sakagaze: music

Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Sunday, August 29, 2021

Spotify, you're bang on!

Spotify couldn't have been more right.

Arijit Singh is my go-to singer whenever I feel like immersing myself in music, be it any kind of mood I'm in, romance being the all encompassing emotional feeling for me.

By the way, ever since I've been hooked to Spotify, there's no looking up other apps for my music binges.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Happy World Music Day (Fête de la Musique)!
It's just another day, another celebration to some,
but to the others, it is a day that is truly special. It is a day on which the world celebrates the magical gift of music. It was conceptualized in France, way back in 1976, by the American musician Joel Cohen. The concept was to celebrate music - all night long - to mark the beginning of the summer solstice.
Since the Eighties, the concept has caught on in a big way with a huge number of countries celebrating in their own way, regardless of the season that one might be experiencing.
The idea is noble..... amateur and professional musicians perform on makeshift stage, often together, to promote the goal of making all genres of music accessible to the masses.
In true sense, it has become a mass movement in not less than thirty odd nations of the world.
Street music has its detractors too, many are averse to the idea of all-night long revelry, the loud music, and the general commotion. The noise restrictions and other norms are thus imposed at most of these open-air free concerts. However, music rules the roost.
'Faites de la musique' (make music) is the slogan that has gained prominence.
Music serves to unite, to build bridges between cultures, and, more than anything else, it fosters harmony, tolerance and peace.
A friend of mine echoes my sentiments in saying, "Music for me is not just a hobby, it is a passion, it is worship, and is akin to oxygen, without which survival is absurd." Many of us genuinely believe that the ones who are blessed musically (and not all are) have the power to rise above all odds, they can heal themselves as well as others. They communicate in the universal language of God.

"Music", in the words of Leonard Bernstein, "can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable."
I believe that our souls are enriched by music that flows eternally, in this universe of ours, in the cosmos.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Gaga-awed & Bieber-ized: Happy World Music Day!

Happy World Music Day, folks!

Today, I would like to talk about two of the hottest (or should it be coolest? Whatever!) music personalities: Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.

I know, many would squirm and giggle, but I can't help admit that these two stars are each a phenomenon on their own, and love them (both have won awards and accolades aplenty) or hate them (they are lampooned in the media the most, each having innumerable haters worldwide), you just cannot ignore them.

Lady Gaga shot to fame in 2008 with her debut album and there has been looking back for this singer who thrives on controversies, sensational stage acts and props-laden glam rock numbers that somehow gel well with all sorts of people who cherish rebellion above all else, and love to celebrate non-conventional lifestyles. As far as her music is concerned, it does not make me a huge fan of hers but I salute her spirit; she seems rather upfront - reminds me of Madonna in her heydays. Her avant garde electronic stuff is actually tempting to groove to. And the songs have a certain honesty which is somewhat liberating. Recommended listening (for all those readers of mine who are yet to swing and sway to Lady Gaga's music: "Born this way".

Justin Bieber too was discovered in 2008, on Youtube (of all places!) by his would-be manager and he became a sensation since his debut release in 2009. His popularity reached astronomical heights with every single of his becoming a major hit, biggest ever for a guy his age (Bieber is just seventeen now!) and his sugary sweet pop songs have connected instantly with teenagers (mostly girls though) all over the world. The 3D biopic concert film of Justin's, that released early this year (not in Kolkata though) has become a rage, and Bieber-mania still happens to rule.

My favorite Justin Bieber song: "Never say never" (featuring Jaden Smith).

Monday, December 22, 2008

The Song of the Heart

Who doesn't like to sing?
Let me clarify, I am talking about singing in general; for example, singing in the choir, the shower or car, or even in a local pub or bar on karaoke night. The kind of singing that comes straight from the heart. That has nothing to do with how skilled or trained a person is or isn't as a singer. Singing, that is singing the song of the heart, is a proven positive and is regarded by all experts as healthy pastime.
It shouldn't surprise one to be told that cutting loose with a song playing over the radio can offer real, tangible, personal benefits.
Let me explain why....
To begin with, most of us sound better singing along with another voice, even if that voice comes from the radio. While we are singing, we are also toning our abdominals and diaphragm, boosting our circulation, increasing our oxygen intake and improving our lung capacity. Singing eases muscle tension and relaxes the body and the mind.
And what about singing in the shower? Isn't it wonderful how great we sound in the shower, even if we normally don't sing that well? The reason for this is that the shower acts like a professional sound booth, with the water absorbing the echoes from our voices. As a result, we can get volume, nice reverberation, and even a little bass in that space. Furthermore, our singing creates sound frequencies that actually stimulate a pleasure center in our brains. So, it's no surprise that we hop out of the shower feeling happier and better prepared for the day, no matter how good or bad our singing may have been.
Singing with other people, as one may do in a choir, also provides a positive boost, stimulates a pleasure centre, and has a social benefit. Research shows that people who sing in groups, like choirs, tend to feel more involved with their communities and more interested in participating in activities that benefit the community as a whole. So, singing may in fact help us become a better citizen!

I hope that the next time YOU are singing in the shower, or the next time YOU find yourself belting out the song of the heart in the morning, and even if YOU just hum it a little louder, YOU will feel even better about this positive pastime.
[Pic courtesy: 'Into the Wild', Picasa]

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

My ten all-time favorite Hollywood soundtracks

Any list of this nature is bound to be non-exhaustive, as there are far too many original soundtracks that are my eternal favorites. However, I have dared to come up with an all-time favorites list, limiting the number to just ten.
My favorite composers are James Horner, Hans Zimmer, Randy Newman, Alan Menken, John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, John Barry, Philip Glass and Jerry Goldsmith, and several other musical giants of Hollywood who have, time & again, proved that a great original score can lift a movie by several notches, and, in case of of a promising movie material, the score simply translates the scenes into pure magic.
Alas, I couldn't include all the great compositions of the masters in this very listing. But, this I can assure that the ones I've named are close to my heart. Each album generates a deep personal association, with the movie, and the tracks.
The names in the list aren't in any order, chronological or preferential.