I immensely liked songs of the Pakistani group Fuzon that were used in the movie "Hyderbad Blues -2"; I would even venture so far as to say "Tere Bina" and "Mora Saiyaan" were the saving graces of that movie. These two along with other excellent songs such as "Aankhon Ke Saagar" and "Saagar" can be heard in Fuzon's full length album "Saagar".

Apart from the soft pop idiom of Fuzon, two excellent songs from across the border that have recently captured my ears: the qawaali laced Man Ki Lagan and Jiya Dhadak Dhadak Jaye. Both these songs are sung very beautifully by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, nephew of great Nusrat. The minimilistic music that uses only two to four intsrutments was composed by a Pakistani based duo Faisal Rafi and Rohail Hyatt. In a Rediff interview, Faisal says that instead of receiving credit for their compositions, these were attributed to that great copycat Anu Malik, possibily because the movie makers (Pooja & Mahesh Bhatt) feared a saffron backlash. A WTF moment this one! I hope they come out with an album soon, so that I can send some $$ across the border.

While mucking around YouTube last night during a conversation with K, we both agreed that there was enough material over there to run a YouTube version of Chitrahaar. So what is a better way to begin this than with an all Gulzar Chitrahaar (I am sure, K, you will approve. :)).

If you like this idea of blog + YouTube/Google Video Chitrahaar, please create an edition, and leave a link here - I will surely watch it. Also if you think I should do this every so often, let me know your prefrences as well; I am thinking of an Amithab/Big B Edition next.

is the title of the latest offering from the percussion mastero/Dj/ tabla-ist Karsh Kale. My fav tracks are "City Lights" (for the way sitar is used), "Hole In The Sky" (for its hot damn tablas) & "Rise Up".

About two years ago, I managed to catch him spin his wizardry at a club here - the man produces good stuff, let me tell y'all. He also has made some superb live music as part of the Tabla Beat Science collective - the other "Beats" include Zakir Hussian, Talvin Singh, Sultan Khan etc