Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Jare Udaja re Panchhi : Apoorva Bhatt

Apoorva Bhatt played this song in Kamati Baug, Vadodara.
He prefers to play 12 hole chromatic harmonica in scale C.
I remember my first meeting with Apoorva Bhatt, I had just started learning to play harmonica from Paresh Bhatia. One evening he told me that a harmonica group was invited in Ahmedabad and i must attend the show as he was to fly to Dubai.
I reached the venue one hour earlier with my collection of harmonicas.
I was introduced to all the players by Amjadbhai and then suddenly Apoorva Bhatt came to me looking at the collection softly asked ' very nice , now let us hear you play ', and i took out one tiny Marine Band Delux and started playing ' maine tere liye hi saat rang ke ' which i had recently learnt. The moment i finished the first stanza he stopped me and started playing the interlude music. That time I noticed two things, one he was playing some different instrument than mine and secondly his style of play.
I asked him to show his harmonica and that was 12 hole super chromonica 270.
I took the complete video of the programme as i was asked to sit in the first raw, and after the programme got over i went to him to get some tips. He gave me his visiting card and said ' come to Baroda for the whole day ' that's all....
Then after a couple of days he called me and asked if i could share the video of that programme with him, and also gave me a hint that Holi was after two days. And i was in Baroda on Holi.
we spent the whole day together with Amjadbhai, Rupesh and one little girl who plays Tadap Tadap song. I was trained to play Chords, Octave, Whamping etc. That day I had my first Chromatic harmonicas. I was given super chromonica 270 and 280.
I had mentioned this incidence in the yahoo group, thanking all the Baroda players.
Today not a single day goes without talking.
Only fortunate people get a friend like Apoorva Bhatt.