Saturday, September 24, 2016

Asha mesmerizes UK fans

Asha  mesmerizes fans in UK

Early this year at the launch of a popular magazine cover, Asha Bhosle announced her 2016 UK Farewell Tour. The Empress of music who has reigned supreme in Bollywood for over 7 decades is as rebellious,mellifluous  and bubbly even  today, having just turned 83 !
As she prepared for  her “Farewell Tour” of  Britain, Asha Bhosle  revealed for the first time how she immersed herself in the character of a Lucknow courtesan to prepare for the recording sessions of the iconic 1981 film Umrao Jaan.

Bhosle, who recently turned 83 said  it was unlikely she would visit the country  again. Needless to say both her concerts at Birmingham and Wembley ( London) were complete sell-outs!

 She  sang   “all kinds” of songs to entertain fans during her performances in Birmingham on Saturday and London on Sunday. These included hit songs like O mere Sona, Chura liya hai tumne,and the superb compositions of music director Khayyam from the film Umrao Jaan.
Audiences who flocked to both the venues were enthralled with her vast repertoire and clamoured for more!
A 12-piece orchestra and young and versatile singer Javed Ali mesmerized the audience. Asha has often praised Javed Ali  and thinks highly of the young talent.


Asha’s  talented  grand-daughter ,Zanai Bhosle ( daughter of Anand Bhosle also 
was    on-stage belting out popular songs sung  by her grandma.


Earlier at a press conference she reminisced about the first song she had ever recorded in Kolhapur– for a Marathi film Mazza Bach “Chala Chala Dambawala” along with Lata Mangeshkar and Meena. Travelling daily from Borivali to Charni Road she took lessons in classical singing from Navrang Nagpurkar and says she would have been a classical singer but for the fact that she needed the money to take care of her family and children.
 
Referring to her love of cooking since childhood, she said she had restaurants called Asha’s at Birmingham and Manchester in the UK and in Gulf countries.
During her illustrious career, Ashaji has collaborated with artists across the world from Boy George to Michael Stipe, to Australian cricketer, Brett Lee. The track, ‘You’re the One For Me’, is an original love song penned by the fast bowler himself. Bhosle recalls the experience as one of her career highlights.

Asha’s next performance will be in Durban ( S. Africa) on Oct 1 and Johannesburg (Oct 2) This will be Asha Bhosle’s first and final visit to South Africa and her fans can expect nothing less than a remarkable evening filled with the myriad flavours of music through her long and illustrious career. 


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