Nostalgianna Musings, March 2023

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Hello and a warm welcome to the very first issue of Nostalgianna Musings, a monthly update on all things music at the curated group, R4 Nostalgianna.

First off, about 70 members participated in a 3-day music jamboree in Goa, the very first such initiative by the group. Three days of retro music, camaraderie and more music as people made new friends; and enjoyed, lived, and breathed music together. Sharing the curiosity and the joy of discovering good music from across the decades to present times.

Underlying the fun was a template of serious presentations. These presentations were thoroughly researched, time-bound and innovatively shared. Just look at the scope and relevance of some themes—Ghazals in Hindi Film Music (HFM), Innovative Western influences in HFM, Landmark songs in the current millennium. The joy of sharing music with a likeminded group must be experienced, one can’t quite put it in words. For most of us the atmosphere was a return to the boisterous zest of college days.

Looking at how music-enthused the group was and how immense the opportunity to build on the vast universe of retro, serious discussions followed about taking the joy of R4 Nostalgianna’s music to far more people. The presentation by Shri Ajay Pandey, mentor and noted management expert, added a thoughtful note to the discussion. A roadmap was charted, and work on some of the tasks has already begun.

“After 10” was marked by karaoke improvisations and impromptu concerts on the lawn-- concerts that lasted almost all night, yes such was the enthusiasm.

Arranging the logistics for 70 people with varied travel schedules and menu choices is a mammoth task, a big shout out to the Goa team for orchestrating this flawlessly.

The music, enthusiasm, high spirits, bonhomie, were evident during the journeys to and fro, much to the amusement and interest of co-travellers.

Ideas for the next jamboree are on the planning board, with many new faces and initiatives expected!

March is a month with several anniversaries. On the R4 shows tributes were paid and memories shared for greats like music director- saxophonist- arranger Manohari Singh, master Lyricist-poet Qamar Jalalabadi. Their contributions were highlighted, with rare trivia and engaging chatroom discussions. Discussing music while listening adds much energy to the R4 shows.

Lesser-known facts, anecdotes and memories often come to light in the monthly Book Charcha selection. This involves a book discussion with an author or sharing of memories by a music professional or a family member, interspersed with songs. The last book charcha with Nasreen Munni Kabir was about her book on Lata Mangeshkar. This discussion revealed many facets of her personality—her sharp sense of observation, her keen wit and humour, her interest in photography and film techniques.

Jukebox, the show that features high quality music from recent times showcased two music stalwarts this month. Music Director and background music composer Rahul Ranade spoke at length about his work philosophy, his style and his insistence on the story to match his songs to. In yet another show, film maker Soumik Sen shared how he convinced Snehlata Dixit to sing along with her star daughter Madhuri Dixit for his movie.

That’s the update for now.

Wishing you a musically-rich journey as we explore the month ahead, together