Articles by Narendra Kusnur
Review: The Musical Maverick; The Authorized Biography Of Shankar Mahadevan by Ashis Ghatak
On Shankar Mahadevan’s influences, his work as a playback singer and composer for Hindi cinema, his devotional music, and his role in the Grammy award winning Indo-jazz group, Shakti

Published on Apr 05, 2024 09:17 PM IST
Tracing the journey of Barmer Boys from Rajasthan’s remote village to world stage
The group performed at the Cube auditorium of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) last Sunday. Sawai Khan has now come in place of Rais Khan, playing morchang and the bhapang and khartal percussion instruments. There was a guest appearance by Kalbeliya dancer Sunita Sapera, dressed in shiny folk costume

Updated on Mar 10, 2024 07:54 AM IST
Franco Vaz: RD Burman’s ace drummer learnt the beats from Jazz
Vaz passed away on February 7 in Mumbai at the age of 67. The news was received with shock

Updated on Feb 09, 2024 06:44 AM IST
Rashid Khan’s little-known role in the film industry had an oversize impact
The classical musician passed away on January 9, but his Hindi and Bengali film music will continue to enthrall generations of listeners

Updated on Jan 16, 2024 07:01 PM IST
When the Goan gets tough...: A Wknd interview with rapper Tsumyoki
Nathan Mendes aka Tsumyoki, 22, just won an MTV Europe Music Award, for a song about unrequited love. ‘Now people will see we make original music too,’ he says.

Updated on Nov 24, 2023 09:45 PM IST
Play it again: The music that helped make Dev Anand a star
Chhod do aanchal… Khoya khoya chand… The pairing of SD Burman and Dev Anand created songs so iconic, the words now seem to have no meaning without the tune.

Updated on Sep 29, 2023 09:51 PM IST
Tina Turner: A rock icon who was much more than ‘Simply The Best’
Tina Turner breathed her last on May 24 at her home near Zurich, Switzerland. She was 83.

Updated on May 26, 2023 04:21 AM IST
A victory for the stories of India as seen from within
India arrived at the Oscars with two unique acceptance speeches

Published on Mar 14, 2023 12:12 AM IST
, Mumbai
Narendra KusnurKej’s Grammy shows reach of Indian music
Kej won his first Grammy in 2015 for Winds of Samsara. Like Divine Tides, it was in the Best New Age Album category. But those earlier awards were for a specific genre, and thus were judged on the type of music, unlike this time’s win in a purely technical category

Updated on Feb 10, 2023 08:06 PM IST
Ghosts of gigs gone by. Were you at these epic concerts?
Lollapalooza is here. But how much have Indian concerts changed? Rewind with four gigs and someone who’s been in the audience, cheering, for decades

Updated on Jul 24, 2023 08:06 PM IST
Review: Kishore Kumar - The Ultimate Biography
Compulsory reading for any Kishore Kumar fan, this extensive work by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar brings out the singer and film personality’s character, talent, eccentricities and zest for life

Published on Jan 14, 2023 06:52 AM IST
Review: Kishore Kumar; The Ultimate Biography by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar
Compulsory reading for any Kishore Kumar fan, this extensive work brings out the singer and film personality’s character, talent, eccentricities and zest for life

Updated on Jan 14, 2023 06:37 AM IST
How music travels between cultures
Just before the song Naatu Naatu begins, actors Ram Charan and NTR Jr ask, “Not flamenco, not salsa, my brother

Updated on Jan 12, 2023 12:46 PM IST
Bhupinder Singh, he of the soulful voice, dies at 82
The two versions of Madan Mohan’s ‘Dil Dhoondta Hai’ in Mausam, R.D. Burman’s ‘Naam Gum Jaayega’ in Kinara, Jaidev’s ‘Do Deewane Shaher Mein’ in Gharonda were all gems

Updated on Jul 19, 2022 12:44 AM IST
Maestro who took the Indian santoor to the world
Born in Jammu on January 13, 1938, Sharma was initiated into music by his father Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma. After learning vocals and tabla, and even performing for the Jammu radio station when he was 12, he was drawn to the sound of the santoor, which was played commonly in the Kashmir region.

Updated on May 11, 2022 08:21 AM IST
, Mumbai
Narendra KusnurReview: The Queen Of Indian Pop by Vikas Kumar Jha
While fans know Usha Uthup for her stage presence and distinct style of singing, her biography presents the personality behind the music

Updated on May 03, 2022 05:40 PM IST
Ramba who who who? Narendra Kusnur on the Usha Uthup phenomenon
With her booming voice, infectious smile, saris, bindi and tambourine, Uthup was a unique pop icon. Amid the release of a new biography, The Queen of Indian Pop, Kusnur talks to the singer, and some of her earliest fans.

Updated on Apr 22, 2022 02:41 PM IST
Review: Remo, the Autobiography of Remo Fernandes
Remo’s autobiography is an honest look at his life that covers his upbringing in Portuguese Goa, hitch-hiking adventures in Europe and North Africa, his musical career, his affairs and marriages, the road accident that killed his band members, and his decision to live in Portugal

Published on Feb 18, 2022 06:23 PM IST
Vanraj Bhatia, musician whose jingles were the soundtrack of ’80s, '90s, dies
The music director, who died on Friday aged 93, had already made a mark in Shyam Benegal’s films. Most notable were his songs Mero Gaam Katha Parey in Manthan (1976), Tumhare Bin Jee Na Lage in Bhumika (1977) and Kya Hai Tera Gham Bata in Kalyug (1981).

Updated on May 08, 2021 05:11 AM IST
, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
Narendra KusnurReview: Louiz Banks: A Symphony of Love by Ashis Ghatak
A biography of Louiz Banks that brings out the musical personality of the ‘godfather of Indian jazz’

Published on Apr 02, 2021 10:07 PM IST
Review: Hariprasad Chaurasia; Breath of Gold by Sathya Saran
Sathya Saran’s biography of master flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia provide a detailed account of his immense contribution

Updated on Mar 13, 2020 08:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times |
Narendra Kusnur
An enigma of Indian classical music who struck a spiritual tone
Annapurna Devi, born as Roshanara Khan, was an Indian surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani classical music.

Updated on Oct 14, 2018 12:05 AM IST
Brimful of Asha: Review of Raju Bharatan’s musical biography of Asha Bhosle
Raju Bharatan’s biography of Asha Bhosle deals with different aspects of this supremely talented singer’s music

Updated on Nov 05, 2016 09:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times |
Narendra Kusnur
Maithili Rao’s book on Smita Patil gives marvellous insights
Rao doesn’t make this a plain chronological narration of Smita’s life story. A senior critic and columnist, she has an immense understanding of cinema.

Updated on Dec 12, 2015 02:31 PM IST
Hindustan Times | , New Delhi
Narendra KusnurDagars & Drupad: Book pays tribute to the masters of Dagarvani
The Dagar family has produced some of the greatest practitioners of the Hindustani classical form of dhrupad. A well-researched new book pays them tribute.

Updated on Nov 07, 2015 11:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | , New Delhi
Narendra KusnurJagjit Singh: Remembering the life of a legend
Jagjit Singh combined traditional and modern styles. Purists had reservations, but people loved him. On his 4th death anniversary, HT reviews Sathya Saran’s book on Singh’s life.

Updated on Oct 10, 2015 02:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | , New Delhi
Narendra KusnurBook review: Interesting anecdotes on V Shantaram
V Shantaram's biography captivates with anecdotes about the man and his passion for cinema, and details about his subjects and his personal life

Updated on Sep 19, 2015 01:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times | , New Delhi
Narendra KusnurNaushadnama: a must-read for fans of classic Hindi film music
Song historian Raju Bharatan covers practically every aspect of Naushad's glorious career in his book. Having been associated with the maestro for over five decades, he keeps you engrossed through loads of anecdotes and personal memories.

Updated on Nov 14, 2013 01:06 PM IST