Listening sessions as a platform for education has existed virtually forever, and is often designed to create an experience that bridges the gap between artiste and audience. One experience that I can immediately recollect of artistes having taken the initiative of utilising this platform was popular ghazal singing duo Roop Kumar Rathod and wife Sunali at the time of launching their Zikr Tera album.
But an earlier experience goes to my days at EMI Records (now part of Universal Music) during the ’90s when the company initiated monthly listening sessions at a Mumbai suburban hotel for select members of the media and for the retail trade – remember, it was still an era of listening to music in a physical format – where tracks from new releases for the month were showcased. As an extension, one of my colleagues responsible for creating compilations called in various listeners of contemporary dance music into the music company studio to playback the choice of tracks shortlisted for compilations and, based on feedback, decide on its track listening.
In February this year, music label Universal Music took the initiative of holding an audio listening and video viewing session to audition/preview their artistes nominated for the 2016 Grammy Awards, hosted by musician-cum-actor Luke Kenny, who provided trivia prior to the track being heard/viewed and, following playback, correct answers were rewarded by CDs.
But a music listening session that has existed for over a decade now had its genesis on a train journey from Pune to Mumbai, with travellers Brian Tellis of Fountainhead Promotions and Events, Michel D’Costa from MTV, and journalist Narendra Kusnur discussing the formation of a group of like-minded people who were passionate about rock music. Within a few weeks, an informal ‘club’ was formed and, on April 19, 2002 it had its first listening session at Mumbai’s suburban Bandra.
While there a dozen or so of us present then, those who were, vividly remember legendary guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan’s DVD being played, and CDs of blues artistes such as Coco Montoya, Son Seals, and Albert King. Of course, I took the liberty of showcasing a yet largely unknown genre of Cajun/Zydeco music then, via a musician by the name of Clifton Chenier, a Louisiana French-speaking native who played the much forgotten, and yet remarkable instrument, accordion. The music had arisen from Creole music, with R&B, jazz, and blues influences. Clifton’s album still forms part of my CD collection, although my first introduction to the accordion occurred during school days through musician Goody Servai, who went onto receiving fame through Bollywood soundtrack recordings.
Cut to August 22, 2016 where some 60 music lovers got together at a Mumbai pub located at Fort for the first ‘club’ night after January 2007. Many reunited after years, and others met for the first time. The audience profile was similar to its debut: musicians, music industry veterans, aficionados, event organisers, radio jockeys and programming heads, filmmakers, businessmen, corporate rockers, this columnist, and beyond. Inevitably, as was the base behind the original concept, music ruled and, not without reason, the theme was the same as the first get-together: blues, and blues rock. Among others, the CD of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and DVD of B.B. King, were played.
For those readers interested and, especially for those based in Mumbai, the next listening session of this “informal” club is scheduled today (October 3), which is dedicated to the 47th year since ‘The Woodstock Music & Art Fair’ — more popularly known simply as ‘Woodstock’ — an event that eventually attracted an audience of over 400,000 in August 1969 at a farm in New York state. Both the music and the “Director’s Cut” (which featured now famed director Martin Scorsese as one of the film editors) is scheduled to be played at the listening session venue.
While innumerable social networks, both within the country and globally, speak of organised listening sessions, this one remains close to my heart — after all, I did appear at its debut, and several more through the years — as nostalgia is revisited. Some bring like-minded, rock-loving acquaintances, others were discovered through mutual friends but, more importantly, music knowledge is imparted, and trivia shared.
I sincerely hope that this concept continues to mushroom as there is no better manner of enhancing one’s knowledge on music, across genres, and across languages. You may not be a member of a listening session yet, but I do hope that you are listening in!
The writer has been part of the media and entertainment business for over 23 years. He still continues to pursue his hobby, and earns an income out of it.
