THE RECORD NEWS - The Digital South Asia Library - University of ...

India honored her with ‘Padmabhushan’ title. This honor was for her music. Her
voice was not sweet but had a command over a uniform volume in all the three
octaves. She would modulate it keeping the same volume. Her ragas like
Basanti-Kedar, Bihagada, Malkauns, Jaijiawanti and Tilak Kamod were very
popular among her listeners.
Fortunately, she has recorded for the Gramophone Company during 1935-55 in
three different phases. One can trace the evolution of her music and the style
through these records. In 1935, she cut four records for Madras based Broadcast
Record Company in which she has sung ragas Gauri, Des, Kafi Kanada,
Khambavati, Phag and Bhairvi. These early recordings reflect the Jaipur-Atrauli
taalim that she received from Alladiya Khan. During 1945-50, she cut 12 ragas
on six 12” records on HMV label with play time of about four minutes per side.
One can listen to her matured voice in beautiful ragas such as Lalat, Malkauns,
Paraj, Desi, Kukubh Bilawal, Jaunpuri, Nand, Durga, Nat Kamod, Lalita Gauri,
and Gaud Malhar. During 1953-1955, she cut eighteen songs on nine, ten-inch
diameter HMV label records. In addition to ragas, they contain light classical
items such as Hori, Chaiti, Kajri and Bhajans. Due to the dispute between the
Gramophone Company and Kesarbai, these records were released later and
never played on All India Radio except Goa station. As a result, these records did
not reach the music lovers. In 1994, Gramophone Company reissued them on
tapes and now on CD’s. In 2004, her earlier Broadcast label records were
reissued on CD by the Underscore records company. Her sarangi player Majid
Khan had recorded some of her concerts and Majid Khan’s son released them in
a pack of six tapes. Private collectors have hours of recordings of Kesarbai and
one can judge her changed style after the demise of Alladiya Khan in 1946. Truly
one can describer her voice as ‘The Voice of the Century’.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kesar Bai Kerkar C.1935 C.1965
15