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

Darbari Kanada, Lalit (Tarpat hun jaise jalbin meen), Jaunpuri, Sugrai, Kafi, and
Bhairvi (Chalo kaheko jhooti). In 1944, ragas Purbi and Chhayanat were
recorded. These were pressed in the Dum Dum (Calcutta) factory of the
Gramophone Company. In 1949, Mr. M. A. Madgaonkar of HMV recorded four
songs in Bombay at the Universal Building studio in which he sang Ramkali,
Desi, Dhamar and Bhairvi. Most of these records play for over three minutes per
side. These were reissued on LP/EP records, audio tapes and on CD’s and are
still popular. All India radio too has released his concert recordings from their
archives. These recordings were released in 1971, 1988 and in 1991. One can
listen to ragas Des, Desi, Bhoop, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod and Gaud Malhar.
Now some of his recordings are also available on internet and with serious
record collectors.
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Gramophone Celebrities – 44
Ustad Ameer Khan – (1912-1974)
Born in 1912 at ‘Akole’ in Maharashtra, Ustad Ameer Khan died in a strange and
tragic car accident at Calcutta in 1974. He spent his life as a musician and vocal
singer of highest caliber. His father Ustad Shah Ameer Khan was a vocalist and
an expert Sarangi Player. Young Ameer spent his childhood at Indore – Dewas
State in Madhya Pradesh. His father would invite musicians to his house every
Friday and these concerts had a long standing effect on young Ameer Khan. His
father taught him Sarangi initially but later on groomed him in the Merukhand
style gayaki. Around 1935, young Ameer Khan came to Bombay, sang in the
concerts organized by elites and cut few 78 rpm records. These were issued on
Columbia labels. However, neither his concerts nor the gramophone records
received much attention. Hence, he returned to Indore and decided to change his
style. Ustad Rajab Ali Khan was in Indore and young Ameer khan met him. Soon
he received a new vision to change his gayaki. He also made frequent visits to
Mumbai and met musicians including Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhendi Bazar
(Behind the Bazar) gharana. He also imbibed extremely slow movement (aalapi)
in his gayaki. For this he listened to the radio programs and concerts of Ustad
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