Wednesday, 1 July 2015

The Feminine Spirit... Set Free


The creative process is an ongoing endeavour with Sanjo and Chandrani – especially Chandrani, whose lyrics are often triggered by sudden unpredictable bursts of inspiration. It was precisely in such a carefree, exuberant state-of-mind that she penned the lyrics of a song about women’s emancipation.

The song is called Jaana Kahaan Hai. The words capture with inspiring adroitness the sense of sheer exhilaration experienced by the emancipated woman, unshackled from the suffocating restrictions of orthodox society, set free – to follow her heart and her dreams. This sense of freedom rings out loud and clear in every line of the song.

Chandrani wrote this song at a time when Sanjo was away on a multicity tour. Usually, after Chandrani is through with the lyrics the mantle passes to Sanjo who composes the melody and arranges the music. However, in this case the song had shaped up so well that she couldn’t wait till Sanjo returned. Spurred on by her restless creative spirit, she took on the role of the composer; she picked her guitar up and composed the melody.

This song is, therefore, the first published work in Sanjo & Chandrani’s oeuvre where Chandrani has worn both hats – lyricist and composer.

You can listen to a short audio clip of the song here:


JAANA KAHAAN HAI
Lyrics by Chandrani
Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

JAANA KAHAAN HAI
NA JAANA DIL YEH
MANZIL NAYI HAI
NAYI HAI RAAHEIN

KOHREY MEIN DOOBA THHA MANZAR
DHUNDHLI YAADON KE SAAYE
GHAM SE BHAREY THHEY JO LAMHE
PEECHHEY REH GAYE WOH SAAREY

KEHTA HAI DIL YEH
CHALNAA HAI AAGEY
MANZIL NAYI HAI
NAYI HAI RAHEIN

JAANA KAHAAN HAI…

TORHEY HAI SAAREY WOH BANDHAN
ARMAANON KO JO ROKEY
JHONKA HAWA KA WOH AAYA
KHUL GAYE SAAREY JHAROKHEY

AMBAR MERA HAI
MERI HAI ZAMEEN YEH
MANZIL NAYI HAI
NAYI HAI RAHEIN

JAANA KAHAAN HAI…



You can buy the Song/Album here:



If you would like to get in touch with Sanjo & Chandrani, you can write to them at: sanjoandchandrani@gmail.com


Thursday, 4 June 2015

A Song for The Planet


Today is World Environment Day. This is a subject that is very close to Chandrani’s heart. And as for Sanjo, almost every show he does has a segment that draws attention to various ecological, conservation, pollution and habitat issues. In fact, as Sanjo The Balladeer, he has an entire show titled Earth Eulogy to spread awareness on sensitive environmental issues.

The title song on Sanjo & Chandrani’s second studio album – Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab – is dedicated to Planet Earth and the urgent need to preserve her fragile ecosystems. It talks about all the damage that humankind is doing to Earth and raises a plaintive cry that says: Stop it – enough is enough!

Chandrani who wrote the lyrics for this moving environmental anthem explains: “The song has a single-minded message: Save the Earth. We aren’t being preachy in this song; we are simply reminding everyone that the environment is a part of us, and we are an integral part of the environment. So if we selfishly destroy our environment, in effect we are destroying ourselves – and future generations.”

The power of this song stems from its honesty and its simplicity. There is no grandstanding or any pontificating. As Chandrani says: “This song is just a cry from the heart; a plea to do our bit to save what we have left today – because if we don’t, all will be lost… we will be lost.”   

Sanjo is gratified by the way the audience responds to this song every time he performs it. “One can clearly see that the song has touched them at some level”, he says. “The wholehearted participation of the audience in the song’s two-line refrain tells me that they identify strongly with the message. And when I see children joining in, it leaves me with hope for the future because these kids are tomorrow’s Change Agents.”



HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
Lyrics by: Chandrani
Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

ZARA ZARA AASMAN GUM HO RAHA HAI KAHIN
THORHI THORHI SIMAT RAHI HAI YEH ZAMEEN
SOCHO ZARA KHO JAAYE NA BEHTI NADI

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
SAB MEIN HAI HAM HI


ANDHERA KAALA DHUAAN WOH CHHOONEY LAGA AASMA
KHONEY LAGA HAI TAARON KA SHAAMIYAANA
OH-HO-HO-HO…
ANDHERA KAALA DHUAAN WOH CHHOONEY LAGA AASMA
KHONEY LAGA HAI TAARON KA SHAAMIYAANA
KAR DO SUBAH KHONEY NA DO APNI ZAMIN

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
SAB MEIN HAI HAM HI


THAAM LO YEH HAWA GUZAR JAANEY NA DO
BAANDH LO YEH MEHAK BIKHAR JAANEY NA DO
PARCHHAAYIYAAN BAN JAAYE NA BAHAAREIN SABHI

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
SAB MEIN HAI HAM HI...





You can listen to a short audio clip of the song here:



If you would like to buy the song online, you can find it here:




If you’d like to get in touch, you can write to Sanjo & Chandrani at: sanjoandchandrani@gmail.com

Can Do, Will Do, Won't Fail!


As a balladeer with a strong social slant to his messaging, Sanjo sings extensively about the problems the world is currently facing – ecological depredation, social injustice, war, civil conflict, poverty, hunger, etc. And yet, the broad overriding message emanated by The Balladeer is always positive. He sings of overcoming these problems, he sings of a triumphant future in which these problems will be a thing of the past.

There is a song on Sanjo & Chandrani’s second album that exemplifies this state of mind. The song is called ‘Haathon Ki Lakeeron Ko’ and it underlines the idea that a positive outlook is a powerful weapon against angst, depression and defeat. With a positive state of mind, one can snatch victory from the very jaws of defeat.

Speaking about this song, Sanjo says: “When Chandrani came up with the lyrics for this song, I realized they were powerful and hard-hitting. And I had to compose the tune in a manner that did justice to the lyrics. At the same time, I wanted to avoid a tone and tenor that sounded preachy or patronising because we were, predominantly, talking to a youth audience. So I gave the song a very smokey-blues kind of flavour and sang it with a sort of Devil-may-care attitude.”

Explaining the lyrics, Chandrani says: “The song is essentially about snatching from Fate, what we want out of Life. It’s about tenacity, willpower, confidence and a never-say-die attitude.”


HAATHON KI LAKEERON KO
Lyrics by: Chandrani
Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

HAATHON KI LAKEERON KO
MORH KE DIKHAAYENGE
SAPNO MEIN HAI JO CHHUPI
DUNIYA WOH PAYENGE
MANZIL KO YAHAAN KADMON PE LAAYENGE

HAATHON KI LAKEERON KO
MORH KE DIKHAAYENGE


JAAM HAATHON MEIN HAI
SHAAM AANKHON MEIN HAI
HAR GHAM YAHAAN BEH JAAYENGE
AANSOO SE HI KHUSHIYAAN LE AAYENGE

HAATHON KI LAKEERON KO
MORH KE DIKHAAYENGE


RAAT GEHRI MAGAR
CHAAND HAI HAMSAFAR
PARCHHAAYIYAAN GHUL JAAYENGE
RAATON SE HI SUBAH LE AAYENGE


HAATHON KI LAKEERON KO
MORH KE DIKHAAYENGE
SAPNO MEIN HAI JO CHHUPI
DUNIYA WOH PAAYENGE
MANZIL KO YAHAAN KADMON PE LAAYENGE
HAATHON KI LAKEERON KO
MORH KE DIKHAAYENGE


You can listen to a short audio clip of this song here:



You can buy the song along with other songs from the album (Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab) here:




Monday, 4 May 2015

Nothing Cool About Drugs... Choose Life Instead


Since Sanjo is known as an artiste who sings extensively about social causes, often people from various NGOs and social organisations approach him to perform or create songs for specific causes. One such organisation working in the drug addiction rehabilitation space wanted Sanjo to open a show with a song addressed to school and college students, warning them about the dangers of drug dependence.

When Sanjo sat down with Chandrani to get the song written, both of them agreed that a preachy or moralising stance would not work given the youthful profile of the target audience. Going in a completely different direction, Chandrani crafted the lyrics as though they were being sung by the very youngsters being targeted. Putting a completely different spin on it, she writes about the joy and passion of feeling alive as being incomparable with the stupor, dissipation and degeneration that drugs invariably cause.

Chandrani explains: “There is a dark intro that underlines the problem and paints a stark picture of the havoc that drugs can play in one’s life. But after that, the song is positive all the way. It is an affirmation by the youth that they are totally capable of having a great time without needing drugs as some kind of crutch or pick-me-up.”

Sanjo adds: “The song is so positive in its outlook that I actually perform it as a lively dance number. The lyrics are quite in-your-face at times; there’s a part in the chorus which taunts drugs by saying ‘what the f*** gives you the idea that you can trap me in your web of addiction!’ In essence, the song is all about breaking free and living life to the max.”

HAM CHALEIN
Lyrics by: Chandrani
Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

NAAM ISKA ZEHAR JAAN LO
BAAZI HAI BICHH GAYI MAAN LO
MAUT SE UMRA TUM MAANG LO
WAQT HAI ZINDAGI THAAM LO

HEY-HEY-HEY-HEY…
HAM CHALEIN THO CHALEIN YEH JAHAAN
HAM RUKEY THO THHAMEY KAARVAAN
HAM HANSE THO CHHAAYE ROSHNI
HAM SE HI HAI YAHAAN HAR KHUSHI

PHIR BHALA RAAT KI KYA MAJAAL
HAM PE DAALEY JO NASHE KA JAAL
TORH DE HAM YAHAAN BANDISHEY
HAR NASHA HAR ZEHAR SE PAREY

HAM CHAL PARHEY HEY-HEY-HEY…


PHOOL SE TITLI SE HAI YAARI
KHUSHBOO SE RANG SE HAI BHARI
OS KI BOODON SE HAI DHULI
ZINDAGI YEH MERI YEH TERI

PHIR BHALA RAAT KI KYA MAJAAL…

HAM CHALEIN THO CHALEIN YEH JAHAAN
HAM RUKEY THO THHAMEY KAARVAAN
HAM HANSE THO CHHAAYE ROSHNI
HAM SE HI HAI YAHAAN HAR KHUSHI

PHIR BHALA RAAT KI KYA MAJAAL
HAM PE DAALEY JO NASHE KA JAAL
TORH DE HAM YAHAAN BANDISHEY
HAR NASHA HAR ZEHAR SE PARHEY

HAM CHAL PARHEY HEY-HEY-HEY…



Listen to a short audio clip of the song here:




You can buy the song along with other songs, or the entire album here:


Note: To buy a song, register on the OK Listen website and click on the orange button next to the black “Play” button. To buy the album, scroll down to the point below the album image and click on the large orange button.


To get in touch with Sanjo & Chandrani, you can write to them at: sanjoandchandrani@gmail.com




Tuesday, 21 April 2015

A Treasure House of Happy Memories


During an interview with the radio station AIR Twin Cities FM, Sanjo (popularly known as Sanjo The Balladeer) stated that the hallmark of his shows was that they made you think; they made you aware of situations and adversities surrounding the human condition; they made you see different (sometimes unfamiliar) facets of aspects like development, land acquisition, gender violence, etc. Underlining this point, Sanjo told the RJ: “My songs aren’t really the kind that you would get up and dance to.”


Well, there’s an exception… an upbeat, foot-tapping, grooving exception. It’s a song called ‘Yaadein’ from Sanjo’s second studio album (titled Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab) with Chandrani. The song has an edgy backbeat that gets your foot tapping. It makes you want to get up and dance. And many people actually do! On several occasions when Sanjo has performed this song, the area immediately in front of the stage has been spontaneously converted into a makeshift dance-floor by enthusiastic members of the audience.

Chandrani, who wrote the song, explains what it’s all about: “There is an oasis of joy and happiness within each of us. It’s made up of all our happy memories… it doesn’t matter if these joys are big or small. These memories can help us forget all the stress and problems that Life places in our path. The song is essentially an invitation to keep creating an everlasting chain of new memories.”

“It’s like we have this... well... Happiness Databank inside us”, adds Sanjo. “The song encourages us to keep adding newer memories to this Databank – every day of our lives.”

YAADEIN
Lyrics by: Chandrani
Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

YAADEIN
CHHOTI CHHOTI YAADEIN
CHHOTEY CHHOTEY PAL KO KARTI HAIN SADIYAAN

YAADEIN
CHHOTI CHHOTI YAADEIN
LAMHO KO JODEY HAIN JAISE KI KARHIYAAN

YAADEIN
CHHOTI CHHOTI YAADEIN


SHAAM JO DHALNE KO THHI
NA DHALA AAJ BHI
RAAT JO JAANE KO THHI
DHOONDE KAHIN ROSHNI

YEH ZINDAGI
YAADON SE HI
HUI HAI KAHIN THEHRI

YAADEIN
CHHOTI CHHOTI YAADEIN


BEETEY LAMHEIN KAI
CHHUP GAYE HAI KAHIN
MUSKURAATI HANSI
KHILKHILAATI KHUSHI

PEECHHEY MURHTEY HI
MILTI HAI KAHIN
GUZRI HUI EK HANSEE

YAADEIN
CHHOTI CHHOTI YAADEIN


ROSHNI BANKE YEH
REH JAATI HAIN YAADEIN
ANDHERE JAB CHHAAYE
JUGNU YEH BAN JAAYE

AAJ KA YEH PAL
PHIR MILEGA KAL
BHAR DO ISMEIN KHUSHIYAAN TUM SABHI

YAADEIN
CHHOTI CHHOTI YAADEIN…


Listen to a short audio clip of the song here:



You can buy the song along with other songs, or the entire album here:


Note: To buy a song, register on the OK Listen website and click on the orange button next to the black “Play” button. To buy the album, scroll down to the point below the album image and click on the large orange button.


Monday, 20 April 2015

A Song for Mother Earth


Sanjo (popularly known as Sanjo The Balladeer) had just got off the stage after headlining an event commemorating One Billion Rising – a global protest against the ever increasing levels of violence against women. A reporter from a well-known mainline daily newspaper was waiting to interview him. The reporter’s first question (obviously intended to provoke Sanjo) was: “Why are you jumping on to the protest bandwagon?” Without batting an eyelid Sanjo replied: “Actually, I jumped on to the protest bandwagon thirty years ago and I still haven’t jumped off!”

In truth, it would be more accurate to say that it is the protest bandwagon that has been following Sanjo around. For decades, he has been using music, and in particular, ballads, to create awareness on burning social issues. His well-known shows like ‘The Songs of The Balladeer’, ‘Earth Eulogy’, ‘The Power of Protest Songs’, and ‘FolkTree’ all carry a strong social message.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Sanjo’s second studio album in collaboration with his trusted singer-songwriter-composer partner, Chandrani, is a thought-provoking collection of beautifully crafted songs – each focussed on a particular social issue. Every song in this album is written by Chandrani. The album also marks Chandrani’s emergence as a composer. Though she has composed only one song on this particular album, the new material that Sanjo and Chandrani have consistently been working on over the years includes several compositions by Chandrani – but more on that later.

In this article, we shall focus on the title track from the new album: Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab. Many fans rate it one of the most brilliant songs from Sanjo & Chandrani. It conveys, in no uncertain terms, that destroying the environment is a sure-fire way of finishing ourselves off.

The central premise of the song is that we, as humanity, are seamlessly and intimately interconnected with our ecological surroundings, in a mutually enriching symbiotic relationship. We are one, we are inseparable, and we are interdependent. Thus, when we destroy the environment, it is in reality ourselves that we are destroying.



The premise is encompassed in two searing lines of the emotionally charged chorus:

Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab
Sab Mein Hai Ham Hi


Invariably, when Sanjo performs this song live, the entire audience joins him in the chorus. The evocatively-crafted lyrics are a vital part of the power of this song. During his live shows, Sanjo usually has the lyrics projected on a large screen for the audience to read; and when the audience includes a large number of foreigners, he also projects a line-by-line translation on the screen.

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
Lyrics by: Chandrani
Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

ZARA ZARA AASMAN GUM HO RAHA HAI KAHIN
THORHI THORHI SIMAT RAHI HAI YEH ZAMEEN
SOCHO ZARA KHO JAAYE NA BEHTI NADI

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
SAB MEIN HAI HAM HI


ANDHERA KAALA DHUAAN WOH CHHOONEY LAGA AASMA
KHONEY LAGA HAI TAARON KA SHAAMIYAANA
OH-HO-HO-HO…
ANDHERA KAALA DHUAAN WOH CHHOONEY LAGA AASMA
KHONEY LAGA HAI TAARON KA SHAAMIYAANA
KAR DO SUBAH KHONEY NA DO APNI ZAMIN

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
SAB MEIN HAI HAM HI


THAAM LO YEH HAWA GUZAR JAANEY NA DO
BAANDH LO YEH MEHAK BIKHAR JAANEY NA DO
PARCHHAAYIYAAN BAN JAAYE NA BAAHAAREIN SABHI

HAM SE HI HAI YEH SAB
SAB MEIN HAI HAM HI…



Listen to a short audio clip of the song here:



You can buy the song along with other songs, or the entire album here:


Note: To buy a song, register on the OK Listen website and click on the orange button next to the black “Play” button. To buy the album, scroll down to the point below the album image and click on the large orange button.


Friday, 10 April 2015

A Never Ending Musical Journey


It has now been more than a decade of creating music together. For Sanjo and Chandrani, the creative process is spontaneous, passionate and carefree. Except for their first round of compositions, they have not enmeshed themselves in a label’s contractual obligations. They write, compose and create whatever they want to – and that’s what listeners love about their music. It is meaningful, deep and evocative. This was, in fact, a recurring theme in the enthusiastic reviews that their first album, Barson Huey, met with.

This musical journey started in 2001 when Chandrani joined Sanjo for the first album (that is a story that has already been told in an earlier post on this blog). Prior to that, their musical paths were dramatically different. Sanjo is a self-taught musician. He learnt the tabla at the age of seven under the tutelage of the late Manik Das, an artiste from the rigorous Benares Gharana. Once the pressures of school, homework and exams set in, Sanjo left playing the tabla altogether – returning to music years later when he picked up the guitar at the age of sixteen.

In complete contrast, Chandrani is a trained Hindustani classical music vocalist. “My mother literally forced me into music at a very tender age against my wishes”, says Chandrani, “and I slowly started to understand and develop a love for this form of art; today I thank her every day for pushing me into music as a child.”


The contrasts don’t end with just their backgrounds – their approach to music as artistes is also markedly different. Sanjo prefers to take his music to a live audience, performing extensively in various cities across India. He likes to make a direct connection with the listeners; he wants to make eye contact with his audience during his shows. And for many of his own songs, he actually prefers the live version instead of the recorded version.

Chandrani, on the other hand, prefers the privacy and tranquillity of the music studio, its relative anonymity, and the silence that bounces off its heavily insulated walls. She believes that she sings best within the isolated confines of the recording room… just herself, her microphone and her songs.

And this is what we have grown accustomed to seeing over the years – Sanjo actively present on the live music circuit while Chandrani has been far away from the public gaze, writing and composing new material.

It is this new material – or to be more accurate, some of this new material – that forms their recently released second studio album titled Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab. This is a collection of songs on various social issues ranging from the preservation of the environment, drug addiction and women’s empowerment to the need to ease urban angst and the needs of children with disabilities.



To start with, four of the songs from the album have been released in India through the music portal OK Listen. Soon the songs will be available globally through iTunes, Amazon MP3 and several other mainstream digital music distribution platforms.

Right now the songs/album are available on OK Listen and you can buy them here:


The four songs we mentioned are: Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab – the title track of the album, a song that postulates that since we are an integral part of the environment, wanton environmental destruction will merely serve to expedite our own end; Ham Chalein, a carefree, youthful anti-drug song brimming over with confidence and positivity; Yaadein, a “happy-happy” song which affirms that happiness is always within you, locked up in the happy memories of a joyous past; and Haathon Ki Lakeeron Ko, a song that takes the fear of failure head-on and asserts that with the right attitude, you can snatch success from the very jaws of failure.

Short audio clips of all the four songs are available here:

Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab

Ham Chalein

Yaadein

Haathon Ki Lakeeron Ko


This is powerful stuff – rousing lyrics by Chandrani, raising emotions that are exponentially amplified by inspiring, soul-stirring music from Sanjo. In Sanjo’s live concerts (as Sanjo The Balladeer), the songs have been received with immense admiration and appreciation. Songs like Yaadein and Haathon Ki Lakeeron Ko always attract repeat requests.

Last year, Sanjo was performing his iconic show titled Earth Eulogy, commemorating Earth Day. He closed the show with Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab – with the entire audience joining him in the chorus and then rising to give him a standing ovation.




Footnote:
Sanjo & Chandrani's first album, Barson Huey, is also available through OK Listen; buy it online here:




Saturday, 4 April 2015

"That's My Song!"


Whenever Sanjo (popularly known as Sanjo The Balladeer) performs the song Barson Huey onstage, there is at last one person who will come up to him after the show and say: “Hey! That’s my song!” Some time or the other in life, most people have faced the situation and grappled with the emotions depicted in Barson Huey – and that’s why so many people are able to relate to it.


The song is the title track of Sanjo & Chandrani’s debut album – and that happened by accident… kind of! In the early stages of the creative process when the songs were being written and the tunes were being composed, Sanjo was working with another writer. At that time, Chandrani was participating in the project as a singer. Four of the songs were written and composed when the project ran into a roadblock. The songwriter left the project.

Well, four songs do not an album make – so the project would, under normal circumstances, have to be abandoned. That’s when Chandrani stepped in as the songwriter – and the very first song she wrote was this evocative, soul-stirring ballad: Barson Huey.

Earlier, some other song had been selected by the label as the title track – but once the label guys heard Barson Huey, they immediately changed their minds. They saw the song as one that would have universal appeal – reaching out to people from all age groups and of both sexes. And that’s how Barson Huey became the title track.



Barson Huey is a bitter-sweet romantic ballad (but with a lilting reggae flavour); the song looks back with a deep sense of nostalgia and a tinge of sadness at a relationship that didn’t work out. It’s over – and yet hope lingers on…

Here are the breathtaking lyrics of the song, reproduced with permission from Chandrani:

BARSON HUEY

BARSON HUEY TUMSE MILEY
DIL KA YEH AALAM HAI KE
TUM JO YUN ACHAANAK MIL GAYE
MEHFIL MEIN KAR GAYE AKELE

PEECHHEY YUN MURHKE JO DEKHA THO
LEHERA GAYE SAAYE YAADON KE
LAMHE BEETEY AISE JAISE BEETI SADIYAAN
NA JAANE DIN YEH KAB KAISE BEETEY

AB THO KEH DO NA YAAR
KE TUM KO BHI THA PYAAR
SHAAYAD TABHI THO PHIR HUM TUM MILE

TUM NE BHI THO KABHI AANKHON MEIN
BHARE HONGEY SHAAYAD MERE SAPNE
KHOYI HOGI MERI YAADON MEIN
DHOONDA HOGA MUJH KO RAAHON MEIN

MUJH KO DIL HI DIL MEIN CHAAHA HOGA
PYAAR KYA TUMNE BHI MUJH SE KIYA HOGA
CHAAHA TUM CHAAHOGI MUJH KO
PAR KEH NA PAAYA KABHI TUM KO

AB THO KEH DO NA YAAR…

NA JAANE TUM KYUN KHO GAYI
LE KE MERI YAADEIN KAYI
MAIN NE APNE VAADE NIBHAAYE
YAADON MEIN BHI TUM NAHIN AAYE

PHIR KYUN AANKHON SE TERE CHHALKE
LAMHE WOH PYAARE, YAADEIN WOH KAL KE
DIL MERA AB BHI HAI BEKARAAR
AAJ BHI HAI TERA INTEZAAR

AB THO KEH DO NA YAAR…
  


You can listen to listen to a short audio clip of the song here:



And if you would like to buy the song, there is a high-fidelity audio download available here:



Barson Huey has extensively been reviewed on Mouthshut; you can read the reviews here: