Mathures Paul

Sukhwinder Singh always finds Kolkata to be a tough venue for concerts as listeners here appreciate good lyrics and melody over crass ‘hit’ numbers. Over to Mathures Paul Performing in Kolkata has always been a challenge for most singers as music lovers here look beyond the glitz and glamour, at elements that distinguish mediocre from the talented, melody from a clutter of notations, feels Sukhwinder Singh, who arrives in Kolkata on 2 November to perform at Rabindra Sarovar Stadium, after successful concerts in Bangalore, Ambala, Ajmer, Rourkela and Thane. An extremely selective singer, quite like most composers/musicians he works with, Singh is currently in the news for Fashion Ka Jalwa, the hit track from Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion. Speaking to The Statesman, he shares thoughts beyond films. His Kolkata performance would feature mostly his hit numbers, and the list is quite long ~ from films such as Dil Se to Tashan to Fashion, played with a twist in terms of orchestration. He share...

Pratima Naithani could easily have been a jazz pianist but her destiny was to be an artist, one who is inspired by Indian history, music and films, writes Mathures Paul Children dream of becoming artists, musicians, scientist or engineers. Pratima Naithani’s options were limited due to a problem ~ which went undiagnosed until she was 13 ~ with her eyesight. Nevertheless, she was equally adept in expressing herself through music. A passion for the piano led her to play by ear without learning to read music, a skill she developed quickly to become a classical and jazz pianist. A twist of fate made her, still a student at boarding school, discover the world of art. Shaping the young mind was the rich cultural heritage of her parents. Her mother is from El Salvador and her father from India, Naithani grew up in the suburban town of Princeton, New Jersey. Since her mother’s country was at war for most of her childhood, preventing frequent visits, she developed a deeper relationship with her...