Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The Bollywood Brass Band's Rahmania


An unusual song from an ususual take on an age hold hero - yes I am talking about the song Tauba Tera Jalwa from the movie Dev D - has been topping the charts recently. A song sung and played a brass band - the ones that usually play during weddings - is an interesting concept, but has got little attention compared to its novelty. All attention, and deserving so, has been focused on A. R. Rahman winning the Oscars. But just like the brass band, Rahman has had too little attention in the past. The musician is a true genius - probably the best the industry has - and has been making the nation proud for quite some time. From the usual bollywood tunes, to the patriotic vande matatram and Jaana Gaana Maana, to the musical Bombay Dreams, to chinese movie scores to the Lord of the Rings - he's played'em all.

So whats common between A. R. Rahman and the brass band? Why would one want to talk about a little know brass band and A . R. Rahman?