood that there was something serious. We simply planned to listen to some music. He was married then but Tabotha thankfully did not object and so I went and we played music, mostly Hindi songs and ghazals, all of Ghulam Ali's, over a drink or two. I finally got up and headed home at 4 am. We reprised that incident a couple of times more and it's been our event wish that we do an all-nighter with music, just the two of us, once a year.
Without doubt. this cassette and experience is dedicated to C Sanjay - the one and only - who expanded my musical world by some many layers. Thanks Sanjay bhai for the introduction and the experience. I did finally attend a Ghulam Ali concert a few years ago in Hyderabad too!
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