Kohinoor: The Timeless Classics

When one thinks of Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, one instantly remembers hits like 'Chupke Chupke', 'Aawargi' and 'hungama'. While these are three of his most popular songs, the fact is that this velvet-voiced singer has a large and dazzling repertoire of work, comprising a good mix of ghazals, thumris and traditional folk songs. His use of classical nuances in the ghazal medium has inspired scores of younger singers. Bron in 1940 in Kaleke village, Sialkot, Ghulam Ali was initially trained by his father, a vocalist and sarangi player. When he was 15, he became disciple of the legendary Patiala gharana doyen Bade Ghulam Ali Khan,who eventually asked his three talented brothers Barkat Ali Khan, Mubarak Khan and Amaanat Ali Khan to train the youngster. This was how Ghulam Ali became well-versed in the intricacies of light classical music. When he started singing for Radio Lahore at the age of 20, his talent was instantly noticed. Besides singing the work of well-known poets, Ghulam Ali developed a unique style of composing music, using classical raags and blending the finer features of the Patiala style of singing with the ghazal technique. when the Hasrat Mohani-penned 'Chupke Chupke' was used in the B R Chopra's film Nikaah in 1982, he suddenly attained huge popularity in India, where a ghazal wave had just begun, thanks to the likes of Jagjit-Chitra Singh, Rajendra-Nina Mehta, Pankaj Udhas and Talat Aziz. In this collection, EMI Music presents gems like 'Aawargi', 'Paara Paara Hua', 'Apni Tasveer Ko Aankhon,' 'Chupke Chupke' and the Mirza Ghalib classic 'Aah Ko Chahiye'. A traditional 'Heer' is another highlight of this 12-song set.