Jan 13, 2006 07:00 PM
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(Updated Jan 13, 2006 07:00 PM)
Often we see the songs of yore on our TV sets or hear them on the radios or on our hi-fi music systems. But honestly, how many of us listen to them and enjoy them? There are too many distractions clamouring for our attention and we remain preoccupied with our priorities and commitments. In our daily hustle-bustle, we forget that we are missing out on these smaller but infinitely better pleasures of life. And life loses its charm when it is devoid of good soulful music, especially music of the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s ? when the tunes were eminently simple and melodious, the lyrics were sensible and meaningful and the songs, soothing and pleasing to the auditory senses.
Much of what we see and hear today of the golden era of Hindi film music are mostly the popular songs which have, over the years, acquired the status of immortality. Unfortunately, the melodious strains of even these pristine songs are now getting drowned in the clamour and clutter of synthetic sounds of contemporary music. Besides these evergreen melodies, there are other rare song-gems, which are hardly heard today. These tuneful treasures now remain buried under the dust of time and adorn the shelves of only a few privileged collectors of hindi vintage music. In other words, we have reached a sad stage from where the songs of the golden era seem like an unattainable distant dream.
To make this dream come true and to resurrect the glorious melodious past, to perpetuate the great musical works of the legendary maestros and to keep their melodious memoirs alive, KEEP ALIVE was formed.
What is KEEP ALIVE and what makes it so special? It is a 4-hour long programme mostly in the form of a musical biography. ?Keep Alive? is the brainchild of Mumbai based former IDBI employee Manohar Iyer, a Hindi film music lover. ?Keep Alive? is the brainchild of former IDBI employee Manohar Iyer, a Hindi film music lover. Iyer was addicted to Hindi film music from an early age and tuned in to Radio Ceylon for old film songs. His passion continued to grow during his 15-year stint with IDBI as a finance manager. Disillusioned by the growing coarseness and loudness of film music, he decided to do his bit to keep the golden age of music alive and together with a small group of friends, launched Keep Alive.
Keep Alive offers live rendering of songs (a mix of rare and remote, forgotten and less heard and popular songs) by trained and talented young upcoming artistes. The programme is interspersed with rare and interesting anecdotes related to the song and the legend. All programmes are graced by the legends themselves or, where the legends are no more, by their family members.
The inaugural show was organised and presented on 14th August, 1997. The nascent group made a modest start and soon word floated about the activities of the group. Music lovers from all over the city began to associate themselves as members and the mission to Keep Vintage Music Alive gathered momentum. With each year, the madness spread and the magic mesmerized more and more music lovers. From less than 300 members in 1998, the numbers increased more than
ten-fold to 3400 in 2004.
My association with Keep alive is three years young and if words could paint a thousand pictures, I would've very easily told you how Keep Alive enlivens my body, mind and soul... Talking about topics that are close to my heart, has always been a Herculean task. Keep Alive is no exception! Keep Alive touched my heart in may ways, more than one. While enriching and enlightening my life and mind with the magic of music and harmony, Keep Alive has introduced me to some of the finest people, I have ever known... Manoharji is one of them.
I've had the privilege of working with Manoharji and then growing to know him personally. I have been in awe of his anxiety, excitement, tension, detailing and energy that he always employs before each and every program. All through this and amidst the eternal fire fighting, Manoharji, till date has never forgotten to personally invite me for the shows... Knowing him, I am more than sure that he always, invites so many other people, with as much care and respect. Manoharji's passion and seriousness about music, his mad, true and uncompromising love for his work, the genuine and fiery conviction in resurrecting the magic of the golden oldies, inspires me endlessly.
Keep Alive is an experience that is very close to my heart and as a very proud patron, I always keep alive the spirit of Keep Alive amongst all of my friends who love music as much as I do.
To put it simply, Keep Alive is a gift straight from the heart of a golden-hearted man that touches your heart.
If you are a true Vintage music lover, take my suggestion and experience Keep Alive once. I am sure after that, there will be no looking back for you!
