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Rahul Khanna - August 04, 2005

After all the excitement and comments of the last 24 hours, the Crazed Junkie Whore in me seems to be satiated… if only temporarily.

So I thought I’d use this mellow mood to share 3 pieces of creativity that have moved me recently. Some of you may be familiar with them and enjoy the reminder. And to some, I hope, it will be a wonderful introduction.

The first two are albums I’ve recently added to my iPod. They were both introduced to me by a terrific photographer named Farrokh Chhotia (who, incidentally, is probably the first Indian photographer to have his work up on a huge billboard in Times Square – the recent Swatch jewelry campaign).

The first is an album called São Vicente by Cesaria Evora. Although, I wasn’t familiar with her work, I learned Cesaria Evora is a bona fide world music superstar. A native of a tiny West African island nation called Cape Verde, she sings in Portuguese and her music has a soulful, jazzy feel to it. But her voice is what hooked me. It is big and warm and is the equivalent of a hearty home-cooked meal for the ears. Her tone radiates experience, love and wisdom even if, like me, you can’t understand the words. My favourite track is Crepuscular Solidão, a duet with Bonnie Raitt.

The second is Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. I can’t say I’m the biggest Joni Mitchell fan but when I heard this superb collection of her rendition of jazz standards, it was instant attraction. Beautiful smoky voice, beautiful arrangements and even a new take on a couple of her own songs.

Every time I listen to these two albums, I’m transported back to the balmy night I first heard them while sipping red wine on the veranda of a beautiful house with a handful of new friends and a firefly, watching the moon dance on the sea.

The third is a book I suspect many of you have already read. It’s called The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, it is a simple story of love, betrayal and redemption. It is an adventure that follows the protagonist from the last days of Afghanistan’s monarchy to the US and back to Taliban ruled Afghanistan to right an old wrong. If, like me, you had only a fuzzy awareness of Afghanistan’s history, this book will really give you an insight into this often misrepresented nation and Khaled Hosseini has the cleanest, purest writing style I’ve come across in a long time. It’s almost poetic. Surprisingly, he is a first-time author.

(Coincidence: At many points of the book, I found the mood so reminiscent of the film, “Road to Perdition” directed by one of my favourite directors, Sam Mendes. I thought nothing more of it until, after finishing the book, I was looking up stuff about it on the net as I always do and I discovered that Sam Mendes will be directing the film adaptation of it! I can’t wait.)

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Posted by Rahul Khanna at August 4, 2005 09:42 PM

Comments

Temporarily, being the operative word here, Rahul ;)

1. Posted by trinity on August 4, 2005 10:05 PM

Great suggestions Rahul . . .Cesaria Evora is one of my favourite international artists - check out her best of album - some really wonderful tracks on it! Ditto on Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell - great album.

I havent read the book as yet - but will look it up - thanks for the suggestions! Take care . . .Laila

2. Posted by Laila on August 4, 2005 10:23 PM

As for your 'mellow' comments, I was first introduced to Cesaria Evora by a good friend of mine a few years ago. The song that stands out in my mind is 'besame mucho' which I'm guessing might be the most well known of her pieces?
She does have a very soothing and calming voice.

The Kite Runner sounds like a book worth checking out......and speaking of books, it doesn't seem like Cuckold is readily available unfotunately.........not here in Canada anyways.

3. Posted by trinity on August 4, 2005 10:29 PM

Yes Cuckold is a tough one to fine - even Amazon is struggling with that one. Maybe it is easier to find through publishers in India - any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks - take care . . .Laila

4. Posted by Laila on August 5, 2005 12:01 AM

Yes Cuckold is a tough one to find - even Amazon is struggling with that one. Maybe it is easier to find through publishers in India - any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks - take care . . .Laila

5. Posted by Laila on August 5, 2005 12:04 AM

It is somewhat aside of your suggestions, but...I know I have to get "The Kite Runner" now.

Four summers ago, in the month of June, I started to write an "old flame" about some "visions" I was seeing that represented a great darkness to me--one I didn't understand. I noticed that I had simultaineously been writing to here about "Two Twin Cobras of Darkness" that I kept seeing rise in flames of darkness.

I also noticed that, strangely, I would punctuate this "dark stuff" with seemingly unrelated comments about Jalal-al-Din Rumi, and what I knew of his life in Afghanistan--that he became a Sufi Mystic.

I had to send this woman a strange series of legal documents also--that I spent eight years acquiring at threat to my life almost continuously. She had become a "Trust/Estate" lawyer and lived at the "Dunes" shown in "The Road to Perdition," at the very end of the movie--she grew up right on those shores and still lives there.

She gave up a child, unwittingly--through abortion, to what was in those documents. By the time I got them all together, and in order, I sent them to her via UPS. She received them in her state--1,200 miles from me--within the same period of hours (adjusting for time differences) as the 9/11 plane crashes.

I would later do a "psychic reading" for the girlfriend of the son of the pilot for Flight 93.
Your post makes me think I can let go of any drama I hold in my own heart about the past--by going into what I can only imagine is a brilliant tale of the bittersweet reality of this world.

Thanks again for the array of energy your posts have already generated--especially that humor--so needed at this time in "Humor His-Story." Maybe we are beginning the journey of "Her-Story," and we can blend them altogether for "Our-Story!" Dave

6. Posted by David on August 5, 2005 09:47 AM

Laila,
Cuckold is available on amazon.co.uk if that helps.

Rahul,
The above suggestions seem very stimulating!

Thanks,
Shrutii

7. Posted by Shrutii on August 5, 2005 01:57 PM

Good Afternoon Shrutii - hope all is well. Thank you for the info - will order through that site! Have a wonderful day . . . keep smiling!!

Laila

8. Posted by Laila on August 5, 2005 02:40 PM

I love the song Both sides now... hear Roger Whittakers version too if you guys can... I heard Roger first and then Joni... reading Kite Runner... and btw for all alexander fans who hated the film.. read the book VIRTUES OF WAR... mind blowing.. its by Steven Pressfield. cheers...

9. Posted by indrani ray on August 5, 2005 07:07 PM

Hi Rahul,
If you like Joni Mitchell, try and find her album named, "Blue", it is wonderful.....Kite Runner was one the best books I have read in long time. I cried towards the end as everything seemed so real to what has gone on in the world. As I mentioned in a post earlier, it was like I was "closing my eyes" as I was reading as I didn't want to "see" the images....if yu know what I mean.....Joanie

10. Posted by Joanie on August 6, 2005 04:50 AM

I am with Al di Meola now.. Joni Mitchell sounds interesting...

11. Posted by Pallavi on August 26, 2005 03:52 AM

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12. Posted by Nicolas Trumen on September 8, 2005 03:13 PM

You may find this belated post rather irrelevant but it just happened that I heard a couple of songs of Cesaria Evora while watching an Italian masterpiece of a film "the Best of Youth" (la meglio gioventú) by Marco Tullio Giordana. The film, which featured in the programme of the International Toronto Film Festival 2003, has the length of a Bollywood fim and it is worth every minute of it. If you happen to get hold of a copy just pay attention to "Sodade" (=sense of nostalgia) by Cesaria during the second part of the film where one is allowed a journey to the green hills of Toscany...fantastico!!!

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