Shanker Jaikishen - The Trend Setters, Experimenters and Innovators

Shri Subhash Tiwari writer

of this article

I think it would be proper to dwell a little on the contribution of Shanker Jaikishen as “Trend Setters”, “Experimenters”, and “Innovators”. Actually the cue for this article lies in a discussion on SJ Forum, where one of the participants questioned the Capabilities of SJ vis-à-vis other MDs. With due regards to the abilities of those other MDs and without any offence to them, I insist that SJ were the most important Thing which happened to Hindi Film Music. Let us take a Look at these 3 words, “Trend Setter” “Experimenter”, and “Innovator” Trend Setter is the One who sets the Ball Rolling and others to follow suit. As I stated in my previous post, the 1st era of Hindi Film Music had a Typical Theatrical Composition with a Monotonous Style of singing whether it was KLS, Punkuj Mullick or KC Dey. But the people who created that type of music, did start in Mid 30’s by people like RC Boral who were the Trend setters for that Era. Then came Naushad, who composed “Hum Jeeke Kya Karenge Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya, from “Shahjahan” in 1946, a song which Joined the 1st and 2nd Era. It was Naushad who introduced multi piece Orchestra to Hindi Film Music. He changed the “Single Octave” compositions to “One and Half Octave” compositions just because he got a Great Voice with immense range, “The Phenomenon called Mohd Rafi”. Remember the Orchestration and Chorus of “Udan Khatola” song “O Door Ke Musafir” in 1955. Till then even SJ were not using that type of Orchestra. Their songs comprised highlights of individual instruments, like Mandolin and Accordion in Awara songs, (Even the great dream song had only a few instruments, with a special crescendo effect in the end). So the credit for Setting the Trend of High Octave songs and Orchestration in the 2nd Era goes to Naushad Ali.It was the 3rd ling Era of nearly 25 years which saw all the things together from Shanker Jaikishen, called Experimentation, Trend Settings and Innovations.Trend Setting is “Doing something, which makes others to follow suit. About their Trend Setting, as I wrote in earlier post, the songs before them generally started directly with the voice of the singer without any prelude or with a couplet and the main song followed. Even SJ made use of a couplet, though only once or twice, like “Dil ko tujhase bedili hai” in Yahudi.Before their appearance on the scene whatever Prelude was heard, it was a short 4-5 second musical play of some instrument without a definite structure.

It was SJ who introduced the melodious Preludes, in Barsaat, Awara, Shree 420, Chori Chori. They compelled everyone to come along. Their Interludes were having a Distinct Structure in themselves, which one could Whistle, Hum or Play on instruments. Moreover the 1st and 2nd Interludes were nearly always different from each other. That is what is called Trend setting.

An Experiment is “Doing something, the result of which is not known, even to the performer”. By that definition, each Music Director offering New Tunes to his Producers and Audience, is an Experimenter, without knowing what is going to happen to his creation. But a True Experimenter is confident of his actions that these are going to be successful and not the disasters. By that guideline, Shanker Jaikishen experimented with Classical Music, Western Music, Fusion of these 2 Streams, Solo Musical Compositions without any Vocal Component, and surprisingly, each of their Experiment was a huge success. Remember the Sadhana’Shammi dance Dilruba Dil Pe Tu, purely on strings and percussions in “Rajkumar”, Waheeda’s dance in “Roop Ki Raani”, Vyjayantimal’s “Bakad Bam Bam” in Kathputali. They experimented with 2 distinct songs in continuity like “Tere Bina Aag Ye Zindagi’ and “ Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi”, The list goes on.. The best Experiment from SJ was the Creation of “Raga –The Jazz Style”.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Raga-Jazz-Style/106428702780785?sk=wall

Regarding Innovation, it is Doing something for the 1st time which No one Else has done before them. Now that is a long list. As someone on this forum called innovation as “making use of some thing for some other thing to produce music”, I do not agree. That may be labeled as “Special Effect” but not Innovation. Using Sand Papers and Combs, Spoons and Glasses is no innovation in my opinion. Of course each of us is free to have his viewpoint, but majority of Hindi Film Music Fans would agree that Shanker Jaikishen did so many things which no one had attempted before them and hence they were the Real Innovators in Music. Their Persistent memory with Millions of Fans across the Globe is the Proof of above postulations.

Shankar-Jaikishan Musical "Live" on 13th November 2010

Shankar-Jaikishan Musical "Live" You Might Attend · Share · Public Event

Time	Saturday, November 13 · 8:30pm - 11:30pm
Location	Dinanath Mangeshkar Hall, Ville Parle East, Mumbai.. Opp V.Parle Station.. Mumbai, India
Created By	Binu Nair
More Info	TOP PROFESSIONAL SINGERS FROM THE STAGE CIRCUIT WILL PRESENT EVERGREEN and UNFORGETTABLE S.J. Hits. Mukesh styled versatile singer SRIKANT KULKARNI - a veteran in his own right has sung along with Lata Mangeshkar on STAGE. He has undertaken 'many' world tours with leading music composers. Very HUMBLE in his approach towards his singing trade. A PLAY-BACK SINGER Too. Hamid Khan, the 22 year lad from Bangalore has been creating musical waves and attracting fans all over by his competent rendering of MOHD RAFI SONGS. Most of his dates get booked - as INVITATIONS TO SING MOHD RAFI SONGS pour from all corners of India. A very humble person, known for his time discipline and soulful rendition of RAFI SONGS. MONA KAMATH : THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AND SINGER - all rolled in to one. Was the semi-finalist in the ZEE SA RE GA MA show. Currently attracting hordes of fans for songs of LATA AND ASHA which she essays - perfectly on stage. A very talented SINGER who is bound to make waves. Sang for Marathi films too. MUKESH BHANUSHALI : IS a compulsive quality singer who does RIYAAZ for few hours daily. A very GREAT MOHD RAFI FAN, Mukesh is always looking for RARE and GREAT SONGS - to be presented from the GOLDEN ERA. SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN were the greatest musical duo to have graced the world of Hindi Cinema. The awesome body of work Shankar Jaikishan musical team produced have become IMMORTAL and LIVES on in the hearts, minds and lips of music fans all over the globe . SHANKAR JAIKISHAN team revolutionised the use of ORCHESTRA and INTERLUDE music in songs and made these as integral and inseperable parts of their compositions rather that using these as mere fillers, as was the case until their arrival on the musical horizons. That's why prelude, interlude and background music of many of their songs are as popular and notable and hummable as the tune of the main song. Due to their vast knowledge and comand over various forms of music, the SHANKAR - JAIKISHAN team came out winners in any type of diverse films irrespective of its theme and subject. Presented by : The Rafi Foundation Cell : 9833 250 701 ( Mumbai) Binu Mair

It was on this day, 87 years back , the most complete composer of all time in the Indian film industry was born

Article : http://gopalshroti.wordpress.com/

Head-title : shashivh@yahoo.co.in

TODAY is Shankarji’s b’day-15th October….and hasrat, jaikishan, shankar, shailendra and raj capturing all, lest they run….yes, they went one by one…shailendra started the way to heaven, followed by jaikishan, shankar, raj kapoor, hasrat….their remains are there in all corners of India in the form of immortal songs.
Nehruji wished that his ashes be spread all over Himalayas and other mountains….but our panch-parmeshwar reached every nook and corner of not only India but many parts of the world thru their music…..agewise Shankar was second after Hasrat….THEN THE TRIO.
WE REMEMBER WITH GLORY, Shankarji, for what he gave to hindi film music which others cud not give…..To recall his birthday, i wud like to mention a hillarious incident when Shankarji had to keep his watch to ”Dhondu Bhelpuriwala” at choupatti, after eating Bhelpuri by all the four, S-J,S & H…incidentally, nobody had the money in their pockets, and everybody thought, that someone will pay for the Bhel…..By this time Barsaat had already released….They saw each other’s face..and ultimately, Shankarji had to take his old watch and handed over to Dhondu……
Then came the busy time… after Barsaat, came ”Nagina”..and by this time Shankaerji was the owner of a car….When after few month, he was passing the choupatti way, he remembered his watch he ransomed to Dhondu…. Shankarji offered the payment and asked the watch back….By this time he came to be known by the hindi film world…..Dhondu, on his part, recognizing Shankarji, said, ”Achchha to aap he Barsaat ke music director the”…and treated him like a guest, but refused to hand over the said watch…He said ”ham samjha lafanga log hoga…..woh ghadiyal to aapun zindagi bhar apne pas rakhega…aap hazar rupaiya bhi dega to wapas nahin dega”.
Later he came to know less as Dhondu bhel puri walla, but Shankarji’s watch walla……MUSIC CAME, MUSIC STAYED, MUSIC GONE BUT THE MUSIC SCORED BY SHANKAR JAIKISHAN IS THE GREATEST LEGACY OF THE HINDI FILM MUSIC, WHICH HAS COME TO STAY.
and WHAT ROMANTICISM, SHANKARJI HAS STARTED WITH ”PYAR HUA IQRAR HUA” in Shri 420, carried on to CHORI CHORI as ”yeh raat bheegi bheegi”, ”jehan main jaat hoon”, and Jai’s” Aaja sanam”, was followed by their disciple Dattaram in ‘Parvarish’-”masti bhara hai saman, aakhon mein aa ja”, by Kalyanji Anandji ”mere dil mein hai ek baat” and Madan Mohan ”vo chand muskaya, sitare sharmaaye, hamara bhi dil na machalane lage”…and may be more…as Shankarji’s romanticism stayed…..LONG LIVE S-J’s LEGACY