R D Burman and His Orchestration Improvisations – Rhythm Instruments

Being born to parents – Sachin Dev Burman and Meera Burman – it was natural that R D Burman had natural flair for music. As a very young boy he had penchant for the note Pa. As such, Ashok Kumar used to call him ‘Pancham’. Very soon, father S D Burman, recognising the musical inclination of the son, also rechristened Pancham as his nick name, from the earlier name Tablu as the parents used to call him. R D Burman used his nick name as his signature musical identity.

S D Burman had used R D’s tune for Aye meri topi palat ke aa (Funtoosh, 1956). S D Burman also used R D’s tune for Sar jo tera chakraye (Pyasa, 1957). R D used to attend music sessions at his father’s recordings, soon to join him as his assistant. All these experiences helped R D Burman to lend breadth and depth to his music and build a network of highly innovative musicians. The core of R D Burman’s music team was built on the foundation of triumvirate of his assistants, each one an ace instrumentalist: Basu Chakraborty) a cello player, Manohari Singh – a saxophone player and Maruti Rao Keer – rhythm specialist. It was this team that helped R D Burman to establish his unique identity by creating the music style that blended the essence classical, folk, regional and western music.

YT has sevedral videos depcting live performances of these three instrumentalists as well as other stage shows that showcase the wide range of improvisations embedded in the songs created under baton of R D Burman. For the present series, we will take up a few represntative examples wherein the role of a given instrumentalist has been well-identified. We begin with R D Burman and His Orchestration Improvisations – Rhythm Instruments.

During the formative years of R D burman, his father would always advise him that to be a good music director one should always keep on working with new tunes and the possible rhythms which can best express the flow of the tune. To S D Burman, rhythm was the backbone of a composition. When R D Burman started on the course of his own independent career, he faced of the callenge of creating his own identity – out of the shadow of his father and creating his own competitve advantage against the aready establised music directors of previous geneartion as well those of his own generation like Laxmikant Pyarelal.

And yet, it was Pyarelal who helped the orchestration of songs for R D Burman’s maiden independent music score of Chhote Nawab (1961). However, it was Maruti Rao Keer who played the pivotal role of playing the promient Pancham note in the rhythm that marked the R D Burman’s legacy in the 300+ films for which R D Burman scored music.

1. Ghar aaja ghir aaye badra sanwariya – Chhote Nawab (1961) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics; Shailendra – Music: R D Burman
Composed in Raag Malgunji with a 7-bit rhythm, the song creates serene atmosphere by providing a very soft-toned percission support. RD’s special touch becomes noteworthy the way mora jiya dhak dhak re (0.26 to 0.32) is played out.

https://youtu.be/GAUXqsaLYd0?si=QVshY3rG0_v_7srS

2. Chura ke dil ban rahein hai bhole – Chhote Nawab (1961) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics; Shailendra – Music: R D Burman

In this Raag Khamaj based mujra song, in a contrasting style, percussion takes over the prominent role befitting a mujra dance song.

https://youtu.be/NNm3W-_-SVQ?si=ukuxDrF6LrypNqt5

3. Aao aao sanwariya – Padosan (1968) – Manna Dey – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna – Music: R D Burman

The thaap of tabla so effectively creates the parody-like mood of the song.

https://youtu.be/jv4wxnYJmzQ?si=Lghb4t3Qlu_nlbOB

If R D Buramn’s classical – folk-based compositions of his early films like Pati Patni, Baharon Ke Sapne had succeeded, perhaps R D’s musical trajectory would have taken a different path. However, it was western tune and instruments-based Teesari Manzil which was destined to take RD’s career onto a very successful orbit. Maruti Rao Keer could match the expactations of this genre of compositions as well as can be seen in this one of several innovative percussion plays.

4. Jab andhera hota hai – Raja Rani (1973) – Asha Bhosle, Bhupinder – Lyrics: Anand Bakshi – Music: R D Burman

How dexterously bongo play creates the speed and how smoothly the beat changes in anatara!

https://youtu.be/BK3huMqyRlU?si=ZCc1rZSnXupDwymP

5. Chal Dhanno, aaj teri Basamti ki izzat ka sawal hai

In one of the several experiments executed in the musical support of Sholay (1975), one of the most remembered pieces is the fast-paced tabla and bongo duet play to enliven the fast escapade of Basanti on her life-time mate Dhanno. It was Maruti Rao who had played bongo along with Pt. Samta Prasad on tabla in that epochal background piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx8B8OfQmv4

Maruti Rao Keer’s  assocation with R D Burman lasted till RD’s last film – 1942 A Love Story (1984).

6. Rim jhim .. rum hum …. Bheegi bheegi raaton mein hum tum hum hum – 1942 A Love Story (1994) – Kumar Sanu, Kavita Krishnamoorthy – Lyrics: Javed Akhtar – Music: R D Burman

How seamless is blending of bongo in mukhada and then tabla ensemble in antara. Even during antara the variations in taals enhance the mood of the song,

https://youtu.be/AyLiuUI8n38?feature=shared

Another major percussion instrumentalist to sustain the active association with R D Burman was Ranjit Gazmer (a.k.a. Kancha). Ranjit Gazmer brought maadal in to the rhythms of R D Burman’s repertoire of music.

7. Tere bina jiya jaaye na – Ghar (1978) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Gulzar – Music: R D Burman

Used here is Maadal Tarang – an array of Maadals playing in succession on different scales. Ranjit Gazmer is seen demonstrating an octave higher basic beat of the rhythm on Maadal Tarang.

https://youtu.be/1gpYvAn3Lwo?si=eepAsUaF-Nh4qU0i

8. Hum dono do premi duiya chhod chale – Ajanabee (1974)

This is also a Nepali folk tune-based composition. In this video clip we get to see Ranjit Gazmer playing maadal live. Seen alongwith are Homi Mullan and another artist playing reso reso and sandpaper respectively to create the rhythm and mood of a moving steam locomotive driven train!

https://youtu.be/RPHAq2bPaAI?si=HeZreCEPoGavf39j

This brings us to another set of around forty or so percussion instruments – known as minor percussion instruments – like duggi, bongo, congo, castanets, sticks, glockenspiel, triangle, xylophone, vibraphone, reso reso etc., which provide the vital support to the main percussion rhythm. R D Burman and his team of percussionts like Cawas Lord, Homi Mullan, Amrut Rao Katkar and others.

9. Matwali aankhonwale – Chhote Nawab (1961) – Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi – Lyrics: Shailendra – Music: R D Burman

Cawas Lord plays bongo in a very innovative and distinctive style that helps put the motion of the song in a lilting mode, accentuated by a soft support of castanets, played by Kersi Lord, the elder son of Cawas Lord. (Incidentally Helen can be seen playing the castanet on the screen- 0.29 to 0.37 etc..).

https://youtu.be/3l6Wf5owzIg?si=_-PbCItGhwTygVXF

10. Rooth na jana tumse kahun to – 1942 A Love Story (1994) – Kumar Sanu – Lyrics: Javed Akhtar – Music: R D Burman

Cawas’s bongo sounds a fresh as it was in 1961. As it happens, the musical arrangement for the song was done by Pyarelal (of Laxmikant-Pyarelal) duo.

https://youtu.be/riaZ-t8-gAI?si=hNUBZbkSX41ZVLB5

11. Franco Vaz is demonstrating the use of Cuica in R.D.Burman Aadhunik Geeter composition, Machher Kanta Khonpar Kanta (Asha Bhosle in Euphony’s show in August 2009 at Kala Mandir, Calcutta.)

https://youtu.be/cZPOLEpgRJ0?si=SssOeZsPTum4ZkIK

Another major player of ‘minor rhythm instruments’ was multi-instruments playing wizard, Homi Mullan. Here are some songs where Homi Mullan’s support rhythm instruments in fact seem to take the centre stage.

Duggi (kettle drum): Chunri sambhaal gori (Baharon Ke Sapne, (1967)
The African harp called kalimba was deployed in prelude and interludes of Aise na mujhe tum dekho Darling Darling, (1977)

12. The clip here presents live demonstrations of several minor rhythm instruments and their innovative uses in RD’s compositions:

https://youtu.be/6tiP7nW_nIY?si=X8RV-_yQt3vTF9gB

13. The clip here is live demonstration of pedal matka used to create rhythm for the song Saamane ye kaun aaya dil mein hui halchal (Jawani Diwani, 1972):

https://youtu.be/ZB4wFdFLUAw?si=K8kZNwlp4LO_u79x

14. Reso Reso, a relatively less known minor rhythm instrument, has immortalised one of the most innovatively concieved and filmed song : Mere saamnewaali khidki mein ek chand sa tukda rehta hai (Padosan, 1968 – Kishore Kumar – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna – Music: R D Burman)

The image that is embedded in the mind is that Keshto Mukherjee rubbing a comb with a broom (0.17 to 0.20). The instrument is Reso Reso and was played by another key percussionist of RD team, Amrut Rao Katkar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0WPSYFm7iE

Here are some songs which has very innovative use of Reso Reso:

Soft obligato stokes in Mera naam hai shabnam – Kati Patang (1967)
Continuous obligato support in Jaane jaan dhoondhata phir raha hun tujhe – Jawani Diwani (1972)
Blends with other string instruments in Dil tera hai main bhi teri hun sanam – Bombay To Goa (1972)
Creates soft strokes of oars in Chingari koi bhadake – Amar Prem (1972)

Amrut Rao Katkar has also played tabla for several of RD’s compositions –

Chunari sambhal gori udi chali jaye re – Baharon Ke Sapne (1967)
Mere naina saawan bhado – Mehbooba (1976)
Golmaal hai bhai golmaal hai – Golmaal (1979)

The spectacular success of Teesri Manzil (1967) and its drum-based songs – Aaja aaja main hun pyar tera; O haseena zulfonwali – by R D Burman is credited with stamping RD Burman as The Composer of Western Music in Hindi films

15. Mehbooba mehbooba – Sholay (1975)

Burjor Lord demonstrates live the drum play for the song.

https://youtu.be/0ohXUOhOL3o?si=mddvO-ApETCisMHY

16. maria – Saagar (1985)

Franco Vaz, who played drums for this song, narrates how the rhythm and beats of drum got introduced in the song.

https://youtu.be/_9FTgkJ8URc?si=Jtsxwj-toDQryEOD

YT has many clips which have archived RD’s experiments with rhythm. So, we wind this episosde with these selected experiments.

We will take up RD Burman’s innovations with string instruments in the next episode.

Credits and Disclaimers:

1. The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over these songs, which vests with the respective copyright holders.
2. The photograph is taken from the internet, duly recognising the full copyrights for the same to the either original creator or the site where they were originally displayed.