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Dhaka Day by Day

Evening of Fun

by S Bari
First we had Jagjit and Chitra. A few weeks ago. we had Bhuplnder and Mllalee fly in from Bombay. Now we have Dhaka's home-grown Dalia Naushecn and Azaad Hafeez, a husband and-wife (now why Is It never called wifc-and-husband?) duo who sing everything ranging from Rablndrasangcet to old Bengali film songs with great gusto.
Their programme at the National Museum auditorium, organized by Surmala. began fashionably late: by half-an-hour. This is now generally recognized by veteran Dhaka audiences as essentia] gossip time. Let me elucidate (for those lucky enough not to have experienced it): this is 30 minutes of Oh my goodness what a lovely saree. How is the little one. Your latest book was just too good, and the perennial. It's so hard to find nice boys these days. Upon completion of this ritual, the lights were dimmed and we all leaned back with the air of people who have accomplished their good deed of the day.
Dalia and Azaad excel at different kinds of singing: Dalia Is at her best in raga-based Nazrul or modern songs, while Azaad's talent lies tn old Bengali songs and romantic ditties of the SD Burman type. This Is why Dalla s Aadho raate Jodi ghum was enchanting, as well as her Mor ghumo ghore elo natobar, In which her command of the intricacies of the notes came out very well. It was a pleasure to hear such effortless climbing to the highest notes and such easy play on tunes. In spite of excellent instrumental accompanists, there was one faux pas: santoor player Muhammad Nurul Huq misled Dalia Into starting several octaves too high, for her Ke dilo khonpate. It Is proof of the flexibility of the singer's voice that she somehow managed to sing through the high parts with a minimum of schrecchtng or tonelessness. She was obviously uncomfortable, but enough of a performer to realise that the show must go on.
Where Dalia falters is not in her voice or its exquisite melodiousness. The trite would label it 'lack of soul'. This reviewer hesitates to use such labels, but gropes in vain for a definition of what Is missing In her singing. The duo began their evening with Dwijcndranath's Chahl atripto nayone tor mukhopaane. The tune was perfect, the voices rose and fell just right (though Azaad did seem a bit hesitant), but the song requires that It be sung with faith. Dalia's ktrton. Mor Madhobo-shunyo. had that same requirement, also unfulfilled. The hearer is left feeling Incomplete, as If some message in the song has escaped the singer, and therefore failed to reach the audience. In Bengali, one
would call it bhakti: and neither Dalia nor Azaad has achieved it.
But their lighter songs were a delight. Anyone who has seen them sing tn private knows how well they co-ordinate their lines and the pleasure they take In singing together. Azaad's Mono dilo no bandhu brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience. Few male singers in Dhaka have the depth of romanticism in their voices that Azaad has maintained. And though a romantic voice Is often his handicap when he tries heavier stuff, there Is no doubt that he is made for songs like Amaye proshno kare neel dhrubotaaro and Dakatia banshl. During these songs the audience hummed and generally drowned itself tn the music with an abandon that should warm any performer's heart.
Their duets, especially Amaar et gaane and Shedin aar kato dure, were well-matched. The latter was the Ideal show-closer, an Interesting tune from Salil Chowdhury. Rare in Dhaka Is a well-laid out show. In which song follows naturally upon song. Dalia and Azaad planned their programme well: the flow from Aamaaro paraanoJaha chaye (the only Rablndrasangeet, and sang surprisingly well by Azaad) to Bengali film songs and raga-based Nazrulgectt seemed effortless. The couple should look into their lyrics, though. The last stanza of Atulprasad's Jabo na Jabo na reads Hanshe nabo bidhu. and not nabo bandhu. as was sung that night. Singers who do not know whether it is the moon that is smiling or the beloved have some thinking to do about devotional songs and such poem-centric songs as those of Tagore.
A refreshing bit of backdrop to Dalia and Azaad's lovely voices was the original Instrumental accompaniment. Milon Battacharya on the tabla. Sunil Kumar Das on the violin, Muhammad Nurul Huq on the santoor and Yusuf Khan on the sarod brought a festive ring to the whole programme. The accompanying music was well-composed and innovative. In Azaad's Aami cheye cheye. the interludes were a musical piece worth mention.
Though veteran Kallm Sharaft was invited to lend the evening an air of seriousness, luckily It was anything but serious. Dalia and Azaad would do well to steer clear of songs that ask for depth of interpretation and heavy philosophical understanding: their programme was at Its shining best when they enjoyed what they sang. It was light, 1t was fun. and it was a delight to listen to their old songs and their Nazrulgeetl, enhanced by a fine set of instrumentalists. At least one of us in the audience looks forward to more of the same.