Partners in rhyme

Review

Good music always withstands the test of time as it is timeless. Father-son duo Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Salil Bhatt’s latest music album, ‘The Generations Series’, is an example of this unique quality.

This album highlights the importance of Indian classical music and how it carries on from one generation to the other. This album features the formidable combination of Grammy award winner Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and his son, Canadian Grammy nominee Salil Bhatt, world renowned artistes and creators of Mohan Veena and Satvik Veena respectively.

“This album is really special as we have come together like this after a decade and I was really looking forward to it,” says Salil. Adds Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, “Music runs in our family. I am so glad that Salil has worked and practiced hard to carry the legacy forward.” Incidentally, the entire album has a feel of live music and this is because it was okayed in a single take without any editing.

Salil, who is known for his high energy performances, is all praise for his father — “Panditji is so dangerously knowledgeable that it set my mind to hyper mode and I was thinking in the speed of light. It was thrilling to match his speed and it felt great to get a couple of appreciative glances from him and I can safely say that I came out with flying colours.”

The camaraderie the musical duo has shared reflects in each of the compositions in the album and the two distinct styles for the same raga just shows that music interpretations are interesting and intriguing.

The choice of ragas in the album was also not planned but just worked out during the recording. “The only thing I wanted to do is focus on Carnatic music so that it reaches the audience in the North as well,” says Salil. The first raga in the album is Vachaspati, a rare Carnatic scale rendered with high emotion and spiritual energy. The second raga, Nat Bhairav, signifies the beginning of new life with the start of each day.

“Nat Bhairav is a tribute to Pt Ravi Shankar who discovered this raga and is my father’s guru. This album has a noble cause in every way. Whether it is to pay tribute to a legend and wish for his good health or to ensure Carnatic music is heard even in the North, there is a positive connotation that cannot be missed,” says Salil.

The final short presentation of the Dhun Maand, also known as Kesariya Balam, is a rich
tribute to their motherland, Rajasthan. This tune beckons listeners to visit Rajasthan with its quintessential Padharo Mhare Desh theme.

The duo was so mesmerised performing that they actually lost track of time during the recording. The album is likely to be nominated for the upcoming Global Indian Music Awards. “Since both of us were busy doing solo shows, it was really nice to play together and the synergy we created was perfect. We hope to do more such work together,” says Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.

This is certainly a masterpiece from two talented musicians. Get your copy today!