Category: Music

Never Ending Story (Stranger Things)

Stranger Things came on Netflix in 2016 and I was attracted to it with its sepia tone and the perfect feel of 80’s era. This sci-fi series features a story inside a small American town named Hawkins. The most adorable part of this series are the kids Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and Eleven!

In Season 3 there is a hilarious scene where a monster is chasing the town and Dustin and Suzie (his science camp girlfriend) break into a song(a song-let actually as it is a tiny one), at the end of which they find the answer they are looking for to beat the monster! The song is melodious, catchy and so groovy that I wanted to sing it right the moment I heard it. Joining me for this rendition is my brother Ishan who shares my love for music and many other things close to my heart!

All of this might sound absurd without reference, but if you like some science fiction action and want to be drawn into the ‘upside down’ world of these endearing kids, do not miss Stranger Things on Netflix (This is not a paid review) and this song will grow on you too!

Already Seen? Would love to know your thoughts.

Not yet Seen? Add it to your watchlist with my personal rating of 7/10

by saee tembhekar

Jeevanat hi ghadi

Even if it is just a poetic expression, I am sure all of us have come across at least one moment in life when we feel that time should freeze. Jeevanat Hi Ghadi is one such amazing piece of art portraying a similar emotion.

Pt. Yashwant Deo wrote and composed this song and it is sung by none other than Lata didi. Since 6th February 2022, I personally am in a different frame of mind when I listen to her songs. This song for me is a state of my mind where I forget everything and just feel the presence of her voice, that magic and that eternally magnificent yet simple emotion.

On another note, do you feel that today in the world of 5G, social media, rat race, abundance of data and such dramatic surroundings, will we find such pure and genuine moments where we feel like saying : जीवनात ही घडी अशीच राहु दे?

Here is a sweet memory of spending a whole musical day with Pt. Yashwant Deo when I attended his workshop as a kid.

Saee Tembhekar with Pt. Yashwant Deo

Hope you like my honest attempt at singing this masterpiece! See you all next week!

by saee tembhekar

Kisi ki Muskurahaton pe

I will never get over the feeling of awe for old hindi song lyrics. There are such outstanding words written that even today decades later, they feel so warm, fresh and personal.

I have a made playlist of songs called Zindagi Tunes which give an essence of living life and this song tops the list in so many ways. Such an elegant composition by Shankar-Jaikishan ji and such elaborate yet simple description of the concept of “Jeena Isi ka naam hai” by Shailendra ji.

I started to work on Youtube as it became my space to sing all the songs which live rent-free in my head, mind and heart. Today I present my honest attempt at this masterpiece. I look up to this song at times when everything seems hard and nothing seems to work out. The lyrics in combination of the melody have some magical energy which never fails to boost me up!

by saee tembhekar

Olya Sanjveli

Music has a multi-dimensional connection capability. It connects us to so many people, places, locations and memories. This song is special to me because of the lyricist. Ashwini Shende has written the song ‘Olya Sanjveli’ for the film Premachi Goshta. I was stunned at the line : उन्हे सावलीस बिलगावी since the moment I heard the song for the first time. The concept of the golden light of the evening falling into the arms of the shadows creates an emotion like no other. I am deliberately expressing myself in English here on this blog so as to invite all my non-marathi audience on-board to experience this beauty of marathi language. Ashwini has written a lot of such beautiful lines and has given lot of emotions faces in the form of her exquisite words, which only a capable and gifted writer can accomplish!

Saee Tembhekar and Ashwini Shende

I met Ashwini for a concert and we met as a singer-lyricist. But today, we share such a beautiful and genuine bond. It is hard to find a person with whom you can chat for hours without losing interest and who always makes you feel good, bright and positive all around! Hoping to sing a lot more songs (and originals too) written by Ashwini!

Hope you enjoy this sweet romantic song !

by saee tembhekar

Sound Check

We, performing artists are almost ‘lame’ without technology today. Our powerful or subtle, dramatic or sombre performances will remain on our side of the fence without this ‘significant connection’ between us and the audience. 

We usually undertake a very crucial task of a ‘Soundcheck‘ before any performance. I sometimes feel that it is like the silence before the storm, a storm of emotions and passion roaring out of the stage and reaching out to the audience through this technology marvel that confidently sits in between the artists and the audience. I personally enjoy and look forward to this phenomenon before any concert. 

It is like putting the first gear and smoothly cruising from the parking bay on to a beautiful road ahead. 

But as goes the famous quote : ‘One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men, no machine can do the work of one extraordinary man’, the person who is handling this whole technology of mixing the entire sound from the stage is one of the most important member of the team!  

The soundcheck is our little moment on stage as a team. The entire empty auditorium acts like a key witness to the artist’s preparation and efforts to make those few hours’ worthwhile for the audience. 

There is a lot that goes behind the curtains. It is a story in itself. I am writing about my perspective of a music concert being presented, but I am sure it holds true and has many colourful variations of a similar story for all other art forms presented from any stage. 

A microphone for a singer/musician is like a soulmate for his art. The microphone doesn’t ask questions, it just feels the artist and fulfils the utmost important task of being the ‘significant connection’

Amongst all the off stage artists, the sound engineer has a unique place in the hearts of all performers. The guy behind the sound mixer, is a bigger artist by himself, who understands and interprets the smallest of the actions of all the on-stage performers and curates the finest output for the audience. 

When gearing up for any of my upcoming concert, i also sincerely look forward to the ‘soundcheck’  to be able to achieve the unparalleled connection ! 

Re-wrote this old blog on sound check after newly experiencing it after a long gap of the pandemic when very few live concerts took place!

by saee tembhekar

Majhiya Mana

Rutu Hirwa is a album very close to my heart because it is linked to that phase of my childhood when I actually fell in love with music and especially singing. I still remember the day mom bought the cassette of the album. I inherited the love for Asha Bhosle from my mom. When this album came out, it was out of stock for a long time My mom had gone to do some work in the city and she casually checked in a ‘music store’ (Gen Z wouldn’t know that these physically, conceptually existed) and there it was “Rutu Hirwa” on the New Arrivals rack. She bought it and hurried home. I still remember her excited face when she entered home and told us what she had got that day.

Image : Gaana.com

I have had Rutu Hirwa on loop (read : Side A Change Side B Repeat ) for so many years on the tape recorder in my room. I remember each song with each music piece and every musical instrument played in it. The timing and phase in which we are exposed to music makes a huge difference in our lives.

Majhiya Mana is a lesser known song from the album. I love this composition by Shreedhar ji Phadke and it ranks amongst my top 2 songs from this album. Which are yours?

by saee tembhekar

Bring Me to Life-Evanescence

I have said and written about music-taking-us-back-in-time so many times. My exposure towards global music started with Abba, Boney M, Enrique Iglesias and travelled all the way from English to French, German, Japanese and Korean.

I am fascinated by the versatility in music all over the world, yet the fact that the exact same seven notes exist in all of them. I first heard ‘Bring me to Life’ by  Evanescence in college. I never thought I could have the mindset and vocal strength to sing it. Today with a broader perspective and a little experience, making this honest attempt at this beautiful ninetees’ classic. This song from the album fallen will be almost 20 years old next year. I am in awe of Amy Lee’s voice in this one.

How were you introduced to music other than Indian music? And which is your favourite?

by saee tembhekar

Raat Akeli Hai

I remember watching the film Jewel Thief as a kid and being fascinated by it. The part of it which was etched in my heart forever was the music. S D Burman da’s magic in the form of versatility with songs like Rulake gaya Sapana or Raat Akeli Hai or Hoton pe aise baat in the same album hit me differently. Is it just me or do these songs still feel as fresh as they were made yesterday?

Raat Akeli Hai is a very challenging song for a singer which needs use to controlled dynamics and so much expression. The song begins sublty in the middle octave and the way the cross line shoots up in the upper octave to the taar saptak ‘Gandhar‘ elevates the mood of the song to another level.

Asha didi has been a university to study in itself. The way she has applied vocal dynamics to this song is a topic each singer should study intricately. I had sung this song multiple times in live concerts but this is my first honest attempt at recording it. Singing a song live and recording it is a different ball game altogether. Would you like to know more about this?

by saee tembhekar

Saavar Re

There are endless romantic songs in all languages. I sometimes feel that romance is the most desired feelings chosen by writers to reflect their thoughts. There are numerous romantic favourites in my list but this marathi song with its peculiar lyrics makes it to the top. I was so lucky to sit next to its creator and perform this song a couple of times. He smiled at me through his thick glasses and even at the “joyful” age of 85, did not forget to appreciate me at the end of the concert for this song.

Mangesh Padgaonkar, the veteran lyricist in marathi literature, has a myriad of entrancing songs to his credit. The simplicity of his words and expressions is reflected from his personality.
Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar’s invincible style of compositions has created exceptional songs from which one of the masterpiece is “Saavar re….”

सावर रे सावर रे सावर रे उंच उंच झुला

सुख मला भिवविते सांगू कसे तुला ?

The song switches time signatures intelligently and the tune flowing with the chromatic notes gives a mesmerising touch to the whole song. She is in love, in deep love. She is so immensely happy that she is afraid of it. I sometimes feel, it relates to the feeling that you deny to accept at once, any sudden contentment that you face at some points in your life. Finding true love can fall in this bag of feelings.  The lyrics of the song are evident in all the aspects connected to love : dreams, nature, inner self, surrender, trust and faith. All of this compiles beautifully to this amazing masterpiece. 

by saee tembhekar

Aaoge Jab Tum

Jab We Met was a total entertainer but for me, it was more memorable because of its music. The film had a versatile platter of songs due to the circumstances in it. I enjoy singing Ye Ishq Hai in Live concerts and also tried my hands on an unplugged piano version of Tumse Hi on my channel a couple of years ago.

After experiencing relationships from a broader perspectives in the past few years, I could comprehend a newer meaning to this song – Aaoge Jab Tum by Ustad Rashid Khan and wanted to attempt singing it.

Do you have any memories or stories associated with this song or Jab We Met?

My favourite phrases/glimpses from the film are : mein apni favourite hoon, hotel decent, mujhe nahi dekhne ganne ke khet, main kyun dekhu ganne ke khet? And my favourite song is the reason for this blog!

by saee tembhekar