Anjali Mathur writes about the torchbearer of ghazals, who recently came out with Parwaaz, a collectors’ item of his renderings at the Esplanade in Singapore. 

HE has been described variously as the "messiah of alternative music" and the "last of the puritans". But ask Jagjit Singh and, in his trademark baritone, he will say that he is no more than a "plain lover of poetry".

Probably that explains why in a career spanning over three decades, a singer of his calibre has done so few films. He has by and large, restricted himself to the less remunerative area of cutting ghazal albums and holding stage shows to keep his passion for poetry alive.

Providing an insight into his method of working, Jagjit says it is important to touch the soul of the poet he patronises. "I submerge myself in his poetry. I try to fathom the feelings behind his words and then try to add a nuance to them. Every poem has a certain rhythm and I write the musical score with that in mind. Instead of lacing my compositions with unnecessary alaaps and bandishes, I lay stress on simplicity."

Of late, Jagjit has come out with some hugely popular albums like Close To My Heart in a bid to revive some melodies of yesteryear. The album, apart from ruling the airwaves for several months in running, sold 70,000 copies in CDs and over 500,000 cassettes.

Another notable album is Pray for India, in which he has contributed three songs on communal harmony and brotherhood. But the biggest recent success is Parwaaz, which has become a collectors’ item for its compilation of vintage hits like ‘Hosh walon ko’, ‘Kal chadvin ki raat’ and ‘Woh kagaz ki kashti’.

"Parwaaz is a recording of my live performance at The Esplanade in Singapore. It is one of the most beautiful venues I have been to. The acoustics are great and I really enjoyed singing there. They screen the performers before giving permission and I am really proud to say that I’m the first Indian to have sung there. We need to come out with DVDs and VCDs of the concert to bring home the experience there." — MF

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