Alaap,Reloaded

“It was one of the best moments of my life,” recalls Singh,in town along with his banker-singer daughter Mona Singh,to release his latest album with Indya Records,a remix of his old classics,Alaap – The Legend Lives On. For those who believe that rapper-music composer Yo Yo Honey Singh is the best thing that has happened to Punjabi music,think again — it was Singh and his orchestra,Alaap,that had created a ripple effect with their bhangra gigs and melodic Punjabi music in the 1970s in UK.

Teri Chunni De Sitare,Bhabhiye ni Bhabhiye,Ve Vanjareya,Jind Mahi,Ik Kudi Gulab De Phul Wargi — Alaap has delivered chartbusters,and these are featured in new avatars in the album that’ll have sequel soon.

Despite 35 years in the business of music,singing,producing,composing,writing,Singh remains grounded. “When I shifted to England in 1976,I never knew I would be that famous one day,” he says,rewinding to the days of struggle,of knocking at music producers’ doors in Punjab,trying his hand at Jalandhar All India Radio,facing rejections. Although he shifted base to the UK — he was a British citizen — Singh had to go through the drill. “I remember walking up to this music group’s office three months in row. Then I got a chance to sing at a local party,and soon other boys joined me and we made Alaap in 1977,” he recounts.

The British-Asians,in those days,were disconnected,away from roots,and yearning for their music. “Punjabi music was associated with dhol,tumbi and ektara whereas we were singing with accordion,guitar and tabla. Our music was different,more stylised and melodic,one that combined western instruments and Punjabi folk. We then made an album in two days with £2,000 called Teri Chunni De Sitare but the producer failed to sell it,” he says. Alaap continued to play at gurdwaras and small gigs until one day,Geeta Bala of the British Broadcasting Company played their album. It was a memorable day for Alaap finally. Soon,they were being called the Elvis Presley of Bhangra.

A nine-member orchestra today,Singh’s Alaap also has his daughter Mona as a member. The father-daughter sing,compose (Singh’s given music for films like Yalgaar,Shaktimaan and Janasheen) and perform live. “We are,at present,making music for the Hindi film,Mr Bhatti on Chutti,and Rajeev Sharma’s Punjabi film,Nabar,” says Mona who has cut three albums,and her solo,Saadi Marzi,features in Alaap’s latest album.

Interestingly,all the songs Singh has composed and sung are inspired by his wife Dhanwant,‘Dhanno’. “They are an ode to her,” smiles this Punjabi who made a modest beginning at Maler Kotla,Punjab,learnt music from Baldev Narang,a maestro in classical music,and is today the first singer to be given the lifetime achievement award by the BBC. Alaap has also regaled audiences at Madison Square Garden in the US,Royal Albert Hall in London and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is also the first Asian British bhangra band to perform in Pakistan in 1992,and found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for being being the longest-running Bhangra band.