Bonanza of cassettes

Lilting songs on the religion and the community have been recorded for posterity by two artistes: Marazban Dara Mehta and Jamshed Dinshawji Kotwal. Mehta of Darling Orchestra fame has along with his co-singers Khur­sheed Patel, Ma­raz­ban Wadia, Prakash Upa­dhyay, Pervez Mehta brought out an audio cassette titled Chh­aiye Hame Zarthosti — Parsi religious traditional and comedy songs. The ever popular Chhaiye Hame Zarathosti , Parsi Hame Chhaiye, Enu Naam Te Bawaji, Asho Zarathost Paigambar, Hamari Deen Zarathosti, Koi Puchhe Mane Kya Chhe bring to life the A side. All the six songs on the B side have lyrics by Marazban Mehta’s late father Dara H. Mehta to whose memory this cassette is dedicated. These include Khushi Khushali No, Ghambhir Ghotalo, Aavi Jaa, Avi Jaa, Mara Sum Mara Sum, O Dear Mumbai and a Parsi qawali, Mohobat Bhareli Aankhonye.

Marazban Mehta who has appeared on television and radio as also at very many musicians’ and dramatists’ functions is the lead crooner in his own Darling Orchestra and has mastered different musical instruments like the keyboard, drums, percussion, rhythm congo, bongo, dholak, notes an introduction to the artiste.

Fearing the loss of the vast repertoire of Parsi songs, both amusing and traditional, Marazban Mehta pursued this project for which he received support from The WZO Trust Funds and the Borivli and Suburban Zoroastrian Association. The music credits for this cassette go to Rajesh Mehta with Jayesh Mehta serving as technical advisor. Available at sandalwood shops near Aslaji and Cama Baug agiaries, the cassette is priced at Rs 60 and compact disc at Rs 160.

The WZO Trust has also supported Jamshed Kotwal’s music venture titled Ame Parsi, Ame Great. Among the others to have assisted Kotwal who is the conductor of the band Medley Melodies are Zoroastrian Studies, Bombay Parsi Punchayet, Jamshed Guzder, and Gool and Dr Roshan Ghaswala, most of whom were present at the release of the cassette under the aegis of the Musicians and Dramaticians Combine Society on November 2, 2001 at Bombay’s New Bharda High School when some of the items were presented live on stage. The cassette includes songs in praise of Zarathushtra, the atash padshah and a few foot-tapping comic songs never heard before, notes the accompanying literature.

(From left) Rustom Tirandaz, Dinshaw Tamboly, Dr Roshan Ghaswala, Bachi Tamboly and Kotwal at the release of his cassette. Center: Kotwal (top) and Mehta with their audio jackets

Songs composed by Ardeshir Khabardar, Dosabhai Desai, Dara Printer, Adi Mirza, Phiroz Batliwala and other well-known poets have been enthusiastically rendered by Kotwal, Mani Mulla, Zarin Variava, Silloo Shroff, Bepsi Gyara, Viraf Daruwala and Shahrukh Sadri. Giving the musical accompaniment to the seven compositions each on the two sides of the cassette are Jimmy Sahiyar, Julius, Manuel, Romeo, Sudhir and Sunil. Side A of the cassette includes an Invocation, Saras Saothi Kharo Rehber, Jagna Dukhne Harnara Re, Jarthosti to Tene Kahiye, Mahtab Sam Madhuro, Insan Nazerne Samji Le, Aatashni Monajat; with side B accommodating Karo Manoranjan, O Mara Kakaji, Daddy Daddy — Ghoro Karao, Ame Parsi Ame Great, Mane Vahla Re Vahla, Pak Asho Jarthost Hamaro and Chhaiye Ame Jarthosti.

An accountant by profession, for Kotwal who is also a qualified athornan from Navsari, music is a hobby which makes him regale inmates of certain hospitals and homes for the aged, notes a press release. Besides singing he is also familiar with the tabla. From the sale of each cassette priced at Rs 55 and the compact disc at Rs 150, five rupees will go to charity, states the accompanying leaflet announcing the release of the cassette. The cassette is available from Kotwal (Tel: 8813950; Mob: 9820239659); Zoroastrian Studies, K. R. Cama Oriental Institute Building, ground floor, 136 Bombay Samachar Marg, Bombay 400023; Faredun Burjor, Princess Street, Bombay 400002.