Rahul Dev Burman stands out among the hallowed Indian film composers. Even though RD Burman (also known as Pancham) passed away over 25 years ago, his music still captures the attention of musicians and music lovers today.
His ability to offer folk and classical music in an original, yet current way for young audiences, along with the vast scope of his musical output, was and continues to be a game-changer.
Modern masters of commercial film music like AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Vishal Bharadwaj, Shankar, Ehsaan, and Loy have all clearly been influenced by it.
Even now, people are enthralled by the melodies and harmonies he created. Despite being deeply rooted in a particular social environment, his music appeals to people of all ages.
Much of it may be attributed to his exceptional rhythms, which were a defining feature of his work, and the variety of subjects he supported. His rhythms, which incorporate bongo, tabla, shakers, bongo, bass guitar, and African drums, among other instruments, are hypnotic. In the 1960s and 1970s, those rhythms introduced Hindi film music to the student and college crowd.
Many RD Burman fans have not seen many of those films, yet they can easily identify the songs thanks to their distinctive percussion and beautiful melody. In fact, some listeners claim that they can recognize a Pancham song simply by listening to the rhythm part.
Here are five reasons why he stands head and above the rest:
Genius lies in Simplicity.
Using the human voice as an instrument.
Finding music and rhythm everywhere.
Influence of Jazz.
Bringing the best out of those who worked with him.
Source: TheBetterIndia