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"Meri Ankhon Mein Ek Sapna Hai" from the Hindi movie Videsh (1977) is probably the funkiest tune out of India that i've ever heard, sang by the greatest playback singer of all time, the late Mohammad Rafi (December 24, 1924 – July 31, 1980). When I first heard this some years back, listening to the guitar riff and drums, I mistakenly took it to be Kool & The Gang. If you've never heard this song, press play and try not hurt your face muscles from twisting it up by taking in all this heavy funk. It's THAT serious.
I've been in mix mode like crazy lately. So here's a mixture of tunes from different parts of Africa, India, South America and the Caribbean, ranging from Reggae, to House, Bhangra, Kwaito and more. Hope you like!
Tracklisting:
01. Punjabi MC - Jogi (Dance Remix)
02. Punjabi MC - Jatt Ho Gaya Sharabi
03. Salif Keita - Kamoukie
04. Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa
05. Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight
06. Pastor Mbhobho - Ayobaness
07. Alaska - Fokol
08. Match & Daddy - Pasame La Botella
09. Comando Tiburon - Dale Candella
10. Guajiros - Veo Veo
11. Luisito Quintero ft. Nina Rodriguez - Music For Gong Gong
12. Ana Tijoux - Shock (Captain Planet Remix)
13. Beenie Man - Swagga Dance
14. Alison Hinds - Baddest Wine
15. Mongo Santamaria - Funk Up
16. Dhanush - Why This Kolaveri Di (Digital Remix)
17. Johnny Pate - Shaft In Africa
18. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Kinky Reggae
19. Beres Hammond - Groovy Little Thing
20. John Holt - Love I Can Feel
21. Shinehead - Golden Touch
Asha Bhonsle reigns supreme as the undisputed queen of recording songs, having recorded more than 12,000 tunes during the course of her six decade career. World renowned for her vocal range and for her versatility, Bhosle's work includes film music (as a "playback singer"), pop, ghazals, bhajans, traditional Indian classical music, folk songs, qawwalis, and Rabindra Sangeets. Apart from Hindi, she has sung in over 20 Indian and foreign languages.
Bhonsle is the first Indian singer to be nominated for a Grammy Award in 1997. She has earned more than 50 awards in music and film, along with various other honors, including an honorary doctorates from the University of Amravati and University of Jalgaon in Literature.
The video below is of a tune she did as a playback singer (a singer who records a tune for an actor or actress to lip sync to in a film, although the original singer may not appear in the film) for the Hindi movie "Caravan". She's also widely recognized as the Queen of Bollywood.
Dr. Natesan Ramani, also known as "Flute Ramani" was born on October 15, 1934 in Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, India. Aside from the influence of his place of birth, Ramani was born into a musical family. Ramani's grandfather, Sri Aazhiyur Narayanaswami Iyer, was his first guru and was a well known flute artist and singer himself. Aware of young Ramani's keen interest in the Carnatic flute, Ramani's initiation to Carnatic music began at the age of five. He is a disciple of the legendary T. R. Mahalingam, known more commonly as "Mali," who first popularized the Carnatic flute in Indian music. The birthplace of Ramani is symbolic in that Carnatic musicians consider Tiruvarur the sacred sanctuary of Carnatic music, being the birthplace of the "trinity" of Carnatic composers, Saint Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Shastri who laid the foundation for the tradition.
As a regular performer and an 'A top' grade artist on All India Radio (AIR), his style and improvisations in the rendition of many compositions of Carnatic music brought him instantaneous fame from state level to national level and famous musicians from all walks of classical Indian music praised his genius including the world famous sitar player Ravi Shankar, who was so impressed and mesmerised with Ramani's unique and brilliant control of sruthi and laya made a personal visit all the way to Ramani's home in South India the very next day to praise Ramani and requested Ramani to stage the world's first Carnatic flute jugalbandhi concert (a North-South collaboration of Indian classical music). Such concerts continually received international popularity and demand with the Carnatic flute, and with Ramani rendering both Carnatic and Hindustani ragas, he was the first Carnatic flautist to create the transparency between Hindustani and Carnatic music across India and in the world.
Although Palladam Sanjeeva Rao was Sharaba Shastri's successor, it was "Mali" and N. Ramani as well as K.S Narayanan (the first disciple of Mali), who brought international attention to the Carnatic flute both in their own distinct flute playing techniques, with the latter two improving on the former's methods. He did so by studying the long bass flutes of the North Indian bansuri genius, Pannalal Ghosh which the later had incorporated successfully in Hindustani concerts. To further enhance tala dynamics, he followed the "GNB" style which was developed by the legendary G. N. Balasubramaniam.
The "Mali" bani encompassed facial expressions such as slight tilting of the head, varied movement of the lips which produced the vocal effect in the Carnatic never explored before by Sharaba Shastri or Palladam Sanjeeva Rao. Bringing out more of the tradition Mali introduced in the playing of the Carnatic flute, Ramani's distinctive style is the transformation of the Carnatic flute into the voice of a proficient Carnatic vocalist. Stressing such importance on the emphasis of vocal style of playing, he displayed characteristics of the human voice in his concerts often observed in his fast paced yet melodious performances. According to Ramani, "Mali's teaching methods were worth emulating. "A good teacher should be open to learning from his students too."
Considered an ace jugalbhandi flautist in the local and international arena, Ramani's contributions to the world of the Carnatic flute are immensely popular, especially the introduction of the duet flute concerts which have gained popular appraisals. He also introduced the long bass flute to increase the reach in the lower octaves. In addition, he introduced the 2.5 pitch flute, which is ideal for violin and veena concerts, keeping the strict tradition of Carnatic music.
At present, Ramani is also actively involved in improving flute playing techniques by experimenting with the sizes of the instrument's finger holes and the length of the flutes, especially in the area where fast tempo ragas can be delivered with ease and ultimately improving the quality and diversity of Carnatic music pieces delivered by the flute.Beyond Carnatic music, his proficiency in Hindustani classical music pioneered the playing of the North Indian bansuri flute in Carnatic music concerts.
Scientifically, he is involved in music research, especially in the effects of Carnatic music on improving the quality of new flutist by exposing the music to the young, and also the possibilities of curing diseases or improving immunity against diseases in humans by exposing to Carnatic music.
Dr. Ramani's performances in All India Radio (AIR) have received numerous praises from renonwned Hindustani and Carnatic musicians alike and his performances overseas had been recognised with numerous awards. Some of the highlights include the Sangeetha Kalanidhi, awarded by the Music Academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, the Sangeetha Acharya award from Wasser College, U.S., the honorary citizenship status in Maryland, Ohio, U.S., and the Padma Shri Award from the President of India. He holds an honorary Cultural Doctorate from The World University of Arizona.
Dr. Ramani is also an innovative teacher. He founded the Ramani Academy of Flute to promote the Carnatic flute to anyone who is interested in learning, regardless of age. As a teacher, Ramani believes that the practical mastery of any art is more important than receiving certificates. As a result, Ramani Academy of Flute does not offer certificates to students except with the rare opportunity to learn under the tutelage of Ramani. This learning policy has made his students well versed in the proficiency of the Carnatic flute and some of them being famed individuals and teachers located around the world.
Freddie Mercury (September 5, 1946 – November 24, 1991)
Indian rock singer Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, East Africa, and spending most of his childhood in India and learned to play piano, starting at the age of seven, had the uncanny ability to listen to the radio and replay tunes which he heard.
Years later, at the age of 12 he formed a cover band with school mates called The Hectics, who replayed tunes from Little Richard and Cliff Richard. At age 17 his family fled from Zanzibar because of the Zanzibar Revolution and moved to London. In London he learned guitar and joined several bands that failed. In 1970, he met guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, who's band was named Smile. Bulsara would eventually convince them both to change the band's name to "Queen" and also changed his surname to Mercury.
Mercury became the frontman for Queen and also wrote several tunes for the band. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range. As a songwriter, Mercury composed many hits for Queen, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Killer Queen", "Somebody to Love", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "We Are the Champions". In addition to his work with Queen, he led a solo career, penning hits such as "Barcelona", "I Was Born to Love You" and "Living on My Own". Mercury also occasionally served as a producer and guest musician (piano or vocals) for other artists.
In 2006, Time Asia named him as one of the most influential Asian heroes of the past 60 years, and he continues to be voted one of the greatest singers in the history of popular music. In 2005, a poll organized by Blender and MTV2 saw Mercury voted the greatest male singer of all time. In 2008, Rolling Stone editors ranked him number 18 on their list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. In 2009, a Classic Rock poll saw him voted the greatest rock singer of all time. Allmusic has characterised Mercury as "one of rock's greatest all-time entertainers", who possessed "one of the greatest voices in all of music".
One of Mercury's most notable performances with Queen took place at Live Aid in 1985, during which the entire stadium audience of 72,000 people clapped, sang and swayed in unison. Queen's performance at the event has since been voted by a group of music executives as the greatest live performance in the history of rock music. Below is the video of that performance from Wembley Stadium.
