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Saaz Aawaz aur Andaaz - Help Revive the Golden Greats
UPDATE 4:
Please tune in on Saturday, April 8, 8 PM PST (Sunday, April 9, 8:30 AM IST) for our next episode. Saaz Aawaaz aur Andaaz with Nitin Shankar (Rhythm Master for RD Burman and other legends)
UPDATE 3:
We successfully completed our event with Accordion Legend Suraj Sathe
UPDATE 2:
We successfully completed our inaugural event with Flute Maestro Mohit Shastry
Please accept our invite for the next event featuring Accordion Legend Suraj Sathe Saaz Aawaz Andaaz - Accordion Legend Suraj Sathe
MISSION:
Bollywood Music used to be created using (mostly) acoustic instrument ensembles since the dawn of the talkies in the 1930s. You could hear the beautifully layered music from the string sections (violin symphonies), sitar, flute, saxophone, accordion, brass, guitar, acoustic drums and percussion as part of a 100-person ensemble. Legendary composers like Naushad, Shankar Jaikishan, SD Burman, RD Burman, Salil da, Lakshmikant Pyarelal and Kalyanji Anandji created timeless music using such ensembles. The ensemble included magnificent arrangers like Manohari Singh (saxophone), Kersi Lord (accordion) and Maruti Rao (rhythm king). Songs from movies like Aawara, Brahmachari, Guide, Teesri Manzil, Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Kabhi Kabhi and Don are still loved by all.
Enjoy the stage presentation by Pyarelal ji and a wonderful team of musicians here
Technological innovation has made it easier for music to be created on synthesizers in much less time. As a byproduct, the magic of the original acoustic music and large ensembles is now a dying art.
“Saaz, Aawaz aur Andaaz” aspires to revive the magnificence of the acoustic instrumental experience, and commemorate the golden era of Bollywood music. We’ll celebrate great practitioners of acoustic instruments by inviting India’s premier musicians to collaborate with singers in the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of the world about once a quarter (more often if the funds permit). The event will follow the classic Saaz aur Awaaz format.
SAAZ: You’ll first hear the legendary musician play the song on their Saaz (flute, accordion, guitar, saxophone, mandolin, harmonica, harmonium etc.).
AAWAZ will then feature the same song sung by a talented singer in the US or other parts of the world.
ANDAAZ: We’ll also explore the “Andaaz”: the intriguing thoughts related to that composition in conversation with the artists.
The quarterly program will be available to online audiences worldwide on Facebook live, Instagram live, and YouTube.
Funds will be used to compensate the legendary musician primarily. Expenses to run the event will be limited to 15% or less. $8,000 will cover quarterly events for the next two years. $10,000 or more will allow the addition of a few bonus events over the next two years.
The inaugural event featured India’s premier flutist, Mohit Shastry. Watch the Mohit Shastry interview by Raju Chithambaram here .
Our upcoming events will feature legendary accordion player Suraj Sathe, RD Burman's Rhythm Master - Nitin Shankar, Bollwood and Marathi Composer and Arranger Anand Sahashrabudhe. Please accept our invitation to the upcoming event with Sura Sathe Saaz Aawaz Andaaz - Accordion Legend Suraj Sathe.
Please contribute to the best of your ability to get this program launched. Our initial contributors, Raju Chithambaram (Andaaz Creations, Bay Area’s premier live band), Atul Dubal (AtulCFP.com financial planning services) and Chetan Patwardhan (Micdrop Karaoke App) are seeding this campaign.
About the authors
Vilas Thuse (fondly called Vilas Da) is a highly respected and renowned Bay Area Community Leader. He’s a musician (Harmonica, Flute, Keys, Vocals) and the founder of the East Bay Music Group, which has been bringing communities together through music since 2010
Raju Chithambaram is the founder and director of Andaaz Creations, a group that has raised $1M in fundraisers through music starting in 1999. Andaaz provides music, support vocals, and sound for the Bollywood pros. Raju has performed on stage with legends like Kavita Krishnamurti and Sadhana Sargam.
Organizer
Raju Chithambaram
Organizer
Fremont, CA