MUMBAI: Veteran bhajan and ghazal exponent Anup Jalota is treading new ground, with the launch of his own label for amateur artistes.
Christened Ë?shabd n sur’, the label launched its first album Ë?Itna tu karna swami’, a devotional debut album sung by Anshu Sharma. Ë?Itna tu karna’ is a devotional album with eight tracks, with lyrics written by L D Sharma, a poet. Mohinder Sarin has composed six tracks of the album while, Pt Bholanath Mishra has composed the other two.
?“My album was ready in 2006 but I couldn’t get a label for my album as, I married and shifted to the US. I had sent the CD and letter to Anup Jalota from the US and he liked my work. This is how my album finally launched on 14 August,? recollects the singer.
Says Jalota, ?“The aim of the new label is to provide a platform for talented people who, for specific reasons, have been been able to showcase their talent. We want to bring devoted and talented singers to the forefront?
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The new label will be promoted with NA Classic Audio Cassettes company, which has been producing albums for the last 15 years and has promoted renowned artistes like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhas and Kishori Amonkar, among others. Jalota says the CDs, priced at Rs 80, will bear his name too, to give the album an additional push.
The label plans to sign artistes from the classical, gazal and bhajan genres. Artistes signed under the label are given 10 per cent royalty share. Many other devotional albums are lined up for the new label. Jalota however is clear that his label does not intend to be a part of the Indian Music Industry (IMI).
Reports say Jalota plans to organise a music competition on 18 October with 10 singers performing live for the audience. He will judge the competitors, along with Jagjit Singh, Anuradha Paudwal, Durga Jasraj and Udit Narayan. The final three winners of the contest will win cash prizes and an opportunity to record their songs for the new label.
