Teer-E Neemkash is a collection of 6 classical ghazals performed by Nalini Madiwale. Music for the album has been composed by the famous sitar maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez and the album has been produced by Ashis Sengupta. The blend of beautiful Urdu poetry and soul touching classical raga based tunes makes Teer-E-Neemkash a must have ghazal album in a connoisseurs collection. The album is a fine example of the long association of Urdu poetry with classical music.

The album features ghazals by Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, Firaq Gorakhpuri and Meer Taqi Meer, besides Ustad Aziz Khan. The latter is the late father and guru of Ustad Shahid Parvez.

Based on classical ragas, the ghazals are all pleasant and tunefully sung. Ghalib's "Har Ek Baat Pe" set to Mishra Khamaj gets the album started on a mellow note. After "Dayar-E-Ishq" (Iqbal) set to Rageshri and "Mutarib Se Kaho" (Firaq) in Mishra Gaara, Ustad Aziz Khan's nazm "Insaan Tu Bhi" brings a sombre touch with Mishra Shivaranjani. This nazm has neither been published nor recorded before.

Ashis Sengupta, a tabla exponent and composer, has added his midas touch to the music arrangement that adds lift and body to the compositions. Touches of violin, tabla, sitar and sarod enliven the compositions. All in all, the album makes for a soothing listening experience.

The Poetry
Ghazal: This is an Indo-Persian poetic form that dates back to the 10th century. The couplets have a similar metering. The theme maybe one or more. The opening couplet is called the "Matla". The poets signs off on the last couplet called the "Maqta".
Nazm: Is a monothematic poetic form. It has a variable number of verses. The metering can also vary.

The Artist
Nalini Madiwale is a dedicated singer. She is disiciple of Pandit Vijay Kichlu. She’s also interested in Urdu Poetry and Kabir’s work in addition to Indian Classical Music. She received her preliminary vocal training from the Late Shri R.G. Desai of Hubli.

The Composer
Ustad Shahid Parvez is a sitar player par excellence and the torch bearer of the Etawa gharana for his generation. His deep understanding and love of Urdu poetry has created this small detour in his musical journey.

The Poets
Meer Taqi Meer (1723-1810): The pioneer who shaped the Urdu language on the Indian subcontinent. He's the foremost name in Urdu poetry, "Ulti Ho Gayin", is a very well-known ghazal.

Mirza Ghalib(1796-1869): The most celebrated of Urdu Poets. He had tremendous admiration for Meer and a complex style of his own. He achieved celebrity posthumously. His life was a struggle and his work is timeless. "Yeh na Thi hamari Kismat" is well-known and "Har-Ek-Baat-pe" is slightly obscure.

Allama Iqbal (1877-1938): Sir Muhammad Iqbal was a poet, philosopher, politician and lawyer. He was a prolific author of Urdu & Persian. "Dayar-E-Ishq" is his advice to his son, in the poem titled 'Javed Iqbal Ke Naam'

Firaq Gorakhpuri (1896-1982): His real name was Prabhupati Sahay,. A prolific and self assured poet, he was also a scholar of Urdu, Persian, Hindi, English and Sanskrit. "Mutarib Se Kaho" is one of his more obscure ghazals.

Ustad Aziz Khan (1924-1972): The son of Ustad Waheed Khan, a scholarly musician of the Etawa Gharana, he chose to be a composer in the film industry. He also groomed his son Ustad Shahid Parvez to be an illustrious sitar player to carry on the family tradition. Ustad Aziz Khan composed music for films in the 1940s and 1950s. His creativity was not limited to music. His nazm "Insan tu Bhi' has not been recorded or published before.

Album Reviews
This album certainly merits its catchline, "Classic poetry in classical tunes" - THE HINDU